The Waynesburg Yellow Jackets lost 56-0 on Saturday against the Washington & Jefferson Presidents. The loss marks the Yellow Jackets’ fourth straight loss, falling to 2-6 overall and 2-4 in Presidents’ Athletic Conference play. 

“We have to get better,” head coach Cornelius Coleman said. “I have to get better as a coach, and we must get better as a coaching staff at implementing the game plan so our guys can succeed.” 

Waynesburg was held to just 81 yards of total offense, placing even more pressure on a defense already contending with a relentless Washington & Jefferson attack. 

“We got behind the sticks,” Coleman said. “We can’t be second and long, because then when it gets to third down, it’s not as manageable.” 

That relentless attack started early and never stopped. After a holding penalty and a sack on Waynesburg’s opening drive, W&J quarterback Kellan Stahl found John Peduzzi for a 19-yard touchdown, giving the Presidents a 7-0 lead. 

Presidents senior running back Kobe Derosa capped off a drive where he had four carries for 27 yards with a 4-yard rushing touchdown, extending the lead to 14. 

Stahl threw for three touchdowns in the second quarter, connecting first to receiver Joey DeSabato for a 12-yard touchdown, making it 21-0. He then threw a 5-yard touchdown to receiver Jacob Macosko on the following drive. Stahl found DeSabato for a second time to make it 35-0 before halftime. 

To start the second half, Stahl hit Macosko for their second touchdown connection, this time from 36 yards out, giving W&J a 42-0 lead with around six minutes remaining in the third quarter. 

With a six-score lead, W&J head coach Mike Sirianni called off the troops, opting to play some of his younger, less experienced players for the remainder of the game. Junior quarterback Colin Payne completed a 7-yard touchdown pass to senior receiver TJ Lynn, making it 49-0. Senior running back Cam Mulvaney made it 56-0 with a 15-yard rushing touchdown early in the fourth quarter, ending the scoring for the day.

Kellen Stahl ended with 408 yards and five touchdowns and completed 27 of 28 passes, setting the NCAA Division III record for highest completion percentage in a game with a minimum 20 attempts. The record was previously held by John Carroll quarterback Nick Semptimphelter, who set the record last month in a game that was also against Waynesburg.

With Waynesburg 2-4 in conference play, Coleman believes the Yellow Jackets still have something to prove. 

“We still need to put our best foot forward and make sure we know where to be on the field and understand the schemes we are putting together,” Coleman said. 

The Yellow Jackets travel to take on Bethany this Saturday, Nov. 1.