Sports Editor

dugan@observer-reporter.com

BEAVER FALLS - One too many penalties. One too many dropped passes. One too many turnovers. One too many squandered scoring opportunities.

Those are the things the loser of Waynesburg University's football game against Geneva was destined to be pondering Saturday, when it became obvious a mere 60 minutes would not be enough to determine the winner in a contest dominated by unyielding defenses and players wearing heart and sweat on their sleeves.

Unfortunately for Waynesburg, it was the Yellow Jackets who were contemplating their performance on the ride back from Beaver County.

Geneva's Gabe Gordon scored on a five-yard touchdown run in the first overtime to give the Golden Tornadoes a 24-17 victory in a marathon game at Reeves Stadium.

Now, 25th-ranked Waynesburg (7-2) likely has one too many losses to make the NCAA Division III playoffs.

"I really don't know," Waynesburg coach Rick Shepas said when asked if his team's postseason chances are gone.

"I'm really not thinking about that. We're focused on finishing the season the way it started. We've got to get ready to play Westminster next week."

The way the season started for Waynesburg was with seven consecutive victories. A one-point loss to 6th-ranked Washington & Jefferson last week and the heartbreaking loss to Geneva (7-2) has given the Yellow Jackets the agonizing realization that they're one big play in each game away from being undefeated.

Waynesburg had plenty of opportunities to make the game-changing plays against Geneva, but too many times drives stalled because of missed blocks on fourth-down plays, penalties or dropped passes.

Waynesburg committed 11 penalties, the most costly an illegal-procedure call on fourth-and-one at the Geneva four-yard line in overtime. Pushed back to the nine, Waynesburg quarterback Andy Lauterbach had his pass broken up by Geneva linebacker Zach Feltrop near the goal line to end the game.

The Yellow Jackets also failed to convert a fourth-and-one at the Geneva 39 and turned the ball over downs at the Golden Tornadoes' 20 - both in the first quarter. Waynesburg also missed a 29-yard field goal and dropped too many passes for Shepas to count.

"It all comes down to making plays," he said. "We had too many drops at key times, and you have to be able to convert fourth-and-one when you get it. It was the unfortunate combination of those things."

It didn't help that Geneva's stout defense held Waynesburg freshman Robert Heller, the leading rusher in the nation, to 113 yards on 36 carries. Heller did have a 20-yard touchdown run.

"We hold Geneva's defense in the same high regard that we hold our own," Shepas said. "Give Geneva credit for controlling the line of scrimmage. We knew we would have to open things up and throw at least 25 times."

Lauterbach, who started in place of Kyle Kyper, completed only 10 of 31 passes for 137 yards. He was intercepted once.

Those numbers were good compared to Geneva quarterback Bobby Bondi, who completed only eight of 37 passes for 86 yards with two interceptions. Bondi, however, had two touchdown passes, a 16-yarder to Brian Koenig and a five-yard toss to Brian Dvorsak. The latter gave Geneva a 17-0 lead with 25 seconds left in the first half.

"In the first half, we were experiencing the lingering effects of last week. We had to shake that off," Shepas said. "I was pleased with our effort in the second half."

Waynesburg looked like a different team in the third quarter. Heller's 20-yard TD midway through got things going, then a 41-yard pass to Ray Hightower set up Aaron Davis' one-yard scoring plunge that made it 17-14.

Two Geneva possessions later, Andy Hodanich blocked a Geneva punt that set up Waynesburg at the Golden Tornadoes' 17. The Jackets, however, had to settle for a 35-yard game-tying field goal by Kyle McBride.

The defenses dominated the fourth quarter, but on the first play of overtime Bondi kept on a naked bootleg and rambled 20 yards to the Waynesburg five.

"That was the only time we ran that play all day," Geneva coach Geno DeMarco said. "We held it back for the right time."

The run set up Gordon's game-winning touchdown, his first score all year.

It was the first win in three tries for Geneva against a ranked team. The Golden Tornadoes' only losses were at W&J (28-20) and at home to 15th-ranked Salisbury (20-7).

"Waynesburg deserves to be in the playoffs," DeMarco said. "Tell me who the 24 better teams are than Waynesburg in Division III. I want to see them. We played (Salisbury) and Waynesburg's defense is much better."

Notes

Waynesburg receiver Kory Jackson left the field on a stretcher in the first quarter. Geneva cornerback Keith Davis left the game in the same manner in the third quarter. ... The game lasted three hours and 55 minutes. ... Defensive end Mike Czerwien had two of Waynesburg's three sacks. Linebackers Brendon Steele and Matt Offutt had interceptions, the latter stopping a drive at the Jackets' 17 late in the fourth quarter. ... Geneva won despite committing 14 penalties and punting 14 times. ... Waynesburg was penalized at the start of the second half for not being on the field in time for the kickoff. ... Yellow Jackets punter Nate Feniello had an interesting day. He had a 71-yard punt - one-yard shy of the school record - but also had a 3-yarder and a 12-yarder.

Home