GREENVILLE, Pa. — Thiel's offense played its best game of the season but a second-half scoring outburst by Geneva led to a 34-20 Tomcat loss in a non-conference football game Saturday at Alumni Stadium.

Two Berend Grube (Venetia, Pa., Peters Twp.) field goals put the Tomcats up 6-0 at the half. The first kick was good from 34 yards out and capped a 15-play, 63-yard drive while the second was a 31-yard kick that finished off a 13-play, 66-yard drive.

The first scoring drive included two nice plays by Jared Soell (Oakmont, Pa., Riverview) and Eric Petrovich (Newbury, Ohio, Notre Dame Cathedral Latin), both freshman who had their best games of the season. On the drive's first play, Petrovich broke loose for a 24-yard run. Six plays later the running back caught a 13-yard pass from Soell. The drive was also aided by a Geneva offsides penalty on a Thiel punt, resulting in a first down.

Soell provided more offense in the second scoring drive, breaking off runs of nine and 35 yards in addition to a 13-yard completion to Ron Howard (Sharon, Pa., Sharon).

Soell finished the game with 196 yards and a touchdown through the air while also rushing for 101 yards on 17 carries, Petrovich also went over the century mark in all-purpose yards with 96 on the ground and 40 receiving.

Despite breakout games by multiple players on offense, the Tomcats couldn't get the win thanks to a great second half by the Golden Tornadoes' Gerard Muschette, one of the most explosive running backs in he conference (Geneva is a provisional member of the PAC).

After being kept relatively quiet in the first half, Muschette came out a different player in the second half. Following a five-yard touchdown pass from David Girardi to Corey O'Patchen early in the third quarter, Muschette scored three straight touchdowns to help put the game out of reach. He finished the game with an astounding 302 yards and three touchdowns on 30 carries and added a fourth touchdown on a reception.

Trailing 27-6, Thiel gave itself a chance to make a comeback. Soell connected with freshman Nate Houpt (Greenville, Pa., Greenville) on a 73-yard touchdown pass. Grube's extra point cut the lead to 27-13.

But, Muschette came through again with a 24-yard scoring run to make it 34-13. The Golden Tornado running back's other rushing touchdowns came on runs of 12 and 70 yards.

Thiel completed the scoring with a 3-yard touchdown run by freshman Derrell McCaleb (Ashtabula, Ohio, Lakeside) with 2:42 remaining in the game.

Aside from the loss, it was a promising game for the Tomcats, who held a lead for the first time this season and set numerous season-highs, including points, rushing yards (197), passing yards (236) and total yards (433). Three of the four players who rushed the ball for Thiel are freshman and five of the six players who caught a pass are freshman, with the other being just a sophomore in Tyler DeJong (Columbiana, Ohio, Columbiana).

Howard led the Tomcats in receiving with 62 yards on four catches. DeJong had 42 yards on three receptions and Houpt caught two passes for 80 yards.

Sophomore Ethan Ludwig (East Liverpool, Ohio, East Liverpool) and sophomore Tim Taylor (Girard, Pa., Erie Cathedral Prep) continued to put up good number defensively for Thiel. Ludwig finished with 11 tackles, including one for a loss, while Taylor, who entered the game as the conference leader in tackles for loss, tallied six tackles, two for a loss, and 1.5 sacks. Jeff Oblisk (Stow, Ohio, Stow Munroe Falls) added four tackles and teamed with Taylor for a sack. William Haase (Latrobe, Pa., Derry Area) had two tackles for loss.

Thiel will play its final home game of the season against Washington & Jefferson on Saturday and will finish the year with an away game at Grove City on Saturday, Nov. 13.