Westminster (Pa.) won its first-ever Presidents' Athletic Conference championship with a 27-20 win over Washington & Jefferson at home Friday night. The Titans, under the guidance of seventh-year head coach Scott Benzel, finished the spring season with a perfect 5-0 overall record and 3-0 in the PAC.
The Presidents took their first lead of the game (17-14) with a blocked punt and recovered the ball in the end zone late in the third quarter. Westminster, however, did not flinch as junior quarterback Cole Konieczka tossed a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns (a 13-yarder to junior tight end Bryce Sallack and a 7-yarder to senior Ian Valente) to put Westminster back in the lead for good.
"This was a long time coming," Benzel said after the game. "As the program has been close and been close, we finally got an opportunity to break through. It wasn't easy, but championships are never easy."
|
| Westminster (Pa.) athletics photo |
The Titan defense once again rose to the occasion with four forced turnovers, including a 43-yard strip-sack and fumble-return by junior Ian Barr for the game's opening touchdown. Barr added a sack and two forced fumbles (Barr came into tonight's game already leading the nation in forced fumbles). Junior Bryce Thomas and sophomores Luca Botti and Nicholas Treloar each had an interception. Westminster had seven sacks, led by junior Brayden Thimons with a career-high four – the most sacks in a single game by a Titan since the stat was kept. Thimons also had a game- and career-high 11 tackles, followed by Thomas with a season-high eight.
Head Coach Scott Benzel talks postgame following the Titans winning the school’s first PAC Championship!!! #titanpride pic.twitter.com/ADD6kdIrDk
— Westminster Titans (PA) Athletics (@WC_Titans) April 24, 2021
Barr once again set the tone with his strip-sack fumble-return for a touchdown on the Presidents' second drive of the game to put Westminster up 7-0. Later in the first quarter, the Titan defense pinned Washington & Jefferson (3-1) deep in its own territory when Treloar sacked W&J's Justin Heacock at the 2-yard line. Valente took advantage of the field position with a punt return of 28 yards to W&J's 5-yard line. Two plays later, senior Frank Antuono plowed in from 1 yard out, extending Westminster's lead to 14-0 with four minutes left in the frame. The Presidents got on the board on their ensuing possession with a 10-play, 89-yard drive, capped off with Heacock finding Payton Skalos for a 21-yard touchdown. A blocked punt by Drew Ehrlich which was recovered by Justin Johns set W&J deep into Westminster territory at the 29-yard line early in the second quarter. The Presidents settled for a 22-yard field goal by Sean Disbrow that cut the deficit to 14-10 at the 9:59 mark of the second quarter. The Titans carried that lead into halftime.
Both teams continued to battle in the third quarter. With less than four minutes left in the third, W&J's Jacob Sarver booted a 44-yard punt which was downed at Westminster's 1-yard line. The Presidents took their first lead after Ehrlich blocked his second punt of the game, this time recovered by Trey Everson for a score. The Presidents looked to add to their lead on their opening possession of the fourth quarter, however, Botti snagged an interception and returned it 30 yards to W&J's 25. The Titans regained the lead three plays later as Konieczka delivered a dart up the middle to Sallack for the first touchdown reception of his career. Westminster's extra point was no good and the Titans led 20-17 with 12 minutes to play. Westminster's defense halted the next two W&J drives (with an interception by Treloar and a turnover on downs). Following the turnover on downs, the Titans drove down the field and added to their lead as Konieczka delivered his second strike – this time to Valente after wide receiver Tylon Eilam highlighted the drive with a 55-yard grab. The Titans had a 10-point, 27-17 lead with six minutes remaining.
The Presidents made it a one-score game with Disbrow's second field goal with 2:38 left. W&J's ensuing onside kick was recovered by the Titans and a 12-yard, first down run by Antuono sealed the win and the championship for the Titans.