Game Leaders
Team Stats
Passing Yards
Rushing Yards
Turnovers
Time of Poss.
(CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky.) – No. 20 Thomas More held No. 23 Washington & Jefferson College to 204 yards of total offense today (Saturday, September 17, 2016) as the Saints defeated the Presidents 35-9 in both teams' Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) opener at BB&T Field in Crestview Hills, Kentucky.
With the win, the Saints improve to 2-1 overall and 1-0 in the PAC. With the loss, the Presidents' fall to 2-1 overall and 0-1 in the PAC.
Thomas More led 7-3 after the first quarter and at halftime and led 28-3 after three quarters.
W&J took an early 3-0 lead when Ted Ford made a 23-yard field goal with 9:13 to play in the first quarter. The Saints took a 7-3 lead with 4:44 to play in the first quarter when senior defensive end Rodderick Darden (Conyers, Ga./Heritage) returned a fumble 35-yards for a touchdown and first-year place kicker Ryan Hans (Fort Thomas, Ky./Newport Central Catholic) added the point-after-attempt.
In the third quarter Thomas More increased the lead to 14-7 when junior wide receiver Daylin Garland II (Newport, Ky./Newport) scored on a 13-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Brenan Kuntz (Independence, Ky./Simon Kenton) and first-year place kicker Cole Mathias (Reynoldsburg, Ohio/Reynoldsburg) added the PAT with 11:30 to play in the quarter. Sophomore running back Hjavier Pitts (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mt. Healthy) scored on a 16-yard touchdown runs and Mathias added the PAT to extend the lead to 21-3 with 9:17 to play in the third quarter.
Thomas More increased the lead to 28-3 with 1:57 to play in the third quarter when Kuntz connected on a 36-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Logan Winkler (Independence, Ky./Simon Kenton) and Mathias added the PAT. Sophomore running back Luke Zajac (Edgewood, Ky./Dixie Heights) scored on a 17-yard touchdown run and Mathias added the PAT as the Saints extended the lead to 35-3 with 9:01 to play in the fourth quarter. W&J's Jesse Zubik scored on a 62-yard touchdown pass from Pete Coughlin and the two-point try failed with 8:34 to play in the game for the final score of 35-9.
Thomas More had 448 yards of offense (202 rushing/246 passing), while holding the Presidents to 204 yards (34 rushing/170 passing). The Saints defense also forced three W&J turnovers.
Senior defensive end Dustin Mitchell (Burlington, Ky./Cooper) led the team in tackles with seven (four solo/three assisted), including two sacks and three tackles for a loss, whole forcing a fumble. Junior linebacker Tre' Tunstill (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis) finished with six tackles (three solo/three assisted), including one sack and two tackles for a loss., while junior defensive back Nick Taylor (Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder) had five tackles (three solo/two assisted) and had one interception, which he returned 45 yards.
Thomas More remains at home next Saturday (September 24) when it hosts Carnegie Mellon University on Homecoming at BB&T Field. Kick-off is scheduled for 12 p.m.