Nov 4, 2024 4 min read

By John Sacco

For the Observer-Reporter

newsroom@observer-reporter.com

CLEVELAND – Missing their leading rusher and with their top receiver injured and reduced to limited action, the Washington and Jefferson College football team turned to their captain, senior quarterback Jacob Pugh.

And he delivered a performance Saturday afternoon at Case Western Reserve University’s DiSanto Field in Cleveland that has the Presidents knocking on the door of a coveted Presidents’ Athletic Conference championship and NCAA Division III playoff berth.

Pugh orchestrated a virtuoso, 34-21, victory over the Spartans that leaves W&J with an 8-1 record and in first place. The Presidents are off next weekend and will play for, at the least, a share of the conference crown at Allegheny in Meadville Nov. 16.

W&J was without leading rusher Owen Petrisek and receiver John Peduzzi was limited.

After a tough, 30-27, overtime loss to nemesis Carnegie Mellon September 28 at Cameron Stadium, which W&J led by 19 points at halftime, the most veteran Presidents pulled it together. They knew there was no more wiggle room. Their dreams of winning a PAC title and making the NCAA playoffs hinged on winning their final six games.

Pugh is central to the streak and W&J’s postseason hopes.

Against Case Western, Pugh completed 34-of-44 (77.3 percent) passes for 340 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed nine times for 48 yards (a team best 5.3 per carry).

He led a flawless 11-play, 74-yard TD drive in 4:34 to start the game and then led them on a 12-play, 86-yard drive in 5:25. Then came a pivotal five-play, 68-yard drive in 53 seconds to give the Presidents a 21-7 lead right before halftime.

“He had the utmost confidence with who we had on the field,” W&J coach Mike Sirianni said. “Jake was outstanding. He didn’t want the ball out of his hands.

“We couldn’t run this offense we run, a RPOR (Run

Pass Option Run) without him at quarterback. It takes talent, smarts, the ability to make reads and plays. He can do it all. A win at Allegheny, winning a championship and making the playoffs would validate his career.”

Pugh now has 100 career TDs (87 passing and 13 rushing). He has 7,102 career passing yards and has thrown at least one TD pass in 26 consecutive games.

Pugh threw TD passes to senior tight end Zach Cernuto, fifth-year receiver Anthony Rosati and senior Raymond Holmes against Case Western.

“We definitely thought we’d have to run some to win,” Pugh said of his nine carries. “We knew some were out and others were limited. I didn’t think I had to do more. We have a lot of good players here who can get the job done. We have work to do. We want to keep playing.”

Cernuto was Pugh’s favorite target and he turned in a career day. He caught 14 passes on 15 targets for 123 yards, 76 of which were after the catch.

His 14 receptions were the most by a Presidents’ receiver since Payton Skalos – who made 16 catches against Westminster October 26, 2019.

Cernuto, an outstanding blocker and a “Swiss Army Knife” type player could not be stopped.

“It was one of my best games ever,” Cernuto said. “We took what we were given. Jake is great, the best quarterback in the nation. We know we can win big games and I just do what the team needs me to do.”

“Zach stepped up big time,” Pugh said. “He was great. We don’t win without him.”

The Presidents wouldn’t have defeated the Spartans without their relentless defense and three interceptions, two by fifth year senior Brandon Brown. One to set up a TD drive and the other to virtually seal the win.

The man in the middle of the defensive line – Dawson Dietz – led an onslaught of pressure on Case Western quarterback Alex Fromberg, who completed a bevy of third- and fourth-down conversion passes – but was hurried and harassed in the second half.

Despite the Spartans passing for 421 yards and two TDs, they ran for just 24 yards on 21 carries.

W&J recorded six sacks and eight tackles for loss.

Dietz registered three sacks, while Aidan Thomas, Tyler Primrose and Brock Sherman had one each.

Dietz has 56 career tackles for loss and 29-1/2 sacks.

“We knew we could not make any mistakes or mishaps and that was it,” Dietz said. “We had to win out and we have one more to win.’

Sirianni praised his defense for forcing Case Western to become one dimensional.

“We’re mature and determined,” Sirianni said. “Our pressure and run defense made them one dimensional. Our kids believe.”