NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. – The Westminster football team overcame a 20-point deficit to win 33-32 over Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) foe Grove City at home on Saturday in a game of conference-unbeatens.
 
Down 32-27 with two minutes left in the game, Titan senior Cole Konieczka (Coraopolis, PA / Moon Area) marched the Titans down the field and threw a dime to classmate Denny Dennison (Windson, PA / Red Lion Area) with an over-the-shoulder 26-yard touchdown pass for the game-winning score. The game-winning drive was also highlighted by a 16-yard pass to Dennison and a 19-yard run by junior Ryan Gomes (Tampa, FL / Walter L. Sickles). On Grove City's very next play on its ensuing drive, Titan first-year Kevin Wright (West Palm Beach, FL / Seminole Ridge) picked off a throw from Grove City's Josh Ehst to seal the Westminster win.
 
Grove City (3-1, 2-1 PAC) started the scoring with a 27-yard pick-six by Parker Kilgore with eight minutes left in the first quarter. The Wolverines closed out the quarter with a 9-yard touchdown pass from Ehst to Scott Fraser and led 14-0 after one. The Wolverines extended their lead with another Ehst touchdown – this time to Cody Gustafson and led 20-0 with 12 minutes on the clock in the first half.
 
Westminster (2-1, 2-0 PAC) began its comeback later in the second quarter with a 34-yard pass from Konieczka to sophomore wide receiver Tylon Eilam (Sharon, PA / Sharon Area). Grove City held on for a 20-7 halftime lead.
 
In the second half, the Titans scored two-straight rushing touchdowns – courtesy of senior Isiah Canton (Pittsburgh, PA / Carlynton) from five yards out and senior Brayden Thimons (Natrona Heights, PA / Highlands) from one yard out – to take their first lead of the game at 21-20 with six minutes left in the third quarter – the start of five lead changes. Thimons' first career touchdown was set up by senior Ian Barr (State College, PA / State College Area) forcing a fumble on the kickoff following the Canton TD.
 
The Wolverines retook the lead, 26-21, with a Clayton Parrish 3-yard touchdown run to close out the third frame.
 
Konieczka put Westminster right back in front, 27-26, with a 20-yard pass to junior Chevy Dawson (Port St. Lucie, FL / Centennial) two minutes in the final quarter. Dawson now has a touchdown reception in three consecutive games. Later in the fourth quarter, Grove City mustered a 97-yard drive – capped off with a 43-yard touchdown pass from Ehst to Cody Gustafson to take the 32-27 lead.
 
Konieczka finished 20-of-33 for a game-high 267 passing yards and three touchdown passes. Gomes ran for a game-best 87 yards off 15 carries, averaging 5.8 a carry. Sophomore Tylon Eilam (Sharon, PA / Sharon Area) led the Westminster receivers with eight catches (tied a career-high) for a career-high 126 receiving yards. Senior Bryce Thomas (Saint Marys, GA / Camden County) was all over the field leading the Westminster defense with a game-high 16 tackles – the most tackles since Mac Quinn registered the same in 2015. Also earning double-digit tackles for the Titans were Barr and junior Nicholas Treloar (New Castle, PA / New Castle) who each had 11 (career-high for Treloar). Thimons registered a game-high two tackles for a loss, a sack, nine tackles, four quarterback hurries – to go along with a touchdown run. Senior Tyree Reeder (Youngstown, OH / Ursuline) added a tackle for a loss and six total tackles.
 
The Titans are back on the field at Thiel on Saturday, Oct. 2 with a 3 p.m. start.