The Washington and Jefferson Presidents lived to play another week as a record-setting performance from their defense helped them advance to the second round of the Division III playoffs.
No. 19 W&J set a school record by intercepting eight passes as that was plenty enough to help the Presidents defeat No. 12 Wittenberg (9-2) 41-25 in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs.
The win moves W&J (10-1) into the second round of the playoffs where No. 3 Mount Union awaits. Mount Union knocked W&J out of the playoffs the past two times the teams have met, in 2009 and 2013.
Billy Kelley and Alec Schram each picked off three passes, tying the W&J single-game and NCAA Division III postseason records, and Dan Graziano added two picks in the win.
W&J quarterback and Upper St. Clair native Pete Coughlin finished the day by throwing for 238 yards and a pair of touchdowns and also added a touchdown on the ground to pace the W&J offense.
Coughlin hit both Daniel Lis and Jesse Zubik with first quarter touchdowns to give the Presidents a lead that they never looked back from.
W&J, who led 17-3 at the half, also received a second half touchdown run from Ryan Ruffing and a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Max Creighan.
Wittenberg racked up 536 yards of total offense, but the turnovers did them in.
Photo Credit: W&J
