Wash-Jeff Tops Grove City

Sophomore quarterback Jake Pugh hit 21-of-35 passes for 298 yards and four touchdowns, leading Washington & Jefferson past Grove City, 31-14, Saturday afternoon. Freshmen wideouts John Peduzzi and Ian Hansen each had over 100 receiving yards, the first time that’s happened in more than three years.  Peduzzi scored on 23 and 10 yard receptions. Hansen snared a 16-yard scoring passes. Pugh’s other touchdown was on a six-yard grab by sophomore fullback Zach Cernuto. W&J rolled up 423 total yards but squandered two early scoring opportunities both inside the Grove City ‘red zone,” one a missed field goal and the other a tip-ball interception. Peduzzi’s first TD reception capped the third W&J possession, giving the Presidents a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter. Grove City answered with a nine-minute, 16-play drive to tie the score on a one-yard run from Clayton Parrish. Dylan Wyandt kicked a career-long 38 yard field goal to put W&J back in front, the Adam Rudzinski covered a loose ball on an option pitch, setting the Presidents up at the Wolverines’ 16-yard line. Hansen scored on the first play to set the halftime score at 17-7. After the break, Tyler Sabo’s third interception of the year gave W&J the ball at the Grove City 26. Two plays later, Pugh found Cernuto unguarded for the six-yard score. Puduzzi’s 10-yard scoring catch pushed the W&J lead to 31-7 late in the third quarter. Joey Guida set the final with a 20-yard touchdown run for the Wolverines.  Guida finished with 17 carries for 112 yards. W&J improves to 7-2 with next week’s regular season finale at Waynesburg. Grove City drops to 6-3 and will host Thiel next week.