Grove City Wins at Westminster for First Time Since 1961
NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. -- The Westminster College football team
lost its home-opener against visiting Grove City, 31-16, Saturday
at Harold Burry Stadium in a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC)
game. Grove City wins a game at Westminster for the first time
since 1961 as it snaps a 12-game losing streak in New Wilmington.
The Titans fall to 1-2 on the season, 0-1 in the PAC. The
Wolverines improve to 2-1 and 1-0 in the league.
Westminster failed to convert three fourth downs on short yardage
situations, including two on its opening three drives. The Titans
also missed a field goal and threw three interceptions.
Westminster junior quarterback Shawn Lehocky set a
new career high with 238 passing yards by completing 20 of 40
passes including a 10-yard touchdown to senior wide receiver
Nick Sorice in the fourth quarter for the game's
final touchdown. However, Lehocky's three interceptions were also a
career high.
Lehocky completed at least four passes to three different
receivers, including sophomore Connor Kobis
snaring five balls for 55 yards and freshman Collin
Wallace hauling in four passes for 54 yards. Both players
tied career highs in receptions. Senior tight end Jim
Bonenberger set a new career high with four catches for 43
yards.
Grove City never trailed in the game as the Wolverines scored first
when quarterback Clayton Hall completed a 3-yard touchdown pass to
A.J. Tapper, 10 plays after Westminster went for it on
fourth-down-and-1 from its own 45-yard line. Grove City scored
first-quarter points vs. Westminster for the first time since the
teams' 2001 game.
In the second quarter, Grove City's errant snap from center forced
Hall to take a safety and Westminster was on the scoreboard, down
7-2. After another missed Westminster fourth-down conversion gave
the ball to Grove City on its own 36-yard line, Craig Bicehouse
nailed a 31-yard field goal to put the Wolverines up 10-2.
Sophomore cornerback Kyle Allen returned the
ensuing kickoff 90 yards for his first career kickoff return for a
touchdown and his second touchdown of the season for
Westminster.
The one-point, 10-9 deficit was as close as Westminster would get,
as Grove City's Will McCoy caught an 8-yard touchdown pass from
reserve quarterback Zach Gross to put the Wolverines up 17-9 at
halftime. Gross came in for Hall who was injured in the second
quarter and never returned.
Hall finished the game with 58 yards on 9-14 passing and one
touchdown. Gross was sharp in relief by completed 7 of 8 passes for
105 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for a 5-yard touchdown in
the third quarter that put Grove City up 24-9 and he threw a
64-yard touchdown pass to Luke O'Hara with 11:48 remaining in the
fourth quarter that gave the Wolverines a 31-9 advantage. O'Hara
led Grove City with four catches for 80 yards.
Neither team ran the ball well as Grove City amassed 76 yards on
the ground, led by Shane Kaclik's two carries for 30 yards and
Blaine Miller's 10 totes for 25 yards. Westminster sophomore
running back Logan Belinda ran for a
career-high 53 yards on 15 carries in his first career start.
Belinda was starting for injured sophomore John
Proano.
Defensively, senior linebacker Tom Geraghty
led the Titans with a career-high 17 tackles, the most by any
Westminster player since Jordan Blinn had 20 vs. Grove City in
2008. Senior linebacker Cory Meeker posted 10
tackles and a sack and freshman defensive tackle Sean
Christofferson notched his first career sack while making
four stops.
Vince Angelo led Grove City with 10 tackles. Mike Brown also had an
interception and two pass break-ups to go with his four
tackles.
Westminster is idle next week before traveling to Washington &
Jefferson Oct. 2 for a 7 p.m. kickoff.
