NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. - The Westminster College football team rolled to a 49-13 homecoming win over Bethany Saturday at Burry Stadium in Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) action. The 36-point margin of victory is the most decisive win for the Titans since joining NCAA Division III in 2000. The Titans' previous win by 36 points or more was a 55-7 win over Urbana in 1997 when Westminster was a member of the NAIA.
The Titans improve to 2-5 overall and 1-3 in the PAC, while the Bison drop to 3-4 overall and 1-3 in the league.
Westminster racked up a season-high 508 yards of total offense, bettering its previous high of 376 achieved in the Titans' 27-24 win over Adrian on Sept. 23. The Titans also limited the Bison to just 209, a season low for Westminster opponents as the Titans were giving up an average of 404.8 yards per game entering the game.
Seven different Titans scored touchdowns, including five with their first scores of the season and three with the first of their careers. Three of the Titan scores came via the passing game, three were rushing touchdowns, and one was the team's first defensive touchdown of the season.
Bethany missed a 28-yard field goal on its opening possession that was set by R.J. Faldowski intercepting Titan freshman quarterback Kevin Franz (Finleyville, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) at the Westminster 33-yard line on the Titans' opening drive of the game.
The Titans then marched 80 yards on just seven plays as junior fullback Josh Kutzner (Oakdale, Pa./West Allegheny) scored his first touchdown of the season on a 6-yard run to give the Titans a 7-0 lead.
Westminster then picked off Bethany quarterback Brent Owens on its ensuing possession as Titan sophomore linebacker Josh Weese (Lisbon, Ohio/Beaver Local) scored on a 64-yard interception return, giving the Titans a 14-0 lead.
The Titans scored on their next possession, a 10-play, 80-yard drive that included a 43-yard run Kutzner to the Bethany 5-yard line and a 1-yard touchdown by freshman Nick McKolosky (Johnstown, Pa./Westmont Hilltop).
McKolosky and Kutzner tied for a game-high 61 rushing yards on 10 and 6 carries, respectively.
Franz posted solid numbers as he completed 18 of 28 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns, despite throwing two early interceptions. Franz also rushed six times for 25 yards, including a fourth-quarter touchdown from 1 yard out.
Franz completed his first touchdown with 8:37 remaining in the second quarter when he found senior Jake Buzard (West Middlesex, Pa./West Middlesex) wide open in the end zone from 15 yards out. Buzard's touchdown was his first of his career as he entered the game with 77 career receptions but no touchdowns. Buzard wound up catching three passes for 50 yards in the game.
Franz's other touchdown pass was a 4-yard hook-up with sophomore Jordan Belosh (Edinboro, Pa./General McLane) in the fourth quarter for his first touchdown of the season. Belosh led the team with a career-high five catches for 74 yards.
Back-up junior quarterback Brett Myers (Tallmadge, Ohio/Tallmadge) entered the game midway through the fourth quarter and completed one of his two passes attempts. His shovel pass to freshman receiver Chad Rosatelli (Clinton, Pa./Hopewell) went for an 80-yard touchdown, as Rosatelli threaded his way up the sideline dodging Bison defenders for his first career touchdown.
Westminster took a 28-0 lead into halftime before Bethany scored its first touchdown of the game when Owens plunged in for a 1-yard touchdown with 4:53 remaining in the third quarter to cut the Titan lead to 28-6. The Bison also tacked on a late score in the fourth quarter when quarterback Matt Blumer found Matthew Dahle for a 47-yard touchdown reception. That play was the Bison's only play longer than 12 yards from scrimmage.
The Titan defense held the Bison to 80 rushing yards, 65 yards fewer than the previous low for a Westminster opponent this season.
Weese and junior defensive back Mike Cacchione (Erie, Pa./McDowell) led the Titans with four tackles apiece, as a total of 25 Titans recorded at least one tackle during the game.
Westminster steps out of league play Saturday, Oct. 28, when the Titans visit Frostburg State for a 1 p.m. kickoff.
Founded in 1852 and related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Westminster College is ranked among national leaders in graduation rate performance, according to U.S. News Guide to America's Best Colleges, and is one of the most affordable national liberal arts colleges in Pennsylvania. Westminster is also honored as one of "The Best 361 Colleges" and "Best in the Northeast" by The Princeton Review, and was recognized by the Templeton Guide as a "Character Building College."
Nearly 1,600 students benefit from individualized attention from dedicated faculty, while choosing from 41 majors and nearly 100 organizations on the New Wilmington, Pa. campus.
