GROVE CITY, Pa. - For a consecutive week the outcome of the Westminster College football team's game was decided by place-kicking. The Titans fell to Grove City, 21-20, in their first Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) game of the season Saturday at Thorn Field.
Westminster (1-3, 0-1 PAC) drew within one point of the Wolverines (1-3, 1-2 PAC) with an 11-play, 68-yard touchdown drive capped off by freshman running back Brian Becker (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley) scoring on a 5-yard pass reception from freshman quarterback Kevin Franz (Finleyville, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) with just 24 seconds remaining.
However, freshman kicker Fred Romeo (Poland, Ohio/Poland Seminary) missed the extra point and would-be tying point. Romeo was the reigning PAC Special Teams Player of the Week after kicking the game-winning 21-yard field goal in last week's 27-24 double-overtime win over Adrian.
The Titans were forced to attempt a comeback victory after the Grove City offense controlled the ball for much of the game. After Westminster scored on its first drive of the game - a 26-yard pass reception by junior Brett Ziegler (Somerset, Pa./Somerset) from Franz in the first quarter - the Titans could not stopped Grove City's rushing game and fell victim to poor field position on offense.
Grove City held the ball for 11:34 of the 15 second-quarter minutes due in large part by a running game that amassed 84 rushing yards on 22 attempts in the second quarter and 174 yards on 44 attempts for the game. Grove City running back Matt Weil led all rushers for the game with 19 totes for 70 yards.
Grove City's only two passing yards in the second quarter was on a Jay Yanak 2-yard touchdown reception from Andrew DiDonato to tie the game, 7-7, with 50 seconds remaining in the first half.
Field position was also a problem for the Titans. Westminster's average field position start in the first half was its own 13-yard line while Grove City averaged a start a midfield for the first two quarters.
Westminster out-gained Grove City in total yardage with 369 yards to the Wolverines' 274, and the Titans did it with eight fewer players (66-58).
DiDonato completed 10 of 22 passes for Grove City for 100 yards and two scores. After a scoreless third quarter, he threw an 8-yard touchdown to Matt Weaver to put the Grovers up 14-7. DiDonato, who rushed for 34 yard during the game, later put his team up 21-14 on a 2-yard run with 2:42 remaining.
The score came two plays after Franz fumbled at his own 6-yard line while being sacked by Justin Fowler. Franz, the PAC's leader in total offense per game with 187.3 yards per game, had a productive game despite the botched play. Franz threw for 295 yards on 28-of-36 passing and 13 yards on eight rush attempts.
Franz completed his second of three touchdown passes during the game with his second 26-yard touchdown strike to Ziegler with 7:09 remaining in the fourth quarter. Ziegler caught a game-high seven passes for 93 yards and two scores.
Most of the Titan offense was through the air as the ground game consisted of 74 rushing yards, including 46 on nine attempts by freshman tailback Nick McKolosky (Johnstown, Pa./Westmont Hilltop).
Leading tacklers for the game were sophomore defensive back Josh Weese (Lisbon, Ohio/Beaver Local) and sophomore linebacker Jordan Blinn (Industry, Pa./Western Beaver) with 10 stops apiece for the Titans. Bill Waugh and Ian Minster had eight tackles each for the Wolverines.
Westminster sophomore defensive back Jake Wilczynski (Harbor Creek, Pa./ Harbor Creek) also had two interceptions during the game.
Grove City's win over Westminster is its first since 1979 and only its second since 1961, as the Titans had previously posted a 19-1-1 record against the Wolverines over the last 45 years.
The Titans return home for a PAC game against Thomas More on Saturday, Oct. 7, at Burry Stadium for a 1:30 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.
