TIFFIN, Ohio - The Westminster College football team opened the season with a 62-27 loss at Heidelberg Saturday in non-conference action at Frost-Kalnow Stadium in Tiffin, Ohio.
Westminster junior quarterback Kevin Franz (Finleyville, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) completed 21 of 38 passes for 202 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown to classmate Chad Rosatelli (Clinton, Pa./Hopewell) in the second quarter. Franz became the fifth player in school history to throw for 4,000 career yards as he now has 4,089.
Heidelberg (1-0) racked up 596 yards of offense including quarterback Andrew Miller completing 15 of 20 passes for 322 yards and three touchdowns. Dawond Roddy also caught six passes for 161 yards and a 60-yard touchdown reception.
The Student Princes scored touchdowns on nine of 13 drives including five on their first six possessions.
The Titans faced a 21-0 deficit in the second quarter before junior Fred Romeo (Lowellville, Ohio/Poland Seminary) kicked the first of two career-long field goals from 34 yards out. The second came in the fourth quarter to cut the Heidelberg lead to 55-13.
Heidelberg's balanced attack included 34 rushes for 261 yards and five touchdowns while the Student Princes threw 23 times for 335 yards and four scores.
Heidelberg running back Adrian Balser carried the ball 10 times for 139 yards and two touchdowns. The longest plays of the game included a 52-yard Miller-to-Mike Preston touchdown connection in the second quarter to make the score 28-3, while a Roddy caught a 60-yard pass from Miller in the third quarter to make it 48-10.
Westminster junior tailback Nick McKolosky (Johnstown, Pa./Westmont Hilltop) rushed 21 times for 63 yards, while back-up freshman quarterback Shawn Lehocky (Conway, Pa./Freedom) attempted six runs for 29 yards while also completing 6-of-15 passes for 29 yards including a 3-yard touchdown to freshman tight end Nate Horgan (Geneva, Ohio/Geneva) as time expired in the fourth quarter.
Junior tight end Gary Hutsler (Coraopolis, Pa./Cornell) caught a career-high five passes for 38 yards, while junior receiver Jon Gubish (Pittsburgh, Pa./Northgate) snared five balls for 54 yards. Rosatelli caught four passes for a team-high 67 yards and a touchdown.
Senor cornerback Kiel Wolf (Corry, Pa./Corry) led the Titans with 10 tackles in his first start. Matt Grieves and Vaughn Klein led the Student Princes with 10 stops apiece.
Heidelberg's 62 points are the fourth most scored against a Westminster team all-time and the most since Pitt beat Westminster 88-0 in 1926.
Westminster hosts Allegheny Saturday, Sept. 13 at 1:30 p.m.
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.
