NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. - The Westminster College football team won, 41-7, over the visiting Wolverines of Grove City College in Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) action on Saturday. Â The win was Westminster's largest since its 35-0 defeat over Thiel College in 2010 and the third victory of its last four contests. Â
The Titans improved to 3-6 overall and 3-4 in the PAC. The Wolverines dropped to 0-9 overall and 0-7 in the conference.
Freshman quarterback Paul Columbo (Boca Raton, FL / West Boca Raton Community) tied a career-high with four touchdown passes for a career-high 340 yards. He went 19 for 31 with one interception. Columbo added another score from a school-record 96-yard scamper.
Westminster out-gained the Wolverines in total yards, 533-204, including a 358-142 advantage through the air.
The Titans did not waste anytime scoring first as it only took one play on their first play of scrimmage. Columbo passed it to freshman Khurazze Williams (Lakeworth FL / Santaluces Community), who then latterelled it classmate Jametrius Bentley (Lake Worth, FL / Park Vista Community), who then ran it 80 yards to the endzone. Sophomore Justin Dahl (Cochranton, PA / Maplewood) kicked the point-after-touchdown (PAT) and Westminster led, 7-0, with 12:33 on the clock.
Westminster extended its lead later in the second quarter when Columbo found freshman Jordan Edwards (Florida City, FL / Coral Reef) for an 18-yard touchdown pass. The Titans led, 14-0, after an extra point by Dahl with 1:33 remaining before halftime.
The Titans scored on their first drive of the second half. The seven-play, 51-yard drive was capped off by Columbo connecting with the leaping Williams from 12 yards out. Westminster led, 20-0, after a failed extra point attempt with 10:58 on the clock. Â
Columbo made school history on Westminster's ensuing drive. On third-and-12 on the Titans' four-yard line, Columbo escaped the rush and ran 96 yards for the score. Not only did Columbo break Dak Britt's school record for longest run by a quarterback (73 yards), he broke Andy Blatt's school record for any position of 85 yards set back in 1996. The Titans led, 27-0, after a Dahl extra point with 8:18 remaining in the quarter.
Westminster went up, 34-0, after a two-yard run by freshman Kimu Kim (Canfield, OH / Canfield) and a PAT by Dahl with a minute remaining in the third.
In the beginning of the fourth quarter, Columbo again found Williams for a touchdown pass from 24 yards out. Dahl's extra point made the score, 41-0, in favor of the Titans.
Grove City spoiled the shutout with a touchdown from a five-yard run by Aaron Lundmark with 9:43 to go in the fourth quarter.
Williams finished with game-highs of six receptions and 94 yards. Titan senior Justin Smith (Statham, GA / South Gwinnett) led the defense with eight tackles, while senior Chuck Sayre (Warren, OH / Howland) and junior Justin Shaw (Monaca, PA / Central Valley) added six tackles each. Senior Rich Ellebie (Farrell, PA / Kennedy Christian) and freshman CJ Armstrong (Lake Worth, FL / Park Vista) each had a sack for Westminster. Armstrong now has a team-high 5.5 sacks for the season.
The Titans will finish out the regular season next Saturday, Nov. 15, at Geneva College. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
About Westminster College...
Founded in 1852 and related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Westminster College is a top-tier liberal arts college and a national leader in graduation rate performance, according to U.S. News Best Colleges guide. Westminster is also honored as one of "The Best 379 Colleges" by The Princeton Review, and is named to the President's Honor Roll for excellence in service learning.
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. Visit www.westminster.edu/advantage to view "Advantage: Westminster" A Strategic Plan 2010-2020.
