WASHINGTON, Pa. – A 38-13 PAC Backyard Brawl victory over rival Waynesburg Saturday afternoon at Cameron Stadium helped the Washington & Jefferson football team capture its 23rd Presidents’ Athletic Conference Championship and earn its 23rd NCAA playoff berth. W&J shares the conference title with Thomas More, but advances to the NCAA playoffs due to its 45-21 win over the Saints in October.
The Yellow Jackets (7-3, 5-3 PAC) grabbed the early 7-0 lead just 2:36 into the start of the game, but a 17-point third quarter sealed the win and the PAC title for the Presidents (8-2, 7-1 PAC). Washington & Jefferson will find out who and where it plays in the NCAA playoffs Sunday night during the selection show broadcast by NCAA.com.
W&J got on the board with 8:40 left in the first quarter by way of a senior Matt Bliss (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) seven-yard touchdown pass to classmate Dan Lucas (Pittsburgh, Pa./Brentwood). The extra point attempt hit off the uprights, leaving Waynesburg with a 7-6 advantage after one quarter of play. Bliss left the game with an injury during the second quarter and did not return.
Shortly into the start of the second quarter, senior running back Dion Wiegand (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) provided the Presidents with their first lead of the day on a one-yard touchdown run. The six-yard power run into the end zone is Wiegand’s 20th rushing touchdown of the season, and his 25th overall touchdown(tied for second-best single-season total in school history). With a successful two-point conversion pass to senior Brandon Trefelner (Greencastle, Pa./Greencastle-Antrim), W&J took a 14-7 lead. The Yellow Jackets connected on a short 24-yard field goal as time expired in the first half, sending the Presidents into the locker room up by four.
To start the third quarter, the W&J defense forced Waynesburg to punt on its opening possession after going three-and-out. On the ensuing punt, senior Alex Baroffio (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) fielded the ball at his own 41-yard line, weaved his way through the middle of the field and raced into the end zone for a 59-yard punt return touchdown, the first of his career on his 60th return.
After the teams traded field goals, Baroffio again made his way into the end zone from a yard out, taking a direct snap in the wildcat formation on fourth and goal to put W&J ahead 31-13 lead entering the final quarter of play.
The Presidents produced one final score with 7:08 remaining in the contest as sophomore running back Ryan Ruffing (Pittsburgh, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) took the handoff from freshman quarterback Pete Coughlin (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair) for a 13-yard touchdown run.
Waynesburg junior quarterback Carter Hill entered the game having thrown just two interceptions all season long; however, the W&J defense intercepted Hill three times, two by senior defensive back Sam Comly (Littlestown, Pa./Delone Catholic) and one snagged by fellow senior B.J. Monacelli (Cassadaga, N.Y./Cassadaga Valley). Monacelli’s was the 11th of his career which moved him into sixth place on the W&J career list.
Wiegand ,who went over 2,000 yards for his career, carried the ball 32 times for a total of 137 yards, his seventh 100-yard rushing performance of the season. Bliss completed 10-of-14 passes for 95 yards and a touchdown, while Coughlin connected on 5-of-8 passes for 71 yards in relief.
