GREENVILLE, Pa. (Sept. 20, 2008) – Big plays by the explosive Washington & Jefferson offense and two inopportune turnovers doomed the Tomcats on Saturday, as Thiel College fell short in its upset bid of the No. 16 Presidents, 34-24, at Alumni Stadium.
Thiel did succeed, however, in giving Washington & Jefferson its first true test of the 2008 football season by forcing a 10-all deadlock at the half and then again by rallying for 14 points in the fourth quarter, to pull within 10.
The W&J attack held up its end of the bargain in the win, rolling up 382 yards of total offense on the afternoon led by senior signal-caller Bobby Swallow, who threw for 258 and two scores.
The Thiel defense wasn't without its highlights, however.
Junior defensive tackle William Haase (Latrobe, Pa./Derry Area) (Latrobe, Pa./Derry Area) continued his development into one of the Presidents' Athletic Conference's premiere defensive linemen by making two and a half tackles for losses including a nine-yard sack in the first quarter. Haase has registered a sack in each of the first three games of the season.
Junior outside linebacker Clint Walker (Madison, Ohio/Madison) (Madison, Ohio/Madison) led Thiel with 10 tackles.
Offensively, the Tomcats rebounded from a dismal outing a week ago at Albion by putting together a 346-yard day, with 253 of those yards coming on the arm of junior quarterback Willie Bova (Port Allegany, Pa./Port Allegany) (Port Allegany, Pa./Port Allegany).
Bova completed 13 of 26 passes for two touchdowns and no interceptions.
Tim Van Horn (Leechburg, Pa./Kiski Area) (Leechburg, Pa./Kiski Area) and Brendan Taylor (Girard, Pa./Girard) (Girard, Pa./Girard) were Bova's two favorite targets on the day, each hauling in four passes. Van Horn ended up being the contest's leading receiver with 133 yards including a 64-yard catch for a touchdown to put the 'Cats up 7-0 in the first quarter.
Thiel's place kicking unit, which had been much-maligned in the season's first two games, got itself back on track, as well. Freshman kicker John Madeline (Hubbard, Ohio/Hubbard) (Hubbard, Ohio/Hubbard) converted on three PAT attempts as well as a second-quarter, 43-yard field goal to give Thiel its second lead of the day, 10-7.
With the loss, Thiel fell to 0-3 for just the second time under head coach Jack Leipheimer. In 2001, Leipheimer's first season at Thiel, the Tomcats started the season 0-3 before beating Grove City in week four. Thiel hasn't started a season 0-4 since 1995.
