W&J edged at Susquehanna
SELINSGROVE – Josh Ehrlich threw three touchdown passes and Romero Lavalais returned a blocked field goal for a score as Susquehanna defeated Washington & Jefferson 38-32 in the first round of the NCAA Division III football playoffs Saturday at Amos Alonzo Stagg Field.
Susquehanna (9-2) advances to the second round next weekend and will play at undefeated Christopher Newport. W&J ends the season with an 8-3 record. The loss snapped the Presidents’ winning streak at eight games.
Susquehanna went ahead for good on the final play of the first half. With W&J holding a 17-14 lead, the Presidents attempted a 37-yard field goal that was blocked. Lavalais scooped up the ball and returned it 70 yards for a touchdown that gave Susquehanna a 21-17 advantage at halftime.
Erlich threw a five-yard TD pass to Michale Robbins in the third quarter, pushing the RedHawks’ lead to 28-17 and making W&J play catch-up the rest of the way. The Presidents closed to within 28-24 in the third quarter when quarterback Kellan Stahl and wide receiver John Peduzzi hooked up on their second touchdown pass, a 17-yarder.
Susquehanna stretched the gap to 38-24 with a two-yard scoring plunge by Rahshan La Mons early in the fourth quarter and a 36-yard field goal with 6:48 remaining.
Kobe Derosa capped a 75-yard W&J drive with a one-yard TD run with 3:53 left, and Derosa ran in the two-point conversion to make the score 38-33 but that capped the scoring.
Stahl completed 24 of 42 passes for 298 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He threw a nine-yard TD pass to Peduzzi in the first quarter. Peduzzi had 10 receptions for 148 yards.
Andrew Sharp had a 26-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and Deven Wyandt booted a 25-yard field goal that gave the Presidents the 17-14 lead.
Ehrlich completed 11 of 22 passes for 197 yards and the touchdowns to three different receivers. La Mons rushed for 124 yards on 26 carries.