Oct 8, 2023 2 min read

Allegheny College nearly spoiled Washington & Jefferson’s Homecoming, but the Presidents hung on for a 35-28 victory Saturday afternoon in Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) play at Cameron Stadium.

The Presidents (5-1, 5-1) were coming off a heartbreaking 31-24 setback to Grove City (6-0, 6-0) but jumped out to a 13-0 lead after Jacob Pugh threw touchdowns passes to Kobe Derosa (10 yards) and Jacob Macosko (57 yards) with 9:06 left in the first quarter.

Macosko caught five passes for 79 yards and Derosa pulled in three for 38 yards. Pugh was 17 of 33 for 185 yards. W&J’s Troy Volpatti gained 122 yards on 20 rushes.

The Gators’ Kyrie Miller gained 75 of his game-high 151 yards on the first play from scrimmage after Macosko’s score to cut the deficit to 13-7 after Garrett Paxton made the first of four PATs.

Pugh found Macosko for a 9-yard touchdown pass and Anthony Rosati pulled in the two-point conversion reception from Pugh for a 21-7 advantage at 1:31 of the first quarter.

W&J’s Zachai Simmons returned a blocked punt 15 yards into the end zone and Ricky Hunter connected on his second of three extra points for a 28-7 lead with 13:39 left before halftime.

Derosa’s second touchdown reception from Pugh, a six yarder, extended the home team’s advantage to 35-7 at 6:13 of the second quarter.

Allegheny’s Declan O’Brien, who caught 18 passes for 233 yards, pulled in a 17-yard touchdown pass from Jack Johnson to cut the halftime deficit to 35-14. Johnson was 26 of 37 for 286 yards.

Miller scored on touchdown runs of 2 and 1-yard in the fourth quarter, but the Gators (2-4, 2-4) had dug themselves too deep a hole in the first half.

Allegheny outgained the Presidents, 486-385, in total yards.