'Cats Falter After Quick Start

GREENVILLE, Pa. (Nov. 14, 2009) -- Saturday's Mercer County Cup face off proved to be a tale of two halves for the Tomcats as they suffered a, 31-24, loss at the hands of the Grove City College Wolverines. The Tomcats finished their 2009 season with a 3-7 overall record and a 1-5 conference record.

In the end, the game proved to be a match up between the two senior quarterbacks with Willie Bova (Port Allegany, Pa./Port Allegany) (Port Allegany, Pa./Port Allegany) racking up a 338 total yards (267 passing, 71 rushing) and one touchdown, while Grove City's Andrew DiDonato amassed 375 total yards (279 passing, 96 rushing) and four touchdowns (two passing, two rushing).

Defensively, the Tomcats shot out the gates causing three turnovers in the Wolverines first three drives of the first quarter. Thiel College junior linebacker, Bobby Shew (Mogadore, Ohio/Mogadore) (Mogadore, Ohio/Mogadore), led the defensive charge picking off two Grove City passes only seven minutes into the contest, while junior cornerback Cody Sirgey (St. Petersburg, Fla./Northside Christian) (St. Petersburg, Fla./Northside Christian) forced a fumble that was also recovered by the Tomcats.

As the defense dominated, the Thiel College offense capitalized scoring 17 points in the first half as Grove City sputtered. Senior running back Dan Hess (Apollo, Pa./Kiski Area) (Apollo, Pa./Kiski Area) scored two first half touchdowns, while John Madeline (Hubbard, Ohio/Hubbard) (Hubbard, Ohio/Hubbard) kicked a field goal to put Thiel up 17-0 at the half.

The cross county rivals played to a stalemate over the duration of the third quarter, as neither team could gain an inch against the others defensive effort.

The beginning of the fourth quarter was when Grove City quarterback, Andrew DiDonato, began to exploit cracks in the Thiel College defense, as he marched his fellow Wolverines down the field in the form of a 12 play, 86 yard drive for a touchdown.

The Tomcat offense could only get three plays into their answering drive when Wolverine linebacker, Andrew Keirsey, picked off a Willie Bova (Port Allegany, Pa./Port Allegany) pass and returned it to the Tomcat 16. The Wolverines would follow that costly turnover with a six yard touchdown pass from DiDonato to Zac Summy, bringing the score to 17-14 in favor of Thiel.

The momentum continued to swing in the visiting Wolverines' favor as they held they forced the Tomcats to punt on their next possession and, followed it up with a field goal that knotted things up at 17 with 2:38 left on the clock.

With less than three minutes to go, Bova and company methodically worked their way down the field, completing pass after pass, and chunks of yards at a time until they reached the nine yard line with only two seconds remaining. Thoughts of the Westminster field goal finish were soon vanquished as the Tomcat kick flew just right of the uprights sending the game into overtime.

In the first overtime two quarterbacks matched each other in touchdowns as Bova connected with Brendan Taylor (Girard, Pa./Girard) (Girard, Pa./Girard) and DiDonato ran one in from 11 yards out sending the game into a second overtime.

The Grove City offense would make short work of their time in the second overtime, as DiDonato hit receiver Luke O'Hara in the back of the end zone for six on the first play of the second extra frame.

The Tomcats would work their way down to the Grove City four yard line for a do-or-die fourth and goal opportunity. Bova dropped back for the pass, spotted Ross Gargano (Sharon, Pa./Kennedy Catholic) (Sharon, Pa./Kennedy Catholic) open in the back of the end zone, and uncorked a ball that seemed to float in the air for eternity. As the ball began to descend into the hands of an opent Gargano, Wolverine linebacker, Chris Joseph, batted the ball down, washing away all hopes of a third overtime.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Tomcat defensive linemen, Tom Cermak (Erie, Pa./Seneca) (Erie, Pa./Seneca) led the team in tackles with seven (four solo) while senior Sam Swartzfager (Shippenville, Pa./Keystone) (Shippenville, Pa./Keystone) tallied six tackles and a fumble recovery.

Taylor ended the day with 10 receptions for 72 yards and a touchdown.

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'Cats Falter After Quick Start