Oct 22, 2006 By Jeff Debaldo For The 3 min read

GREENVILLE – For the second consecutive year, the Waynesburg College Yellow Jackets built a 21-0 lead on the Thiel College Tomcats. Unlike last year Waynesburg was able to stop a late Thiel come back attempt and held on to defeat the defending Presidents’ Athletic Conference champions 34-24 at Alumni Stadium. “Against a good Thiel program, our kids showed a lot of character,” said Yellow Jacket head coach Rick Shepas. “I don’t think anyone would have thought we would be where we are after the Grove City game.”

Waynesburg (4-3, 4-0) won its fourth straight game, all PAC contests, after starting the season 0-3. The Yellow Jackets started their four game winning streak back on Sept. 23 with a 29-18 decision over Grove City.

Waynesburg built a 21-0 lead on the Tomcats last year but lost the game 35-28 in double overtime. They Yellow Jackets jumped out to the same 21-0 lead Saturday afternoon and let Thiel right back in the game, but prevented a comeback with an Anthony Taylor 53-yard interception return with 2:38 left in regulation.

“I was reading the quarterback’s eyes,” Taylor said. “I saw the receiver come through and I just jumped and caught the ball.”

Taylor finished the day with two tackles (both solo) and two interceptions. Taylor’s second interception return gave the Yellow Jackets the ball on Thiel’s nine-yard line. Four plays later Ben Popson connected on a 24-yard field goal that put Waynesburg on top at 34-24.

“Any turnover like that is huge,” said Shepas. “But the huge return and good field position to give us a chance to put more points on the board was even bigger.”

“This win shows we have a lot of heart,” said Taylor. “We were up big and they started making a run but we buckled down and played together.”

Offensively the Yellow Jackets picked up right where they left off from their game last week against Bethany. Senior running back Ryan Abels scored two touchdowns on route to a 103-yard game. Fellow classmate Mike Shields was the recipient of a 12-yard touchdown catch and Waynesburg found themselves up 21-3 at halftime.

“You obviously always want to go out and put up big numbers,” said Waynesburg quarterback Tres Cobb. “We know not to get too high or get too low. We try to play the same whether we’re up 21 or down 21.”

Trailing 28-10, Thiel forced Abels to fumble and the Tomcats recovered the ball.

On the ensuing drive Thiel went six plays and covered 56-yards highlighted by Billy Blankenship’s eight-yard touchdown pass to Mark LaScola to cut the Yellow Jacket lead to 28-17.

“We had a couple of key turnovers in the second half,” Shepas said.

“But I like the character of our team. They compose themselves very well. They play the game with a lot of character.”