NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. - The Westminster College football team executed a stout goal-line stand as time expired to cap off a dramatic 24-21 win at home over Grove City Saturday in Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) action.
The Titans (5-4, 3-3 PAC) have now won a PAC-best seven straight home games and complete their home schedule unbeaten at 5-0 for the first time since the 1996 NAIA playoff season. Grove City (5-4, 2-3 PAC) has not won at Westminster since 1961.
With three seconds remaining in the game and Grove City possessing the ball on the Westminster 1-yard line, Grove City quarterback Andrew DiDonato's sneak up the middle was stuffed by the interior line of Westminster. Senior linebacker Jordan Blinn (Industry, Pa./Western Beaver) was credited for the tackle with sophomore nose tackle Jeff Bever (Beaver Falls, Pa./Blackhawk) assisting.
Grove City drove the ball 56 yards on six plays in 41 seconds after Westminster scored the game-winning touchdown with just 46 seconds remaining. Westminster freshman wide receiver Justin Morgano (Pittsburgh, Pa./Brentwood) hauled in his first career touchdown pass from 8 yards out from junior quarterback Kevin Franz (Finleyville, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) for the game-winner.
Franz piloted an 11-play, 74 yard drive for the touchdown which included a 16-yard pass to junior Jon Gubish (Pittsburgh, Pa./Northgate) on third-down-and-10 and a 21-yarder to Morgano, also on third-and-10, to the Grove City 16 yard-line.
Morgano, who caught just one pass his entire career entering the game, caught three passes for 31 yards. Gubish led the Titans with four snares for 48 yards. The receiving corps had to make up for the loss of junior Chad Rosatelli (Clinton, Pa./Hopewell), the team's second-leading receiver, who left the game with just over five minutes remaining in the first quarter with an injury.
Franz passed for a season-low 155 yards on 15-of-28 passing with a touchdown and an interception.
Junior tailback Nick McKolosky (Johnstown, Pa./Westmont Hilltop) rushed for 132 yards on 30 carries including two touchdown runs of 9 yards - for the game's only first-half points - and a 2-yard score with 28 seconds left in the third quarter to give Westminster a 17-7 lead.
DiDonato led the Wolverines with 127 rushing yards on 24 attempts including a 6-yard touchdown with 6:55 left in the game that gave Grove City a 21-17 lead.
On the ensuing Westminster drive, Franz threw an interception to Adam Eichler at midfield. Grove City drove to the Titan 24-yard line, but with 3:02 on the clock the Wolverines attempted a fourth-down-and-2 conversion with DiDonato running right. He was snuffed by Blinn for a two yard loss which pioneered the Titans' game-winning drive.
Blinn led the Titans with a career-high 20 tackles (11 solo) including three for a loss and one sack. Senior free safety Jake Wilczynski (Harbor Creek, Pa./Harbor Creek) and Bever also posted 11 and 10 tackles, respectively.
Grove City racked up 454 yards of offense compared to Westminster's 280 yards. DiDonato threw for 236 yards on 25-38 passing. Blaine Miller rushed 18 times for 77 yards and touchdown runs of 4 yards (cutting the Westminster lead to 10-7 in the third) and 12 yards (cutting the Titan lead to 17-14).
Westminster, which has now secured its 52nd non-losing season in the last 58 years, will travel to Geneva on Saturday, Nov. 15, for a 1:30 p.m. kickoff to conclude the 2008 season.
About Westminster College...
Founded in 1852 and related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Westminster College is ranked 15th among liberal arts colleges, according to the Washington Monthly 2007 Annual College Guide. Westminster is a national leader 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 368 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 undergraduate and graduate students benefit from individualized attention from dedicated faculty while choosing from 41 majors and nearly 100 organizations on the New Wilmington, Pa., campus.
