Waynesburg came from behind early in the 3rd Quarter and never looked back. The game next week will see who has braggin' rights for a whole year.

Waynesburg 38, Bethany 21
Oct 08, 2005

BETHANY, W.Va. — FAST START NOT ENOUGH AS BISON FALL TO WAYNESBURG

A long scoring drive on the opening possession of the game and two touchdown receptions by sophomore wide receiver Milton Joyner was not enough for the Bethany College football team, as Waynesburg College rallied for a 38-21 victory Saturday afternoon.

The game had a great start for the Bison (1-5, 0-4) and their Homecoming crowd. Bethany marched 65 yards in 13 plays, which took 5:42 off the clock, and scored on a 15-yard touchdown pass from junior QB Brent Owens to Joyner. It was a systematic drive, as the longest play of it was the scoring play and BC converted two third downs and one fourth down on a personal foul penalty against the Yellow Jackets.

The Bison defense bottled up the Waynesburg offense on their first two possessions but BC was bitten by the turnover bug, which led to the first Yellow Jacket score. After getting the ball back following a three-and-out, Owens threw a pass that was picked off by Waynesburg’s Wayne Roebuck at the BC 19. Five plays later, RB Ryan Abels scored his first of three touchdowns on the day to knot the score at 7-7.

Early in the second quarter, the two teams scored three touchdowns in the span of five offensive plays. Waynesburg started the outburst by going 41 yards in five plays for a score. Abels scooted 24 yards down to the Bison one and then punched it in on the next play to make it a 14-7 WC lead.

Two plays after the kickoff and facing a third and nine, Bison QB Brian Wineberg scrambled to his right and unleashed a pass deep down field. Joyner had broken free of his defender, hauled in the pass and raced into the end zone for a 66-yard touchdown reception. It was his second of the game, which tied the school record for TD catches in a game, the fourth time this season the record has been tied. The extra point was good and the game was tied again at 14.

It would be a short-lived tie, as on the first play following the kickoff, Abels broke off a 63-yard touchdown scamper for his third score of the game and the eighth touchdown of his career against Bethany in three games. The go-ahead score made it 21-14 Waynesburg and was the third touchdown tallied in a span of one minute and 27 seconds.

With under three minutes to play before halftime, Wineberg had a pass picked off by WC’s Andy Tenney, who returned to 35 yards to the Bethany nine. The Green and White defense forced three straight incompletions following a Waynesburg penalty, but Yellow Jacket kicked Ben Popson booted a 32-yard field goal to give the visitors a 24-14 lead they carried into halftime.

Waynesburg then put the game out of reach with scores on their opening two drives of the second half. The Yellow Jackets went 61 yards in only four plays on their opening possession of the second half and reached the end zone on a 46-yard scoring pass from QB Tres Cobb to Mike Shields to extend their lead to 31-14.

On their next possession, Bethany was able to get into Waynesburg territory, aided by two WC penalties for 20 yards. The drive would stall at the Yellow Jacket 38 and junior punter Mike Elias pinned Waynesburg at the one with a 37-yard kick. The bad field position did not hurt the visitors however, as they tore off an eight-play, 99-yard drive that ended with a 49-yard scoring run by Eric Daniels to give the Yellow Jackets a 38-14 advantage.

The last score of the day was put up by the Bison midway through the fourth quarter. Owens started the drive with a 25-yard completion to his tight end Elias and freshman running back Antonio Boston carried five times for 23 yards, including a four-yard scoring run for his first collegiate touchdown, which made the final difference 38-21.

The final stats saw Waynesburg pile up 431 yards of offense, compared to Bethany’s 332 yards, their most since gaining 369 in the season opener against Franklin & Marshall College. The Bison did their damage through the air, compiling 220 passing yards, while the Yellow Jackets, proved their status as the top rushing team in the PAC by grinding out 276 yards. And although Bethany had controlled the ball for nearly five more minutes, the squad hurt themselves with four turnovers, including three interceptions.

Highlighting the Bison day was Joyner, who grabbed five passes for 141 yards and the two scores. His 141 receiving yards is the second highest of his young career, second only to the 145 he totaled in last year’s loss at Westminster (Pa.) College, the same game he set a new school-record with 12 catches.

Wineberg finished the day with 142 yards passing, while Boston was BC’s leading ground gainer with 41 yards.

Defensively, senior LB Tim Goetz, and junior linebackers Cliff Anderson and Brian Wineberg all had nine tackles apiece. Wineberg also had one sack and one forced fumble in the contest.

Abels was one of two WC backs to eclipse 100 yards on the day, as he amassed 165 on 16 carries. Daniels also reached the mark with 101 in only 10 carries. Cobb completed his day with 137 passing yards and one score. On the other side of the ball, LB Brendon Steele made 10 tackles to lead Waynesburg.

The Bison will remain at home for next week’s game, as they will host Westminster College at 1:30 p.m. Bethany has lost three straight to the Titans, including a 27-21 decision in New Wilmington last year. Westminster will come into the game with a 2-3 overall record and 0-2 mark in the PAC following a 45-20 loss to Washington & Jefferson (Pa.) College Saturday.

Press release submitted by Bethany on Oct 08 2005 at 08:10 PM