NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. - The Westminster Titan football team fell to 3-4 overall and 1-3 in the PAC today at Harold Burry Stadium following a 34-0 defeat to undefeated and nationally-ranked Thiel College (7-0, 5-0 PAC). The Tomcats were ranked 18th nationally by D3football.com and 20th by the AFCA Division III poll entering today's contest.

Thiel opened the scoring with just over three minutes to play in the opening quarter, as a 24-yard touchdown pass from Darrell Satterfield to Brandon Chambers capped a seven-play, 57-yard scoring drive. The Tomcats built the lead to 21-0 at the half with a pair of second quarter scores. Satterfield found Marc LaScola on a 78-yard scoring bomb one minute into the period, then found Chambers again, this time from 25 yards out, to build a three-touchdown halftime lead.

In the second half, Satterfield and Chambers connected on a third scoring pass from eight yards out with just second to play in he third period, building the Thiel lead to 28-0. The final score came on a Jeremiah Conley 10-yard TD run with 1:23 to play.

Thiel posted a 482-153 advantage in total yardage over Westminster, including a 148-(-3) margin in team rushing yardage. The Titans had a pair of first half scoring chances. After reaching the Thiel 17-yard line in the opening quarter(keyed by a 32-yard pass from junior QB J.R. Barley (Beaver Falls/Blackhawk H.S.) to freshman WR Jordan Belosh (Edinboro/General McLane H.S.)), the Titan drive stalled on a missed 34-yard field goal attempt. Westminster reached the Tomcat 34-yard line in the second period only to give the ball up on downs. The Titans did not cross midfield in the second half until the final drive of the game, as Westminster reached the Thiel 21-yard line as time ran out.

Barley completed 14-of-22 passes for 133 yards in the loss, but was sacked four times. Senior RB Sean Buggey (Homer City/Homer-Center H.S.) was limited to just six net yards rushing on nine carries, but did manage five receptions for 58 yards. Belosh hauled in a pair of passes for 40 yards, while sophomore WR Jason Discello (New Kensington/Valley H.S.) caught four passes.

The Titan defense was paced by senior NG Ryan Chmura (Wampum/Mohawk H.S.) with a team-high 12 tackles, including 11 solo stops and a team-best three tackles for losses. Senior LB Jerry Bonenberger (Pittsburgh/Mount Lebanon H.S.) added nine solo stops and a pass breakup. Senior DB Tanner Larson (Coraopolis/West Allegheny H.S.) and sophomore LB Greg Pfeifer (Pittsburgh/Shaler H.S.) each posted interceptions for the Titans in the loss.

Westminster football continues its current three-game homestand at Harold Burry Stadium next Saturday (Oct. 29), facing Frostburg State University in a non-conference game beginning at 1 p.m.

TOP TITAN PERFORMERS

Offense

*Sophomore QB J.R. Barley (Beaver Falls/Blackhawk H.S.)  14-22-0 passing for 133 yards, long of 35

*Senior RB Sean Buggey (Homer City/Homer-Center H.S.)  9 rushes for 6 yards; 5 receptions for 58 yards, long of 35

*Freshman WR Jordan Belosh (Edinboro/General McLane H.S)  2 receptions for 40 yards, long of 32

*Freshman RB Eddie Williams (Akron, OH/St. Vincent-St. Mary H.S.)  5 rushes for 13 yards, long of 8

*Sophomore WR Jason Discello (New Kensington/Valley H.S.)  4 receptions for 12 yards, long of 4

Defense

*Senior NG Ryan Chmura (Wampum/Mohawk H.S.) - 12 tackles (11 solo, 1 assisted), 3 tackles for losses

*Senior LB Jerry Bonenberger (Pittsburgh/Mount Lebanon H.S.)  9 solo tackles, 1 pass breakup

*Sophomore LB Greg Pfeifer (Pittsburgh/Shaler H.S.)  3 tackles (2 solo, 1 assisted), 1 interception, 2 pass breakups

*Senior DB Tanner Larson (Coraopolis/West Allegheny H.S.)  2 solo tackles, 1 interception, 1 pass breakup

*Junior DB Joey Tissler (Ventura, CA/St. Bonaventure H.S.) - 7 tackles (4 solo, 3 assisted)

Special Teams

*Sophomore P Dusty Rhodes (Niles, OH/Niles McKinley H.S.) - 9 punts for 283 yards (31.4 avg.), long of 42, 1 inside 20

#jmo#

NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. - The Westminster Titan football team fell to 3-4 overall and 1-3 in the PAC today at Harold Burry Stadium following a 34-0 defeat to undefeated and nationally-ranked Thiel College (7-0, 5-0 PAC). The Tomcats were ranked 18th nationally by D3football.com and 20th by the AFCA Division III poll entering today's contest.

Thiel opened the scoring with just over three minutes to play in the opening quarter, as a 24-yard touchdown pass from Darrell Satterfield to Brandon Chambers capped a seven-play, 57-yard scoring drive. The Tomcats built the lead to 21-0 at the half with a pair of second quarter scores. Satterfield found Marc LaScola on a 78-yard scoring bomb one minute into the period, then found Chambers again, this time from 25 yards out, to build a three-touchdown halftime lead.

In the second half, Satterfield and Chambers connected on a third scoring pass from eight yards out with just second to play in he third period, building the Thiel lead to 28-0. The final score came on a Jeremiah Conley 10-yard TD run with 1:23 to play.

Thiel posted a 482-153 advantage in total yardage over Westminster, including a 148-(-3) margin in team rushing yardage. The Titans had a pair of first half scoring chances. After reaching the Thiel 17-yard line in the opening quarter(keyed by a 32-yard pass from junior QB J.R. Barley (Beaver Falls/Blackhawk H.S.) to freshman WR Jordan Belosh (Edinboro/General McLane H.S.)), the Titan drive stalled on a missed 34-yard field goal attempt. Westminster reached the Tomcat 34-yard line in the second period only to give the ball up on downs. The Titans did not cross midfield in the second half until the final drive of the game, as Westminster reached the Thiel 21-yard line as time ran out.

Barley completed 14-of-22 passes for 133 yards in the loss, but was sacked four times. Senior RB Sean Buggey (Homer City/Homer-Center H.S.) was limited to just six net yards rushing on nine carries, but did manage five receptions for 58 yards. Belosh hauled in a pair of passes for 40 yards, while sophomore WR Jason Discello (New Kensington/Valley H.S.) caught four passes.

The Titan defense was paced by senior NG Ryan Chmura (Wampum/Mohawk H.S.) with a team-high 12 tackles, including 11 solo stops and a team-best three tackles for losses. Senior LB Jerry Bonenberger (Pittsburgh/Mount Lebanon H.S.) added nine solo stops and a pass breakup. Senior DB Tanner Larson (Coraopolis/West Allegheny H.S.) and sophomore LB Greg Pfeifer (Pittsburgh/Shaler H.S.) each posted interceptions for the Titans in the loss.

Westminster football continues its current three-game homestand at Harold Burry Stadium next Saturday (Oct. 29), facing Frostburg State University in a non-conference game beginning at 1 p.m.

TOP TITAN PERFORMERS

Offense

*Sophomore QB J.R. Barley (Beaver Falls/Blackhawk H.S.)  14-22-0 passing for 133 yards, long of 35

*Senior RB Sean Buggey (Homer City/Homer-Center H.S.)  9 rushes for 6 yards; 5 receptions for 58 yards, long of 35

*Freshman WR Jordan Belosh (Edinboro/General McLane H.S)  2 receptions for 40 yards, long of 32

*Freshman RB Eddie Williams (Akron, OH/St. Vincent-St. Mary H.S.)  5 rushes for 13 yards, long of 8

*Sophomore WR Jason Discello (New Kensington/Valley H.S.)  4 receptions for 12 yards, long of 4

Defense

*Senior NG Ryan Chmura (Wampum/Mohawk H.S.) - 12 tackles (11 solo, 1 assisted), 3 tackles for losses

*Senior LB Jerry Bonenberger (Pittsburgh/Mount Lebanon H.S.)  9 solo tackles, 1 pass breakup

*Sophomore LB Greg Pfeifer (Pittsburgh/Shaler H.S.)  3 tackles (2 solo, 1 assisted), 1 interception, 2 pass breakups

*Senior DB Tanner Larson (Coraopolis/West Allegheny H.S.)  2 solo tackles, 1 interception, 1 pass breakup

*Junior DB Joey Tissler (Ventura, CA/St. Bonaventure H.S.) - 7 tackles (4 solo, 3 assisted)

Special Teams

*Sophomore P Dusty Rhodes (Niles, OH/Niles McKinley H.S.) - 9 punts for 283 yards (31.4 avg.), long of 42, 1 inside 20

#jmo#