Killeen among top free-throw shooters in NCAA history

Washington & Jefferson College senior point guard Kennan Killeen, pictured, the 2010 Presidents’ Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Year, finished her career as the ninth-best free-throw shooter in NCAA Division III history.

Killeen, who scored 1,189 career points, made 85.6 percent (339-of-396) of her free throws during four seasons with the Presidents.

Anderson (Ind.) College's Angel Hall, a 2004 graduate, is the top free-throw shooter in NCAA Division III history at 89.5 percent (323-of-361).

Killeen likely could help many Division I men's teams with their free-throw shooting. For example, DePaul. The Blue Demons, who were eliminated from the Big East tournament earlier today, ranked 347th out of 347 Division I teams in free-throw shooting at 58.5 percent. The Blue Demons have three players shooting less than 50 percent from the line.

PAC men's basketball preview

Thomas More turned in a rare double play last year in basketball, winning both the Presidents' Athletic Conference men's and women's championships. It should be tougher this time around for the Saints, who suffered some big losses to graduation and have a new head coach on the men's side. The following is a preview of the Presidents' Athletic Conference men's teams in predicted order of finish, according to the conference's preseason poll:

1. Thomas More
Head coach: Jeff Rogers (1st year)
Last year: 102- in conference, 19-9 overall. Won PAC tournament. Lost to Capital in first round of NCAA tournament.
Outlook: The Saints put together one of the best stories in Division III basketball last year, going from worst (3-23 two years ago) to conference champion. head coach John Ellwood is gone, leaving for the same job at Division II Ashland. Also gone are four starters. Jeff Rogers, the Saints' assistant coach last season, moves over one spot on the bench this year so there won't be much of a change int he team's style of play. Senior point guard Romell Salone (9.9 ppg) is the only returning starter but the Saints' reserves last season logged more minutes than those of most teams. Thomas More has 13 newcomers on the roster including six transfers. With a new coach and so many new players, there's bound to be a period of adjustment. But the Saints will be tough to beat, especially at home, where they were 12-2 last year.

2. Washington & Jefferson
Head coach: Glenn Guierrez (4th year - 48-38 career)
Last year: 7-5, 20-10. Won ECAC South Division championship.
Outlook: The Presidents' inside game took a huge hit with the graduation of Josip Lucic-Jozak and Wahad Olawabi. Both were first-team all-conference picks last year and 1,000-point career scorers. Look for a larger scoring burden to fall to swingmen Albert Varacallo (10.1 ppg) and Brian Felker, pictured, (11.3 ppg). Also back is point guard Matt Drakeley (7.2 ppg). Guard Paul Matthews, who transferred from Hampden-Sydney for the second semester of last season but played in only two games with the Presidents, should have a much larger role this season. “These four players are as good as anyone else’s four in the conference," Gutierrez said. The Presidents will play good defense and shoot well from the perimeter. If they can hold their own on the boards, then they'll have a good shot at winning the conference championship.

3. Bethany
Head coach: Andrew Sachs (1st year)
Last year: 9-3, 17-12
Outlook: Sachs, who comes to Bethany from Holy Cross, is the Bison's third coach in three seasons. Bethany has a Washington County look as the roster includes senior Joe Testa (Trinity), senior Jonas Ankrom (Canon-McMillan), freshman Nick Wilcox (Peters Township) and freshman Nick Bryant (Washington). Gone is Lance Beckwith, a first-team all-PAC pick who played only one season with the Bison. Testa and junior Ryan McFadden give Bethany two returning starters inside. Ankrom, who sat out last season with an injury, is a good perimeter shooter. Expect Wilcox to make an immediate impact. With so much coaching turnover, you expect there to be a period of adjustment. if the Bison can adapt quickly to Sachs' style and schemes, then the Bison will be a dangerous team.

4. Grove City
Head coach: Steve Lamie (12th year - 156-132 career)
Last year: 6-6, 12-13
Outlook: The Wolverines have three returning starters, including 6-7 Andy O'Keefe (12.8 ppg), fifth-year senior Joe McCoy (11.0 ppg) and three reserves who combined to make 10 starts a year ago. Guard Luke Tomaselli, who missed last season because of injury, also returns. When Lamie is given that kind of experience, he usually produces a team that contends for the conference title. The key will be developing a reliable group of reserves to help what should be a strong starting lineup. Though picked fourth in the preseason poll, don't count out the Wolverines.

5. Westminster
Head coach: Larry Ondako (7th year - 76-85 career)
Last year: 7-5, 10-17
Outlook: Westminster hopes the strides it made during the second half of last season carry over to this year. The Titans started last year 1-11, their worst start ever with the one win coming against eventual league champion Thomas More. Westminster was resilient and won nine of its last 16. A similar start could be coming as Ryne Murray, the reigning PAC Player of the Year after leading the conference in scoring (20.2) and rebounding (10.4), won't play until mid-December because he has only one semester of eligibility remaining. Until then, the Titans will rely on sophomore Ron Briggs (7.6 ppg) and senior Steve Bielich (10.7 ppg), the latter a three-year starter who has been injury riddled.

6. Thiel
Head coach: Tim Loomis (4th year)
Last year: 1-11, 2-23
Outlook: Loomis, the former California University coach, called last year's disaster of a season "the toughest I've ever gone through." By the beginning of the second semester, the Tomcats had lost six of its top eight players. But don't expect Thiel to be down for long. The Tomcats could be the surprise team of the league. Loomis has gutted the roster and brought in several impact players, including three transfers, to go with guards Devon Adams (11.2 ppg) and Cory Chaffee (11.1 ppg). The Tomcats will do more pressing and trapping on defense. "We'll be able to stop people this year," Loomis says. Look for Youngstown State transfer Blair Rozenbald to make a significant contribution.

7. WaynesburgHead coach: Frank Ferraro (7th year - 62-83 career)
Last year: 2-10, 6-19.
Outlook: Like most of Waynesburg's athletic teams, this program has struggled in recent years. The Yellow Jackets have seen their win total drop in each of the last three seasons. Last year's 19 losses were the most for Waynesburg since 1968-69 -- the season before Rudy Marisa became the Yellow Jackets' coach. Waynesburg has nine players returning but only two starters, junior Ryan Courneen (13.0 ppg) and senior point guard Jarrell Rodriguez (5.6 ppg). The Yellow Jackets have been undersized for many years and that won't change this season. The big preseason question is, other than Courneen, who is going to provide scoring?

Geneva
Head coach: Jeff Santarsiero (14th year)
Last year: 0-0, 8-17
Outlook: Geneva is not eligible to win the conference championship. The Golden Tornadoes had an unexpected poor season last year and defense was the primary reason as Geneva allowed a whopping 81 points per game. Four starters return, including the top two scorers Richard Colick 916.0 ppg) and Dave Phillips (13.6 ppg). Also back is long-range shooter Bryan Hill (11.1 ppg), who was limited only seven games because a knee injury and a bout with mono. T.J. Bevilacqua, a 6-5 swingman, is a transfer from Illinois Tech, and should be an impact newcomer. The Golden Tornadoes have the potential to be vastly improved, but it all depends on their ability to stop opponents. "We're all about defense this year," Santarsiero said. Geneva plays at Division I Youngstown State Nov. 24.

Saint Vincent
Head coach: D. P. Harris (7th year - 125-40 career)
Last year: 0-0, 22-3
Outlook: Saint Vincent is not eligible to win the conference championship. The Bearcats, who are in their final season as a Division III provisional member, are coming off a 22-win season but that was accomplished with several holders from the Bearcats' schoalrship days. Four starters who combined for 71 percent of the offense have graduated. The lone returning starter is guard B.J. McGill (11.5 ppg). Mike Watkins (Ringgold) gives the bearcats an inexperienced 6-8 player in the low post. Saint Vincent must get immediate production from several newcomers, the most interesting of which is 6-11 center Alberto Benetti from Verona, Italy. The Bearcats enter the season with a 27-game home-court winning streak. We're going to play fast and we're going to press," Harris said. "We're kidding our selves if we think we're going to put together another 22-win season. We're looking forward to next year so we can compete for a conference championship."

College pregame notes

California

California got a second-chance to the season by being included in the NCAA Division II playoffs. But the Vulcans, coming off a 42-35 loss to Shippensburg in the PSAC State Game, did not look anything like the team that has made back-to-back trips to the national semifinals.

The defense was dazed and confused trying to stop the Wing-T offense of Shippensburg and trailed at one point, 42-14, before rallying in the fourth quarter. Fayetteville State does not run the Wing-T so Cal's defense, led by linebackers Dontey Brown and Brett Diamond, won't have to worry about it.

Fayetteville State has speed in the backfield and size along the offensive line. But the quarterback position has been a problem. Head coach Ken Phillips made a quarterback switch in the second half of last week's CIAA title game against Bowie State.

Still, Cal's success depends on whether it can continue to throw the ball well, and Josh Portis has done that most of the season, and whether the defense contains the Fayetteville State running game.

Opponent: Fayetteville State
When: Noon, Saturday
Where: Adamson Stadium in California
Records: Cal is 8-3. Fayetteville State is 8-3.
On the air: WCAL-FM 91.9
Television: None
Games remaining: Possible playoff game at Shippensburg

Washington & Jefferson
Waynesburg University

Here are three reasons why W&J should win this game.

1. The Presidents are 24-1 against Waynesburg in home games.
2. The running game should be able to control the football against a young, inexperienced Waynesburg defense.
3. They need this game to have any hope of making the playoffs.

Here are three ways in which Waynesburg can win.

1. Ride the passing arm of quarterback Brad Dawson.
2. Force turnovers from what has become a shaky quarterback position for W&J.
3. Dominate the return game with Scott Cree producing a couple scores early.


Opponent: Waynesburg
When: 1:30 p.m., Saturday
Where: Cameron Stadium in Washington
Records: W&J is 8-1, 4-1 in the PAC. Waynesburg is 5-4, 2-3 in PAC.
On the air: WJPA-AM 1450, WCYJ-FM 88.7
Television: None
Games remaining: Possible playoff game

W&J women in D-III soccer tournament

The Washington & Jefferson College women's soccer team will be making its second consecutive trip to the NCAA Division III tournament after earning the Presidents' Athletic Conference's automatic berth.

The Presidents (12-6-2) will travel to Grand Rapids, Mich., Friday for a 1:30 p.m. contest against the Calvin College Knights (13-4-1).

Ohio Northern (15-4-1) takes on Wittenberg (11-4-5) in the other opening-round contest at the Calvin four-team pod at 11:00 a.m. Friday. The first-round winners will meet in a second-round match Saturday afternoon.

W&J won the PAC championship Saturday by defeating host Grove City, 1-0, on a second-half goal by Chrissy Marcius (pictured).

Calvin received one of 21 at-large (Pool C) bids to the tournament. The Knights will be making their fifth consecutive trip to the postseason. Calvin lost in a penalty-kicks shootout last week in the MIAA tournament semifinals to Kalamazoo.

W&J nets PAC women's soccer title

Freshman midfielder Chrissy Marcius scored the game's only goal as Washington & Jefferson successfully defended its Presidents' Athletic Conference women's soccer championship by defeating host Grove City, 1-0, in the tournament final Saturday.

The Presidents (12-6-2) earned their first win at Grove City since the 2005 season and receive the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division III tournament for the second consecutive season. For the second year in a row, W&J won both its semifinal and championship matches on the road.

Third-seeded W&J and top-seeded GCC (11-6-3) played a scoreless first half with the Wolverines holding a 7-3 advantage in shots, while W&J held the slight edge in corner kicks, 2-1.

The Wolverines continued to hold an edge in the stat sheet in the second half, but Marcius converted on a scoring opportunity in the 60th minute for the only goal the Presidents would need.

W&J sophomore goalie Stephanie Saussol held the Wolverines off the scoreboard the rest of the way and finished with 10 saves. Saussol recorded her sixth shutout of the season.

The NCAA will release the tournament bracket Monday morning.

College pregame notes

California

No one, outside of the most ardent fan and teammate, thought California would be in this position after the first two weeks of the season. The Vulcans will play a team in Shippensburg that appears to have destiny on its side. The Red Raiders have won three game by a combined 10 points, knocking off then-No. 3 Bloomsburg, 28-27, to wrap up the spot in the State Game.

The great debate this week is whether the State Game is necessary, considering the loser might not receive a playoff bid because of three losses. But that doesn't seem likely, considering the PSAC has a strong reputation. Cal could probably most afford a loss because the Vulcans have made it to the national semifinals the past two seasons.

Cal will be playing on a grass field at Shippensburg but that should not be a factor because the weather is expected to be sunny and clear. That's good news for tailback Windell Brown, who has run the ball effective since returning midseason from an ankle injury in the opener.

Opponent: Shippensburg
When: 1 p.m., Saturday
Where: Seth Grove Stadium in Shippensburg
Records: Cal is 8-2, 7-0 in the PSAC. Shippensburg is 8-2, 6-1 in the PSAC.
On the air: WCAL-FM 91.9
Television: PCNC (live)
Games remaining: Possible playoff berth


Washington & Jefferson

The pain from last week's loss to Thomas More is still there but the Presidents need to win their next two games if they expect to have any chance at receiving a berth in the NCAA Division III playoffs.

The Presidents struggled on offense in the second half of last week's game and the quarterback combo of Steven Shumaker and Gino Rometo looked rattled and, at times, confused. They have to play well for W&J to win.

The defense has steadily improved this season and end Jacob Bloomhuff is having an outstanding season. Bloomhuff ranks second in sacks (1.44 per game) in NCAA Division III. Wittenberg defensive lineman Eddie Vallery leads the nation with an average of 1.75 sacks per game.

Opponent: Bethany
When: 1 p.m., Saturday
Where: Bison Stadium
Records: W&J is 7-1, 3-1 in the PAC. Bethany is 2-6, 1-4 in the PAC.
On the air: WJPA-AM 1450
Television: None
Games remaining: Waynesburg

Waynesburg

After last week's loss to Grove City, the Yellow Jackets need a win this week to assure a fourth straight season of finishing with a .500 or better record. Waynesburg quarterback Brad Dawson has passed for 2,175 yards this season, making him the fourth in school history to surpass 2,000 yards. The others are John Huntley (2004 in 1968), Darren Elvey (2,044 in 1997), and Jeff Dumm, who did it three times from 2002-2004).

Jamelle Bowers leads the stable of running backs with an average of 8.3 yards per carry, 408 on 49 carries. Scott Cree leads the team with 774 all-purpose yards and Ray Hightower has 33 receptions for 487 yards and five touchdowns.


Opponent: Thiel
When: 1:30 p.m., Saturday
Where: Wiley Stadium in Waynesburg
Records: Waynesburg is 4-4, 1-3 in the PAC. Thiel is 3-5, 1-3 in the PAC.
On the air: WCYJ-FM 88.7
Television: None
Games remaining: at W&J

Why W&J lost

It won't take hours of pouring over stats, watching game films or discussing strategy foul-ups to figure out why Washington & Jefferson College's football team lost 14-7 to Thomas More Saturday at Cameron Stadium.
The reason is simple.
The one guy who could have saved the team from a defeat that cost a Presidents' Athletic Conference title spent nearly all the game on the W&J sidelines.
That's where Bobby Swallow watched most of the game, in street clothes.
Swallow ran out of eligibility after a record-setting career as quarterback of this team for the past three seasons.
W&J does not have anyone who can replace Swallow, at least not on a skill level to match the left-handed quarterback. In last season's 35-29 loss to Thomas More, Swallow kept W&J in the game with one of his best efforts of his career. He completed 40 of 58 passes for 390 yards and four touchdowns. He was the only offense W&J had in that game.
W&J's uses a quarterback-driven spread offense and it's served the Presidents well. Over the past decade, they have had above-average running backs but no one who could carry a team through a season.
That's what head coach Mike Sirianni expects his quarterbacks to do. This past Saturday, Gino Rometo and Steven Shumaker did not provide the spark, especially in a second half when the Presidents mustered just 18 passing yards and two first downs. It was so bad that even the basic snaps from center were an adventure. Rometo mishandled two for losses of 22 yards.
The Presidents have enjoyed a string of great quarterbacks. Swallow followed Chris Edwards, who followed Brian Dawson, and the wins and playoff appearances were a given in most of those seasons.
Rometo and Shumaker are not at that level yet, and their struggles were evident against a strong Thomas More defense. Those types of problems are easily hidden in a weak PAC conference schedule but not against the Saints.
Until W&J gets better play from the quarterbacks in these types of games, wins will be difficult to come by.

College pregame notes

Washington & Jefferson

Ah, isn't it nice to go into a weekend when the outcome of a W&J football game is not in question. Face it, the PAC is weak this year, well, nearly every year. But the two best teams in the conference meet Saturday at Cameron Stadium. There should be more weekends like this for the Presidents. It's a testament to the talented players on this team that their average margin of victory hovers around three touchdowns . . . for the decade.

Thomas More is tough, physical, quick and athletic. W&J shares those qualities. These games tend to bring out the best in players. Last season, quarterback Bobby Swallow nearly single-handedly rallied W&J to a victory. But the 35-29 loss to the Saints made W&J forfeit possession of the PAC title.

The winner of this game will no doubt make the playoffs. The loser should also get in, but it's better not to leave that to someone else to decide. This game probably comes down to how well the Jacob Bloomhuff-led defense of W&J does in stopping the Cordario Collier-led offense of Thomas More.

This is one game you don't want to miss.

Opponent: Thomas More
When: 1:30 p.m., Saturday
Where: Cameron Stadium
Records: W&J is 7-0, 3-0 in the PAC. Thomas More is 7-0, 5-0 in the PAC.
On the air: WJPA-AM 1450
Television: None
Games remaining: at Bethany, Waynesburg

California

How things have turned for California Unviversity's football team. Many left the Vulcans for dead after a Week 2 loss to Bloomsburg. Just eight weeks later, Cal can make it to the State Game for the second straight season against an unexpected opponent in Shippensburg.

Much of it has to do with the development of quarterback Josh Portis, who has been sensational over the last seven games, all victories. He has thrown 21 touchdowns, tops in the conference, and has been intercepted just once in the last 27 quarters. Windell Brown's return to health has sparked the running game.

Even the defense is better, allowing just five touchdowns in the past three games. Trinity graduate Ben Jennings will try to dent that defense as a starting running back for the Lakers.

A win in this game and Cal will sew up the PSAC West Division title for the fifth straight season. The Vulcans will travel to Shippensburg for the State Game and most probably will enter the NCAA Division II playoffs after that.


Opponent: Mercyhurst
When: 3:30 p.m., Saturday
Where: Adamson Stadium in California
Records: Cal is 7-2, 6-0 in the PSAC. Mercyhurst is 4-5, 3-3 in the PSAC.
On the air: WCAL-FM 91.9
Television: FSN
Games remaining: at State Game

Waynesburg

With the two most prolific quarterbacks in the conference getting together Saturday, the only thing that might stop these offenses is the end zone. Look for a shootout. Waynesburg is allowing an average of 32 points per game, Grove City 30.

Andrew DiDonato, a graduate of South Fayette, holds every oassing record worth having at Grove City. He leads the conference with an average of 280 total yards per game.

Brad Dawson is tops in passing yardage per game (275), touchdowns (19) and total passing yards (1,925).

Take the over.

Opponent: Grove City
When: 1:30 p.m., Saturday
Where: Thorn Field in Grove City
Records: Waynesburg is 4-3, 1-2 in the PAC. Grove City is 2-5, 1-2 in the PAC.
On the air: WCYJ-FM 88.7
Television: None
Games remaining: Thiel, at W&J

College pregame notes

Washington & Jefferson

The Presidents had two weeks to prepare for last week's game against Saint Vincent, but it was obvious their hearts and minds were somewhere else, most likely thinking about a showdown against Thomas More Oct. 31 W&J did not play well on a mud-soaked Chuck Noll Field, needing a defensive score to put the Bearcats away in the fourth quarter. It's the first time this season the Presidents appeared vulnerable.

But we can cut them some slack. It's difficult to be emotionally stoked for a winless team. Westminster is more talented and can turn another poor performance by W&J into a devastating loss. The Presidents' defense played well and the muddy field conditions hurt the offense. Look for the Presidents to play better against the Titans, even if Thomas More is still in their thoughts.

Opponent: Westminster
When: 1:30 p.m., Saturday
Where: Burry Stadium in New Wilmington
Records: W&J is 6-0, 2-0 in the PAC. Westminster is 3-4, 2-2 in the PAC.
On the air: WJPA-AM 1450
Television: None
Games remaining: at Westminster, Thomas More, at Bethany, Waynesburg

California

The Vulcans are coming off their most impressive showing of the season, a 38-14 victory over Edinboro. Tailback Windell Brown (ankle sprain) returned to the form he showed last season by rushing for a career-best 148 yards and scoring two touchdowns against the Fighting Scots. Quarterback Josh Portis continues his strong showing, and seems to be understanding his role in the offense better each week.

But the best part about the win over Edinboro was the strong play of the defense, which gave up a combined 59 points against Clarion and Indiana. Slippery Rock doesn't present the type of problems Edinboro does. The Rock's quarterback Rocco Colavecchio has passed for a lot of yards but has more interceptions than touchdowns. Slippery Rock's defense has given up 78 points over the last two games, both losses.

Cal has a chance to right the ship after opening the season with two losses and playing a poor first half before rallying to beat West Chester.

Opponent: Slippery Rock
When: 1 p.m., Saturday
Where: Thompson Stadium in Slippery Rock
Records: Cal is 6-2, 5-0 in the PSAC. Slippery Rock is 5-3, 2-3 in the PSAC.
On the air: WCAL-FM 91.9
Television: None
Games remaining: at Slippery Rock, Mercyhurst, PSAC game

Waynesburg

Unfortunately for the Yellow Jackets, the defense is as bad as the offense is good. That's why they are a .500 team heading into a game against Bethany. The defense is giving up a whopping 416 yards per game, which is why the Yellow Jackets have lost two of the last three games. Injuries have been a problem, but every team has injuries at this point.

The frustrating part for Waynesburg is that the defensive failures leave little room for error from the offense. Quarterback Brad Dawson is having a strong year but even though he is helping the Yellow Jackets score 36 points per game, the defense is allowing 31.

Opponent: Bethany
When: 1:30 p.m., Saturday
Where: Wiley Stadium in Waynesburg
Records: Waynesburg is 3-3, 0-2 in the PAC. Bethany is 2-4, 1-3 in the PAC.
On the air: WCYJ-FM 88.9
Television: None
Games remaining: Bethany, at Grove City, Thiel, at W&J

Mid-season analysis

With the football season at the midway point, it's time to take a look at the three area football teams, how they've done and where they're going:

California

What most fans remember about this season is the opening two losses, the first to Saginaw Valley State and the following week against Bloomsburg. In those games, quarterback Josh Portis did not play well and tailback Windell Brown was lost with a sprained ankle.
Since the loss to Bloomsburg, Portis has played great, he has not thrown an interception in his last 120 attempts, a span covering 19 quarters. He has 19 touchdowns, four interceptions and 1,425 yards. Cal has won five in a row and appears to be headed back to the playoffs, except . . .
The West Division of the PSAC appears to be weak this year. Indiana is down and even Edinboro, with a 6-1 record, has not really dominated.
Somewhat lost with the offensive problems is the defense not playing up to expectations. The loss of nose tackle Sam Fikaris a few weeks ago hurt but the secondary has beem scorched for 184 yards per game and opposing quarterbacks are completing nearly 60 percent of the passes.
Brown needs to stay healthy because backup Freddy Bacco is a good complementary runner but not effective enough to carry the running game.
Cal will get a chance to play Bloomsburg again.

Opponent: Edinboro
When: 3:30 p.m., Saturday
Where: Adamson Stadium in California
Records: California is 5-2, 4-0 in the PSAC. Edinboro is 6-1, 4-0 in the PSAC.
On the air: WCAL-FM 91.9
Television: FSN
Games remaining: Edinboro, at Slippery Rock, Mercyhurst, PSAC game.


Washington & Jefferson

One might think that a team that has a rotation system at tailback and quarterback would struggle on offense. But that hasn't been the case for the Presidents. Gino Rometo and Steven Shumaker have made a very good 1-2 punch at quarterback. The Presidents are only fourth in the PAC in passing at 247 yards per game. But that stat is misleading because W&J is tied with Thomas More for the rushing lead at 184 per game.
Terrence McAllister, Derek Taylor and Brian Baldrige have combined for 791 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Almost lost in those numbers is how well the defense has played. Maybe the best game came two weeks ago when Grove City record-setting quarterback Dave DiDonato was held without a touchdown and intercepted twice. Defensive end Jacob Bloomhuff is having an outstanding season with nine quarterback sacks and seven tackles for losses. The secondary has produced seven interceptions.
Everything comes down to an Oct. 31 home game against Thomas More, which beat W&J last year to win the PAC title.
The Presidents can get into the NCAA Division III playoffs with one loss, as they did last season. The PAC is not especially strong and an emotional home game against Waynesburg is probably all that stands in the way of the Presidents and an undefeated season if they beat Thomas More.


Opponent: Saint Vincent
When: 1 p.m., Saturday
Where: Saint Vincent
Records: W&J is 5-0, 2-0 in the PAC. Saint Vincent is 0-6.
On the air: WJPA-AM 1450
Television: None
Games remaining: at Saint Vincent, at Westminster, Thomas More, at Bethany, Waynesburg


Waynesburg University

Just when you thought Waynesburg was ready to make a big move up in the PAC, a game like last week's loss to Westminster popped up. The kickoff was pushed back 30 minutes because Waynesburg arrived late because of construction on the interstate.
It went downhill from there.
The Yellow Jackets' defense gave up 562 yards against the Titans, 220 more than Westminster had averaged through the season. Waynesburg's pass defense is last in the conference, scoring defense is eighth out of nine, and run defense is sixth. Opponents are gaining an average of nearly six yards per play.
Quarterback Brad Dawson is having an outstanding season, completing 57 percent of his passes for 1,529 yards and 14 touchdowns. He's been intercepted just three times. If it weren't for him, Waynesburg would be a sub-.500 team.
The backfield rotation of Jamelle Bowers, Justin Falcon and Billy Becker gives different looks but none is averaging more than 49 yards per game.
Josh Fisher is having a great year at wide receiver with six touchdown catches and Ray Hightower is one of the most underrated receivers in the conference.
Offense isn't the problem. The defense is. And if it continues to allow yardage at this rate, more games such as Westminster might be ahead.


Opponent: Geneva
When: 1:30 p.m., Saturday
Where: Wiley Stadium in Waynesburg
Records: Waynesburg is 3-2, 0-2 in the PAC. Geneva is 4-1.
On the air: WCYJ-FM 88.9
Television: None
Games remaining: Geneva, Bethany, at Grove City, Thiel, at W&J

Washington & Jefferson

Opponent: Geneva
When: 2 p.m., Saturday
Where: Cameron Stadium
Records: W&J is 4-0, 2-0 in the PAC. Geneva is 3-0.
Television: None
On the air: WJPA-AM 1450
Noteworthy: W&J has defeated Geneva four consecutive times and has a 35-19-2 lead in the all-time series. Geneva has not defeated W&J since a 19-0 victory at Reeves Field in 1983. … Geneva has defeated Frostburg, Saint Vincent and Thiel but this will be the Golden Tornadoes’ strongest test of the season. … Geneva lost to W&J last season, 43-14. … W&J has played 110 games in this decade and Presidents’ quarterbacks have thrown at least one touchdown pass 103 times. Since 2004, W&J has failed to throw a touchdown pass only three times: against Allegheny in 2004 and 2006, and Millsaps in 2008. … W&J will play its first day game of the season after four night games. Since 2003, W&J is 14-0 under the lights. … The Presidents play their 1,071st game (661-369-40) in history Saturday. They have only lost three times when scoring 31 or more points. All three have come in this decade: 59-42 to Bridgewater in a 2000 NCAA playoff game; 38-35 against in a 2005 overtime game; and 35-34 against North Carolina Wesleyan in a 2007 NCAA playoff game.

Washington & Jefferson

Opponent: Grove City
When: 7 p.m., Saturday
Where: Thorn Field in Grove City
Records: W&J is 3-0, 1-0 in the PAC; Grove City is 1-2, 1-0 in the PAC
Television: None
On the air: WJPA-AM 1450
Noteworthy: W&J is playing the fourth consecutive night game of the season. The remainder of the schedule will have day games. … W&J will continue the two-quarterback system. Juniors Gino Rometo and Steven Shumaker combined for 397 total yards during Saturday's win over Thiel. Through three games last year, Bobby Swallow had thrown for 1,000 yards and seven touchdowns. Rometo and Shumaker have combined for 773 yards and eight touchdowns. … Rometo and Shumaker each threw for more than 100 yards last week, marking the first time that has occurred since Oct. 28, 2000, when Brian Dawson (219 yards) and Chris Locher (103 yards) accomplished the rare feat. W&J had played 101 games without two quarterbacks both passing the century mark. … Senior quarterback Andrew DiDonato, a South Fayette graduate, completed 22 of 32 passes for 240 yards, and also rushed for 61 yards in last week’s 35-14 victory by Grove City over Bethany. … W&J’s defense leads the PAC in passing yards allowed (157) and DiDonato leads the conference in passing (304 per game).

Football Pregame Notes

Washington & Jefferson

Opponent: Thiel
When: 7 p.m,, Saturday
Where: Cameron Stadium in Washington
Records: W&J is 2-0 and Thiel is 1-1. This is the PAC opener for both teams.
Television: None
On the air: WJPA-AM 1450
Noteworthy: There will be a new quarterback starting for the Presidents. Junior Gino Rometo will replace Steven Shumaker as the starter, though both are going to play. Rometo has looked sharp in the first two games this season, completing all four passes at the end of a Week 1 win over Oberlin amd going 17 of 31 for 174 yards and three touchdowns in last week’s win against Frostburg. Rometo is a transfer from Clarion University, where he was the starter until the seventh game last season. … Senior wide receiver Craig Besong has caught eight receptions in each of his first two games and has 110 career catches. Besong has amassed 1,613 yards and 23 touchdowns. He will pass Tom McCafferty for fifth place on the career reception list with 18 more catches. … W&J is looking to become the 45th team in school history to start the season with three consecutive victories. Since 1989, W&J has posted a 3-0 start 15 times. … Washington & Jefferson has won 10 consecutive games during the third week of the season. The Presidents have not lost their third game of the year since falling to Hanover (30-20) during the 1998 season. … Thiel recorded its first victory of the season Saturday with an impressive home win against Albion, 20-10. The win was the first for new head coach Kurt Reiser. … Senior quarterback Willie Bova leads the Tomcats’ offense. He rushed 10 times for 75 yards against Albion. Tailback Dan Hess rushed 21 times for 68 yards. … Thiel suffered a 20-14 loss at Marietta in its opener. Bova threw two touchdown passes to tight end Dan Mackall, but the offense was only able to produce six rushing yards.

Washington & Jefferson

Opponent: Frostburg State
When: 7 p.m., Saturday
Where: Bobcat Stadium in Frostburg, Md.
Records: W&J is 1-0 and Fostburg is 0-1
Television: None
On the air: WJPA-AM 1450
Noteworthy: Washington & Jefferson and Frostburg will play for the fifth time in history and for the second consecutive year. Prior to the 2008 meeting, the two colleges hadn't faced off against each other since the 1993 NCAA Division III Playoffs, which resulted in a 28-7 W&J win in Maryland. … Junior running back Derek Taylor had 129 all-purpose yards – 93 rushing, 36 receiving – in W&J’s victory over Oberlin. His 93 yards rushing were a career high and he added a pair of touchdowns. … Under head coach Mike Sirianni, the Presidents are 50-0 when leading at halftime. … D3football.com found Washington & Jefferson up four spots at No. 10 in its latest poll. The first AFCA Coaches poll is expected to be released in two weeks. … The Presidents have won 10 of their last 11 games during the second week of the season, including six in a row. … W&J is 8-6-1 against Maryland opponents, including Frostburg (4-0), McDaniel (3-0), Navy (1-4-1) and Salisbury (0-2).

College Football
Washington & Jefferson
Opponent: Oberlin
When: 7 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 5
Where: Cameron Stadium in Washington
Records: Season-opener for both teams
Television: None
On the air: WJPA-AM 1450
Noteworthy: This game marks the first start for Steven Shumaker at quarterback for the Presidents. Shumaker steps in for the graduated Bobby Swallow. Shumaker is a 6-2 junior who handled most of the practice session in the second half of last year when Swallow was nursing an injury. Brian Dawson, Chris Edwards and Swallow own all 29 school passing or total offense records and have combined for 27,850 passing yards and 287 touchdowns. … Mike Sirianni enters his seventh season as the head coach at W&J with a 61-10 (.859) record. Sirianni is third among all active NCAA head coaches in winning percentage (minimum five years). Jeff Ramsey is in his 11th season with Oberlin and has a 26-74 (.260) record. … W&J was picked second in the preseason PAC poll and Oberlin was seventh in the North Coast Athletic Conference preseason poll. … W&J recorded its 25th straight winning season after going 11-2 last year. The last time W&J did not end the season with a winning record was during the 1983 season (3-5-1).