Career day for Cernuto key in W&J triumph
Zach Cernuto had a career day in Washington & Jefferson’s 34-21 victory over Case Western on Saturday in Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) play in Cleveland, Ohio.
The Southmoreland graduate caught 14 passes for 123 yards and scored a touchdown, as the Presidents improved to 8-1 in conference and overall play.
Washington & Jefferson quarterback Jacob Pugh was 34 of 44 for 340 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.
Case Western quarterback Alex Fromberg was 25 of 43 for 421 yards and two touchdowns, but he also had three interceptions. Fromberg’s favorite target was Dylan Cave, who caught nine passes for 211 yards. Beau Wolf and Noah Coyne had seven receptions for 90 yards apiece, as the trio accounted for 391 of Fromberg’s passing yards.
The Presidents scored three of the first four touchdowns for a 21-7 halftime lead.
Kobe Derosa’s one-yard run and Deven Wyandt’s first of four extra points provided the visitors with a 7-0 lead with 10:18 left in the first quarter. Derosa rushed for 89 yards on 20 carries.
Wolf’s 32-yard touchdown reception from Fromberg and Gabriel Petrozzi connected on the first of three PATs tied the game at 7-7 with 6:42 remaining in the first.
Cernuto’s touchdown reception came from 11 yards out and Anthony Rosati caught a 12-yard touchdown pass with 46 seconds left before halftime. Both scoring strikes came from Pugh.
Fromberg scored on a one-yard run at 11:19 of the third quarter to cut the deficit to 21-14 before Pugh hooked up with Raymond Holmes for a 27-14 advantage with 6:01 left in the third.
Derosa extended Washington & Jefferson’s advantage to 34-14 following a one-yard run with 3:29 remaining in the fourth frame.
Coyne pulled in a 17-yard touchdown reception from Fromberg with 24 seconds left to make the score appear more respectable for the Spartans (6-2, 6-2 PAC).