Oct 17, 2010 By Zach Shoaf for The 3 min read

WAYNESBURG – Never underestimate the importance of special teams. That was the collective lesson from Waynesburg University’s 24-23 victory over PAC opponent Westminster Saturday after Yellow Jackets’ sophomore defensive back Bryan Gary blocked a game-tying extra point with 38 seconds left in the game.

Trailing 24-14 with 11:15 left in the game, the Titans narrowed the lead to a single touchdown following a Trevor Young 35-yard field goal.

The Yellow Jackets went three-and-out, and the Titans marched 51 yards on six plays and brought the game to a single point after quarterback Shawn Lehocky connected with wide receiver Geno Pasquinelli for a 14-yard touchdown.

However, Gary blocked Young’s extra point attempt and the Yellow Jackets avenged their 49-42 overtime road loss to the Titans last year.

Yellow Jackets coach Rick Shepas was pleased with his special teams’ performance.

“We were really unhappy with how our special teams performed last year,” said Shepas. “Coach (Jason) Falvo has done a really nice job with some really great players. That last play was just a block right, but the guys executed well on the play.”

Titans coach Jeff Hand admitted the last play was costly, but that the game was decided by more than one play.

“We had other chances,” said Hand. “Sure, that last play hurt us, but we had other chances in the game and we didn’t execute.”

The Yellow Jackets trailed 7-0 early in the game following a 24-yard touchdown run by Titans’ Tyler Banks, but rallied to take a 14-7 lead with two touchdown runs of their own.

Dominic Moore tied the game at 7-7 for the Yellow Jackets with a 2-yard run at the 4:08 mark of the first quarter, while teammate Bertrand Ngampa put the Yellow Jackets ahead 14-7 with another 2-yard touchdown run with 8:03 remaining in the first half.

Quarterback Brad Dawson led the Yellow Jackets in rushing with four carries for 43 yards, but showed off his arm near the end of the first half when he connected with Cory LaPiana for a 20-yard gain on a third-and-2 with the ball on the Yellow Jackets’ 36-yard line and just seconds left in the second quarter.

The Yellow Jackets quickly called a timeout with two seconds remaining, and Jon Storck drilled a 35-yard field goal to give the Yellow Jackets a 17-7 lead at halftime

“We live and die with the play of Dawson,” said Shepas. “He made some great plays for us when we needed them.”

The Titans responded in the second half as Pasquinelli caught a 26-yard touchdown pass from Lehocky with 4:50 left in the third quarter to cut the lead to 17-14.

Dawson gave the Yellow Jackets another two-possession cushion late in the fourth quarter with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Adam Moses with 11:15 left in the game.

Dawson was 17-of-29 for 178 yards.

Lehocky went 14-for-25 for 165 yards, adding 19 rushes for 76 yards.

Justin Falcon had six rushes for 27 yards for the Yellow Jackets while junior defensive linemen Josh Malenke recorded four tackles and a sack.

The Yellow Jackets step out of conference action Saturday as they host Frostburg State.