Game Leaders
Team Stats
Passing Yards
Rushing Yards
Turnovers
Time of Poss.
WAYNESBURG, Pa. (September 7) – The Waynesburg University football team opened its 2024 season with a 41-6 defeat to Case Western Reserve on Saturday afternoon at John F. Wiley Stadium.
The Jackets fall to 0-1 on the season while Case Western, who received votes in the D3football.com top 25 preseason poll, moves to 1-0.
Waynesburg used a 12-play drive to reach the CWRU 20 on the game's opening possession before a pair of negative plays forced the Jackets to punt on fourth-and-18 from the Case Western 28. On the ensuing possession, the Spartans converted on a fourth-and-one from their own 29 yard line with a quarterback sneak and did not face a third down for the rest of the quarter as CWRU drove down to the Waynesburg one yard-line at the end of the period.
The Spartans scored on their second play from scrimmage in the second quarter and went on to score three more touchdowns in the period. CWRU had scoring drives of 74, 58 and 40 yards to build a 27-0 halftime lead as Waynesburg was limited to one first down in the quarter.
Case Western used a 10-play, 80-yard drive to open the second half with a touchdown to lead 34-0.
Brennan Boron (St. Mary's, W.Va. / St. Marys) sparked Waynesburg with an interception near midfield and a 17-yard return to set the Jackets up with their best field position of the day at the CWRU 35. Thomas Burke III (West Leechburg, Pa. / Leechburg) connected with Jashawn Wyckoff (Cleveland, Ohio / Cleveland Heights) for a 20-yard gain inside the Spartans' five-yard line. The Jackets had five snaps from inside the CWRU five but were denied their first touchdown of the season as CWRU's Osi Chukwuocha intercepted Burke in the end zone.
The Spartans scored their final touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter after converting a pair of third downs in the drive. Waynesburg answered with the final scoring play of the day as Burke found tight end Dagyn Williams (Leslie, Ark. / Marshall) in the right flat and Williams darted down the right sideline, aided by key blocks from wide receivers Isaac Trout (Ruffs Dale, Pa. / Southmoreland) and Tyler Richmond (Carmichaels, Pa. / Carmichaels), for a 79-yard touchdown.
Burke threw for 111 yards, one touchdown and one interception after entering the game in the third quarter. Starter Samuel Barber (Johnstown, Pa. / Greater Johnstown) went 6-for-14 for 36 yards through the air.
The stout Case Western defense limited the Jackets to 35 yards on the ground, 25 of which came via Zayne Cawley (Huntingtown, Md. / Huntingtown). Williams was the Jackets' leading receiver with his 79-yard score. Wycoff (four receptions, 39 yards) and Trout (five receptions, 34 yards) were Waynesburg's most popular targets.
Jemuel Cypress (Seat Pleasant, Md. / Charles Herbert Flowers) had a team-high 10 tackles with one tackle for loss. Boron had seven stops and an interception. Jamison Ewing (Jefferson, Pa. / Jefferson-Morgan) added a TFL and Virgil Doiron (New Martinsville, W.Va. / Valley) blocked an extra point in the second quarter.
The Jackets travel to Westminster next Saturday for a 1:00 p.m. kickoff.