(CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky.) – The 11th-ranked Thomas More College football team scored 35 second half points today (Saturday, October 10, 2015) to pull away from Geneva College, 44-14, in a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) game at BB&T Field in Crestview Hills, Kentucky.
With the win, the Saints remain undefeated at 6-0 overall and 4-0 in the PAC. With the loss, the Golden Tornadoes fall to 2-3 overall and 1-2 in the PAC.
Geneva led 7-6 after one quarter and then Thomas More led 9-7 at halftime and 30-7 after three quarters.
Geneva took a 7-0 lead with 7:16 to play in the first quarter when Javid Ellis scored on a one-yard run and Neil Harrison added the point-after-attempt.
Thomas More cut the lead to 7-6 when senior wide receiver Tyler Vogelpohl (Cincinnati, Ohio/LaSalle) recovered a Saints' fumble in the end zone for a touchdown and senior place kicker Tommy Budke's (Colerain, Ohio/Colerain) PAT was blocked with 4:41 to play in the opening quarter.
The Saints took a 9-7 lead into halftime when Budke connected on a 38-yard field goal with four-seconds to play in the second quarter.
Thomas More extended the lead to 16-7 with 10:11 to play in the third quarter when sophomore quarterback Brenan Kuntz (Independence, Ky./Simon Kenton) scored on a 69-yard quarterback keeper and Budke added the PAT.
Sophomore running back C.T. Tarrant (Hamilton, Ohio/Hamilton) scored on a 40-yard run and Budke added the PAT to increase the Saints lead to 23-7 with 5:05 to play in the third quarter.
Thomas More made the score 30-7 with 3:59 to play in the third quarter when Tarrant scored on a three-yard touchdown run and Budke added the PAT.
Freshman running back Hjavier Pitts (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mt. Healthy) scored on a one-yard run and Budke added the PAT to extend the Saints' lead to 37-7 with 12:14 to play in the game.
Thomas More increased the lead to 44-7 with 5:59 to play in the game when Kuntz connected on a 41-yard touchdown pass to Vogelpohl and Budke added the PAT.
Geneva's Ellis scored on a three-yard run and Harrison added the PAT with 2:52 to play in the game for the final score of 44-14.
Thomas More out-gained Geneva 561 yards (314 rushing/247 passing) to 365 yards (150 rushing/215 passing).
Kuntz finished the game with 355 yards of total offense as he was 17-of-25 passing for 247 yard and two touchdowns, while he also had 11 carries for 108 yards and one touchdown. Tarrant finished the day with 19 carries for 172 yards and two touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Goose Cohorn (Independence, Ky./Dixie Heights) led the receivers with eight catches for 144 yards.
Senior defensive back Kyle Fuller (Taylor Mill, Ky./Holy Cross) led the defense with nine tackles (six solo, three assisted) and had one interception. Senior defensive back Ian Gunn (Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder) had eight tackles (six solo, two assisted), senior linebacker Nick Pennekamp (Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder) added seven tackles (six solo, one assisted) and had on fumble recovery and one interception, while sophomore linebacker Tre' Tunstill (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis) had seven tackles (five solo, two assisted).
Thomas More returns to action next Saturday (October 17) when it travels to Latrobe, Pennsylvania to play Saint Vincent College. Kick-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Chuck Noll Field.