WASHINGTON, Pa. – The Washington & Jefferson rolled up 28 second quarter points en route to a 35-18 victory over visiting Hobart College in the 2022 ECAC Asa S. Bushnell Bowl played at Cameron Stadium Saturday afternoon.
"I think we proved that we are a top team in the country. Worthy of being ranked in the final poll," Sirianni said. "We think we could have done damage in the NCAA Playoffs but we will use this as a good way to send out the seniors and build on next year."
The victory allows the Presidents to finish the season at 9-2 overall. W&J has won at least eight games in each of the past 10 full seasons. The Presidents have now posted 39 consecutive winning seasons.
Hobart, who had won bowl games in 2019 and 2021, finishes the season at 7-4 overall.
W&J was impressive from the get go. The Red and Black marched 88 yards on 11 plays to open the game. Jacob Pugh (Jefferson Hills, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) hit Anthony Rosati (Chardon, Ohio / Perry) for a five-yard touchdown pass to cap the scoring drive.
After a Hobart punt, W&J regained possession. The Statesmen used a pick six by Anthony Romano to cut the W&J lead to 7-6 at the 5:57 mark of the first quarter.
W&J opened the second quarter with a stop on fourth and short, which set them up near midfield. Pugh then sliced up the Hobart defense with an 18-yard connection to Ian Hansen (Jefferson Hills, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) followed by a 38-yard touchdown pass to John Peduzzi (Hilton Head, S.C./Hilton Head Christian Academy). The PAT by Deven Wyandt (Altoona, Pa./Bishop Guilfoyle) made it 14-6 just 30 seconds into the quarter.
Tanner Volpatti (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park), who was named the game's Most Valuable Player, came through with an interception inside Hobart territory. Three plays later, W&J head coach Mike Sirianni called upon W&J's jumbo package on third down. Zach Cernuto (Scottdale, Pa./Southmoreland) took the direct snap and raced 32 yards up the middle as the W&J offensive paved the way for the touchdown run. The touchdown and PAT by Wyandt stretched the W&J advantage to 21-6 at the 11:01 mark.
W&J's special teams got into the act on the next Hobart possession. After forcing a quick three and out, Dawson Dietz (Allison Park, Pa./Hampton) blocked Vicente Lyon's punt and raced some 30 yards to recover the ball at the Hobart four-yard line. W&J made it 28-6 two plays later when Pugh connected with Peduzzi for a second time for a touchdown.
The Presidents added one more second quarter touchdown. W&J marched 76 yards on just six plays before Cernuto capped the drive by plunging in from one-yard out. The Pat by Wyandt pushed the lead to 35-12 with 5:07 to play before halftime.
W&J coasted to victory in the second half. The only points over the final 30 minutes came via a Benjam Farrell pass to David Krewson with 6:44 remaining in the fourth.
Volpatti finished with 11 tackles and an interception to earn MVP honors.
"That's awesome," Sirianni said of Volpatti earning MVP honors. "I'm proud of Tanner especially the way he battled back through some injuries in his career."
Justin Johns (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional), the PAC's leading tackler, posted 15 more stops Saturday. He caps his junior season with 102 total tackles.
Dietz, a defensive wrecking ball all season in the middle, finished with 11 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, a blocked punt and recovery. Dietz racked up 83 tackles, 23.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks in 2022.
Offensively, Pugh finished with 221 yards and three touchdowns on a 13-for-24 day. Cernuto averaged 8.1 yards per carry, as he rushed nine times for 73 yards and two scores. Peduzzi capped a fine debut season with four catches (two touchdowns) and 102 yards receiving. Hansen added 60 yards on three catches.
W&J racked up 273 of its 344 yards in the first half. W&J limited Hobart to 6-of-17 on third down and 1-of-5 on fourth down.
The two teams met for the first time since 1942. W&J has won all three matchups in the series.
Splash plays spark Presidents in 35-18 win over Hobart to capture 2022 ECAC Asa S. Bushnell Bowl
/seasons/2022/boxscores/20221119_5iiy.xml
2022
Hobart
18
Washington and Jefferson
35
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart (7-4) | 6 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 18 |
| Washington and Jefferson (9-2) | 7 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 35 |
Nov 19, 2022