WASHINGTON, Pa. -- Joey Koroly (Washington, Pa./Trinity) rushed for 138 yards and a third quarter touchdown as the Washington & Jefferson football team registered a 20-6 victory over Geneva College Thursday evening at Cameron Stadium.
The weather was no April Fools joke, as the two teams battled cold temperatures and occasional snowfall throughout the contest. The game, which was the first played at Cameron Stadium in 502 days, was completed in just 2 hours and 19 minutes. The two teams combined to run the ball 93 times and attempt just 29 passes.
W&J recorded a defensive stand on the opening Geneva possession. The GT's advanced the ball into W&J territory after recording a pair of first downs. However, Elijah Goosby (Rochester, Pa./Rochester) stuffed Geneva a yard short on a 4th and 4 play.
The Presidents would produce the game's first points late in the first quarter when they marched 61 yards on 11 plays. A 14-pass from Justin Heacock (New Concord, Ohio/John Glenn) to Payton Skalos (Cranberry Township, Pa./Seneca Valley) on 3rd and 10 moved the ball to the Geneva 47. Four plays later, Koroly hauled in a pass from Heacock on a 4th and 4 to move the sticks. Three consecutive rushes by Koroly moved the ball to the Geneva 12-yard line. On the next play, Andrew Wolf (Ashland, Ohio/Hillsdale) grabbed a 12-yard touchdown pass from Heacock to give a 6-0 lead with 10 seconds left in the quarter.
The W&J defense forced another takeaway on the ensuing drive when Easton Fine (Eighty Four, Pa./Ringgold) caused Geneva quarterback Amos Luptak to fumble the ball near midfield. Adam Rudzinski (Export, Pa./Franklin Regional) pounced on the loose football to gain possession for the Presidents.
Geneva evened the score late in the first half when Luptak capped a 15-play, 59-yard scoring drive with a QB sneak on 4th and goal from the one-yard line.
With just 41 seconds left and no timeouts remaining, most teams would have been content to enter halftime with the score tied. However, a good kick return by Wolf gave W&J the ball at their own 38-yard line. Koroly rushed for 10 yards to open the drive before adding a 13-yard gain that placed the ball at the Geneva 39. On the final play of the first half, Heacock heaved the ball into the end zone where Wolf out-jumped two defenders to haul in the touchdown catch. The point after by Sean Disbrow (Sykesville, Md./Liberty) gave W&J a 13-6 halftime edge.
W&J extended its lead to 20-6 late in the third quarter when Koroly found the end zone on a 17-yard touchdown run. Koroly accounted for all 44 yards on the five-play scoring drive. Disbrow tacked on the successful extra point to make it a two touchdown lead for W&J.
The two touchdown lead was more than enough for the Presidents defense. W&J allowed just two first downs the rest of the way as they posted a shutout in the second half.
W&J limited Geneva to 205 total yards. The GT's offense fumbled seven times, three of which were lost.
Heacock completed 13-of-23 pass attempts for 149 yards and two touchdowns. Koroly averaged 6.3 per rush as he carried 22 times for 138 yards and a score. Wolf hauled in five catches for 61 yards and two receiving touchdowns. Alex Bellinotti (Lower Burrell, Pa./Shady Side Academy) led the defense with 11 tackles and a fumble recovery. Will Paczkoskie (Meadville, Pa./Meadville) finished with seven tackles and forced a pair of fumbles in the victory.
W&J travels to Saint Vincent College on Saturday, April 10. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Chuck Noll Field in Latrobe.