By Joe Tuscano, Staff writer

jtuscano@observer-reporter.com

The play most Washington & Jefferson College football fans will remember from Saturday's game against North Carolina Wesleyan is the last one, a controversial call for a fake extra-point. But placekicker Chuck Grabner was tackled by Jezreel Davis three yards short of the end zone.

That failed play resulted in the Presidents' 35-34 loss to the Battling Bishops in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs at Cameron Stadium.

But the top-seeded Presidents bungled more than one opportunity to win this game.

The most devastating series came in the fourth quarter after W&J's Craig Sedunov recovered a fumbled punt by Davon Collins with 3:37 remaining. The Presidents drove to the North Carolina Wesleyan two-yard line, where it was first and goal. The game was tied, 28-28, and a touchdown at this point could have knocked out Wesleyan.

The Presidents would come away without a point and fortunate not to have allowed a Wesleyan touchdown.

"I felt confident that our line could move them up front," said quarterback Bobby Swallow. "I felt we could run and get those three yards."

Disaster nearly struck on the first play when tailback Kevin Mathews fumbled the handoff. But the ball bounced right back to him and he was tackled for a one-yard gain. A second try off the left side by Mathews resulted in a one-yard loss.

On third down, W&J tried to suck the defense in with a fake dive. Swallow then pitched the ball to Mathews, who tried to get around right end. Davis was waiting.

"We thought their defense would pinch hard," Mathews said. "The cornerback sat and waited. He had a good angle."

Which made it a two-yard loss.

A 22-yard field goal was blocked and only a slip by Davon Collins stopped him from returning it for a touchdown.

There were other problems, especially with the defense:

n W&J hemorrhaged 474 yards to Wesleyan, including 253 on the ground.

n Eight times in the game, Wesleyan faced second-and-one situations and gained at least six yards on first down 11 times.

n Wesleyan quarterback Cedric Townsend gained 97 yards on 23 carries with much of that coming after the 6-5 senior avoided the blitz or shook off a tackler.

"He just bounced off us," said head coach Mike Sirianni. "He was very elusive."

Grabner's failed extra-point run was just one of W&J's special teams breakdowns. A blocked field goal, a blocked extra-point try, and an 87-yard touchdown return by NCW's Bryan Haywood was too much for the offense to overcome.

"In the playoffs, this game felt like it was four hours long," said Swallow. "One play is not going to make or break a game."

But as the Presidents found, too many bad plays can bring a disappointing end to the season.

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