Waynesburg hires coach

Waynesburg University today announced the hiring of Sean McCarthy, pictured, as the Yellow Jackets' head men’s and women’s soccer coach. He replaces former men’s coach Carl DeiCas and women’s coach Jim Rue.

McCarthy comes to Waynesburg from SUNY Old Westbury, where he was working in his second stint as the first assistant coach with the Panthers' men's team. McCarthy's first stint at Old Westbury ran from 2005 to 2008. In 2007, McCarthy helped lead the Panthers to the Skyline Conference title and the school’s first berth in the NCAA Division III tournament.

McCarthy also spent one year as an assistant at Xavier University.

“We did a wide search for a new soccer coach,” Waynesburg athletic director Rudy Marisa said. “We believe we have chosen the right person to make progress with our men’s and women’s teams.”

McCarthy will be one of three coaches in the Presidents' Athletic Conference who handle both the men's and women's programs. The other two-team coaches are at Thomas More and Westminster.

McCarthy certainly has his work cut out for him. Like the majority of teams at Waynesburg, the Yellow Jackets' men's and women's soccer programs have struggled for many years. Victories have been few. The Waynesburg men have an 11-44-4 record over the last three seasons, including a 2-14-2 mark in the PAC. The Waynesburg women have been slightly better, going 20-30-4 overall and 6-14-1 in the PAC.

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

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

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

New baseball field at Waynesburg

The Waynesburg University baseball team will have a new home next spring.

Construction began earlier this month on a new baseball field for the Yellow Jackets. The complex will be located off Route 21 west of Waynesburg, next to the Waynesburg softball field.

The project will allow the Yellow Jackets to move from their previous facility, Madison Field, which they shared with Waynesburg High School, adult and youth baseball organizations and youth soccer teams. Sharing of the field has been a problem at Waynesburg for decades.

“I think I speak for the entire team when I say that we are elated to be able to come into parity with some other institutions that we compete against,” fifth-year head coach Mike Humiston said. “We have a facility that we can use to showcase the talents of players we have.

“I’m excited about it. I only go down there three, four times a day. If they would let me drive the grader or the backhoe or the dump truck, I’m definitely all in.”

The entire infield, including the base lines, will be made out of FieldTurf. The infield “grass” will be a traditional green color while the baselines will be colored to look like the infield dirt. The only parts on the infield featuring dirt will be the pitcher’s mound and the batter’s box. For those familiar with the Frontier League, this is the same setup used by the Lake Erie Crushers.

The left-field line will run a little more than 320 feet, while the right-field line will be around 340 with center field at 400 feet. The field will feature a 12-foot high wall from left field to center and an eight-foot wall from center to right.

“I think every field has an air of uniqueness, and this is ours,” Humiston said. “With the way our field is laid out, this is going to set us apart.”

The turf instillation should be completed by the first week of November. The dugouts are expected to be built during the winter.

Last year, field issues and poor weather forced the Yellow Jackets to play their first three home games at Mylan Park in Morgantown, W.Va.

“The scheduling problems from last year caused us not only budgetary problems, but problems for our fans. We had to play a lot of games in Morgantown, and they couldn’t always go to see us,” Humiston said. “Now we’re just a mile and a half off campus, and we’re very excited about playing on it this season.”

The Jackets will debut the new facility March 25, when they host Presidents’ Athletic Conference rival Thiel.

The Waynesburg softball team is having its field upgraded with new bleachers and improvements to the infield. The tennis teams will also have new courts built right between the baseball and softball fields. They are expected to be completed by the 2010 seasons.

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

Waynesburg University

Opponent: Saint Vincent
When: 1:30 p.m., Saturday
Where: John Wiley Stadium in Waynesburg
Records: Waynesburg is 2-1; Saint Vincent is 0-3
Television: WCTV (Channel 14 on Comcast Cable)
On the air: WCYJ-FM 88.7
Noteworthy: One of the biggest problems for the Yellow Jackets this season is defense. They are allowing an average of 35 points per game, giving up 39 to Wooster, 21 to Hanover and 47 to Thomas More. … Another area of concern is tailback, where the duo of Justin Falcon and Bill Becker has combined for 252 yards and one touchdown. … Waynesburg senior safety Dylan August needs just nine tackles to reach 100 for his college playing days. … With 140 yards passing, junior quarterback Brad Dawson will move into seventh place on Waynesburg’s career passing yardage list, passing Kelly Bird (2,732, 1971-74). Dawson needs 227 yards to each sixth place and pass Mike Forbes (2,819, 1979-82). … Saint Vincent is in its third season since bringing football back in 2007. … Fort Cherry graduates Jacob Kiefer and Calvin Demillion have played in all three games for the Bearcats this season. Kiefer has 7 1/2 tackles and Demillion 3 1/2. The duo has combined for two quarterback sacks.

Waynesburg

Opponent: Thomas More
When: 1:30 p.m., Saturday
Where: Bank of Kentucky Field
Records: Waynesburg is 1-0 overall and Thomas More 1-0. This is the PAC opener for both teams.
Television: None
On the air: WCYJ-FM 88.7
Noteworthy: Waynesburg will get a good idea about its chances of winning the Presidents’ Athletic Conference when the Yellow Jackets take on Thomas More. The Saints are the defending PAC champions. … Waynesburg is coming off a 49-21 victory over Hanover in a game that saw the Yellow Jackets score four touchdowns in the third quarter. … Junior quarterback Brad Dawson needs 73 yards to pass Tres Cobb (2002-2006) for eighth place on the school’s all-time career passing yards list (2,459). … Junior wide receiver Ray Hightower needs 10 catches to pass Noah Leibhart (1995-1998) for eighth place on the Waynesburg career receptions list with 90. … Thomas More is coming off a bye week. The Saints’ last game was a 14-7 victory over John Carroll Sept. 5. They are led by quarterback Trevor Stellman, who has completed 11 of 23 passes for 166 yards. He has yet to throw a touchdown or be intercepted.

Football Pregame Notes

Waynesburg University

Opponent: Hanover
When: 1:30 p.m., Saturday
Where: Wiley Stadium in Waynesburg
Records: Waynesburg is 1-0 and Hanover is 0-1.
Television: None
On the air: WCYJ-FM 88.7
Noteworthy: Waynesburg running back Justin Falcon rushed for 148 yards last week and is on pace for a 1,500-yard season. … Two of the previous three games between these two teams have been decided by three points or less. … Junior quarterback Brad Dawson needs just 80 yards to pass Ryan Mytrysak (1995-98) for eighth place on the Waynesburg’s career passing yards list (2,104). … Head coach Rick Shepas’ next victory will be his 25th, which would put him in sixth place on the school’s career victory list. … Last year, the Jackets held Hanover to negative-25 yards rushing. … Hanover rushed for only 34 yards in last week’s 34-20 loss to Centre (Kent.). … Quarterback C.J. Croft did complete 25 of 40 passes for 260 yards and three touchdowns. He was intercepted once.

Football Pregame Notes

College Football
Waynesburg University
Opponent: Wooster
When: 1 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 5
Where: John Papp Stadium in Wooster
Records: Season-opener for both teams
Television: None
On the air: WCYJ-FM 88.7
Webcast: www.waynesburgsports.com
Noteworthy: Rick Shepas begins his fifth season at Waynesburg with a 23-18 record. He is 1-2 against Wooster. Shepas’ next victory will tie him with Jeff Hand for sixth place on Waynesburg’s career list. Mike Shmitz has been head coach at Wooster for 10 seasons. … The visiting team has won the past three games. … Junior quarterback Brad Dawson needs just 53 yards to pass Jack Becker for 10th place on the school’s career passing yardage list (1,792). … Junior wide receiver Ray Hightower needs just five catches to tie Jarred Plisko for 10th place on the school’s career receptions list (73). … Wooster returns senior quarterback Austin Holter, who set a school record last season with 2,712 total yards. He passed for 13 touchdowns and ran for nine. … Sophomore Justin Falcon is No. 1 on the depth chart at running back for Waynesburg and junior Billy Becker is second. Becker (521 yards, 4.8 Ave., 6 TDs) and Falcon (534, 4.1, 5) had nearly identical rushing numbers last season.