New Britain, Conn. - The Westminster College football team won its first postseason game since 1996 after its 42-21 victory over St. John Fisher College in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) James Lynah Bowl Championship on Saturday at Central Connecticut State University's Arute Field in New Britain, Connecticut.
Westminster (9-2), appearing in its first-ever ECAC bowl game and advancing to the postseason for the first time since the 1997 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Division II playoffs, held a 21-7 halftime lead before outscoring St. John Fisher (7-4) 21-14 in the second half. Westminster's 42 points were the most in postseason action since 1994, the same year the Titans' won their last NAIA National Championship game.
Westminster College rolled up 431 yards of total offense. Sophomore quarterback
Paul Columbo (Boca Raton, Fla./West Boca Raton Community) finished 11-of-20 passing for 203 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. Columbo also ran for 82 yards (19 attempts) and a score. Sophomore running back
Dominique McKinley (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg-Salem) rushed 24 times for a game-high 114 yards and a touchdown. McKinley surpassed 1,000 yards on the ground this season, the first Titan to achieve this since Titan Hall of Famer Scott Froelich did it in 2004. McKinley is only the seventh Titan in school history to surpass 1,000 yards on the ground in a single season.
Senior wide receivers
Taran Sifontes-Lavine (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley) and
Cody Alward (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) each caught a touchdown in the win.
The Titan defense limited the Cardinals to 243 yards of total offense and just 38 rushing yards, the fourth-straight game Westminster has held its opponent to under 40 yards rushing. Junior linebacker
Mac Quinn (Pittsburgh, Pa./Northgate) finished with a team-high 10 tackles, while senior defensive end
Darrin Donikowski (Erie, Pa./Mercyhurst Prep) totaled eight stops, including four tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.
Westminster, under second-year Head Coach
Scott Benzel, finishes the season 9-2 overall (7-1) in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC), the most wins in a season since 1997.
*The Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) contributed to this release.
