MEADVILLE, Pa. – The Thiel Tomcats opened the 2021 season Saturday with a 42-14 non-conference loss on the road to the Allegheny Gators. Due to the pandemic, it was the first game in nearly two years for both teams, 658 days to be precise.
 
The Tomcats had the first scoring chance in the game. On their second possession, Thiel marched 50 yards in 10 plays, but turned the ball over on an interception inside the Allegheny 20-yard line.
 
Allegheny went on to take a 7-0 lead early in the second quarter when Jack Johnson threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Mark Torsello to cap off a 10-play, 64-yard drive.
 
Thiel went three-and-out on its next possession but, after punting, the defense forced an Allegheny fumble, which was recovered by Andrew Plowden (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn Hills Charter) and returned to the Allegheny 39-yard line.
 
Following the turnover, Thiel drove the ball all the way down to the Allegheny 6-yard line but turned the ball over on downs, failing to score from the red zone for the second time in the contest.
 
The Gators took a 14-0 lead on their next possession, reaching the end zone on a 22-yard pass from Johnson to Jack Parker with 49 seconds remaining in the first half.
 
Johnson threw his third touchdown pass of the game near the midpoint of the third quarter, this one a 30-yard strike to Shane Cafardi.
 
The Tomcats got on the scoreboard late in the third quarter. Alexander Kovalyak (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) completed consecutive passes to Jake Reddick (Grove City, Pa./Grove City), the second of which was a 28-yard touchdown lob.
 
Johnson's fourth and final touchdown pass of the game came early in the fourth quarter. Kovalyak answered on the next drive with a 26-yard touchdown pass to Justin Logan (North Chesterfield, Va./James River) to cut the lead to 28-14, but the Tomcats would get no closer.
 
Kovalyak completed eight passes for 166 yards and two touchdowns. Marlon Brown (White Plains, Md./St. Charles) completed four passes for 57 yards. Reddick caught five passes for 119 yards and one touchdown. Justin Logan (North Chesterfield, Va./James River) caught three passes for 66 yards and one touchdown.
 
Johnson completed 18-of-27 passes for 228 yards. He threw four touchdown passes. John Ian Duron ran for 97 yards and a score on 13 totes. Cafardi recorded 103 receiving yards and a touchdown on eight receptions.
 
Plowden led Thiel on defense with 12 tackles, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup. Joe Stoutamire (Clairton, Pa./Clairton) contributed 10 tackles while Jarren Daniels (Alliance, Ohio/Alliance) made eight stops.
 
The Tomcats will host the Washington & Jefferson Presidents Saturday at Alumni Stadium. The Presidents' Athletic Conference is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.