BEAVER FALLS, Pa. – Fans showed up to Reeves Field on Saturday night ready to watch the Geneva College football team play its first home game and to celebrate the installation of the new turf. What they saw was something far more exciting. They saw history. Down 27 points in the second quarter to visiting Saint Vincent, Geneva rode the back of senior All-American running back Trewon Marshall's 236 yards rushing, as well as three crucial fourth quarter interceptions from junior linebacker Tyler Cann, to produce the biggest recorded comeback in school history, 31-27. Geneva improved to 1-1 overall, 1-0 in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC), while Saint Vincent fell to 0-2, 0-1 in the PAC.
If fans had started contemplating leaving midway through the second quarter, one couldn't blame them. On a cool, rainy and dreary evening, when Saint Vincent running back Mike Stasko tossed a halfback pass for a three-yard touchdown to Keith Kalp with 8:29 remaining before halftime, Geneva was down 27-0, and most of its problems were self-inflicted.
The problems started on Geneva's first possession when the Golden Tornadoes were stopped short on a 4th and 2 attempt in its own territory. After the Geneva defense forced a punt, Geneva muffed the punt inside its own 15 yard line, leading to Saint Vincent's first touchdown. On Geneva's next possession, another Geneva fumble was picked up and returned 53 yards for another Bearcat touchdown. Geneva's next possession ended in a blocked field goal attempt, and its following possession ended in another fumble. It would be hard to make up a worse beginning. When Geneva had to settle for a late field goal just before halftime, it probably seemed inconsequential to most people at the time, as Geneva headed to half trailing 27-3.
The comeback didn't happen immediately when the second half started. It wasn't until a blocked punt by Geneva's freshman Dakota Allen set Geneva up inside the Bearcats 20 yard line that the Golden Tornadoes were finally able to get into the endzone on a 3-yard run from junior quarterback Luke Lloyd, but a failed 2-point conversion attempt left the game at 27-9 entering the fourth quarter.
That's when Cann took over defensively. His first interception early in the fourth quarter was returned inside the Saint Vincent 40 yard line, and sophomore running back Frankie Centofanti would convert it into another touchdown on a 28-yard run. Yet a missed extra point looked crucial as, combined with another field goal from freshman Daniel Nordaas at the beginning of the quarter, Geneva was still down two scores, 27-18.
On Saint Vincent's next possession, the Bearcats, who had a two score lead with under five minutes to go, made the curious decision to try to throw the ball, and Cann picked off another pass at the Geneva 39 yard line with 4:46 remaining. The Golden Tornadoes marched right down the field, and when Lloyd, who had been inserted at halftime for starter Levi Cook, scored from seven yards out, Geneva was down just 27-24 with still 3:39 remaining.
Saint Vincent got the ball back, and the Bearcats attempted to run out the clock, needing just one first down to seal the victory. However, facing a 3rd down and long, Saint Vincent attempted to pass again, and that same guy, Cann, made a sensational diving interception on an overthrown pass to give Geneva possession at the Saint Vincent 33 yard line with still just over three minutes remaining. From there Marshall did the rest, picking up most of the yardage as he capped off the comeback with a four-yard touchdown run to put Geneva up for the first time all night, 31-27, with just 54 seconds remaining.
Any hope Saint Vincent had of a comeback ended when Bearcats returner Tariq Destin fumbled the kickoff, and a jubilant Golden Tornado sideline erupted as Geneva needed only to kneel on the ball to run out the final seconds.
Marshall finished with 30 carries for 236 yards and one touchdown as the senior continued to run all over the competition. Centofanti added 57 yards, and Cook 36 yards as Geneva rushed for 396 yards and outgained the Bearcats 417 to 238 in total offense. Geneva's defense was also key, as the Golden Tornadoes allowed the Bearcat offense virtually nothing in the second half. Geneva's terrific trio of linebackers proved pivotal as, besides Cann, junior Torrin Sallis, with 11 tackles, and sophomore Casey Nau, with 8 tackles, led the way.
"This game was simply a great example of what we want our kids to be each and every week," Head Coach Geno DeMarcosaid. "Their character showed in amazing ways in the second half, and I couldn't be happier for those kids. This was just a great win for our program and it really shows how hard work and heart can be paid off with results."
Geneva now heads into the rest of its PAC schedule with momentum, as it travels to Thiel College next Saturday, September 15, for a 7:00 p.m. kickoff. The Golden Tornadoes won't return home until Saturday, October 6, when it hosts Bethany College at 3:00 p.m. on homecoming.
A Comeback For the Ages
/seasons/2018/boxscores/20180908_z6m9.xml
2018
St. Vincent
27
Geneva
31
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Vincent (0-2) | 14 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 27 |
| Geneva (1-1) | 0 | 3 | 6 | 22 | 31 |
Sep 08, 2018