Box Score PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Ryan Radke (Lancaster, N.Y./Lancaster Central) and Marcus Johnson (Pittsburgh, Pa./University Prep) figured in on five Thiel touchdowns Saturday, leading the Tomcats to a 40-27 Presidents' Athletic Conference win over the Carnegie Mellon Tartans at Gesling Stadium.
 
After a scoreless first quarter, Radke scored the first touchdown of the game with 13:25 remaining in the second quarter on a 23-yard run around left end that capped off a 14-play, 80-yard drive that consumed nearly six minutes of the game clock. Colin Peal (Pliny, W. Va./Point Pleasant) added the extra point to give Thiel a 7-0 lead.
 
Two drives later Radke helped increase Thiel's lead to 13-0 when he lobbed an 8-yard touchdown pass to Johnson in the back corner of the end zone. Johnson's touchdown catch finished off a 7-play, 59-yard drive.
 
The Tartans pieced together a good drive at the end of the second quarter and scored their first touchdown of the game on a one-yard run by Sam Benger with 27 seconds remaining before halftime.
 
The Tomcats, led by Radke and Johnson, dominated the third quarter. On the opening drive of the second half, Radke threw a 53-yard touchdown pass to Johnson, putting the finishing touches on a 5-play, 81-yard march that gave the Tomcats a 20-7 lead.
 
Radke and Johnson hooked up for another score two drives later. Radke completed three passes on the drive, all to Johnson, including a 44-yard touchdown throw that gave Thiel a 26-7 lead with 5:21 left in the third quarter.
 
Thiel fullback Rich Smallwood (Aliquippa, Pa./Hopewell) scored on a 1-yard run early in the fourth quarter, capping off a 9-play, 75-yard drive that used nearly five minutes of game clock and extended his team's lead to 33-7.
 
Andrew Hearon threw touchdown passes on back-to-back drives for the Tartans midway through the fourth quarter to cut Thiel's lead down to 33-20. However, the Tomcat offense responded with another long touchdown drive, this one a 9-play, 55-yard effort that concluded with an 8-yard run by Radke. Peal added the extra point, and the Tomcats held a 40-20 lead with 58 seconds remaining in regulation.
 
The Tartans closed out scoring when Evan Englert threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Max Reinertsen with nine seconds remaining to play.
 
Radke completed 15-of-24 passes for 256 yards Saturday. He threw three touchdown passes, all to Johnson, and no interceptions. Radke also led Thiel on the ground, running for 114 yards and two touchdowns on 11 totes. Taylor Fink (Kittanning, Pa./Kittanning) ran for 72 yards on 16 carries.
 
Johnson caught seven passes, three of which went for touchdowns, for 165 yards. Ron Howard (Sharon, Pa./Sharon) made four receptions for 57 yards.
 
Hearon completed 24-of-40 passes for Carnegie Mellon with two touchdown strikes. Reinertsen caught nine passes, two of which were touchdowns, for 119 yards.
 
Thiel's defense held Carnegie Mellon to nine yards rushing on 22 attempts and came up with five sacks. Senior linebacker Wes Schmidt (Kittanning, Pa./Kittanning) led Thiel's defense with 13 tackles, two of which were behind the line of scrimmage. Senior defensive end Cody McClelland (Sarver, Pa./Freeport) recorded five tackles, three tackles for a loss of yards and two sacks.
 
The Tomcats will return to action Saturday when they host the nationally ranked Washington & Jefferson Presidents at Alumni Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.