Back-to-back weeks the Waynesburg University Yellow Jackets put up 40 points on the scoreboard as this time they seared the Geneva College Golden Tornadoes 40-14 on Nov. 7. 

“To see them start to figure out competitively what it looks like in game play, to start taking advantage of all the hard work and to see it pay off and come together it’s really gratifying,” head coach Larry Wilson said. 

The Yellow Jackets finished with over 300 yards of total offense helped by junior quarterback Luke Hudson throwing for five touchdowns. Hudson led the Yellow Jackets to a perfect 5-for-5 in the red zone, the best performance the team put out all season. 

“Extremely proud of the plays he made,” Wilson said about Hudson. “He made some throws with zero pressure or guys in his face but was able to stay in the pocket and deliver. To see him starting to get it and to see him put it into action is satisfying to see.”

Four different receivers caught a touchdown from Hudson: senior Tyler Richmond, junior Colton Lee, junior Isaiah Fields and the leading receiver, sophomore Chase Whysong.

“Being able to get all four of those guys a touchdown was an amazing feeling,” Hudson said. “Chase (Whysong) having the game he did and making the plays he did was great for our offense. Those guys are all my best friends and that makes it even more special.”

The Golden Tornadoes led 14-7 at half, but they ran into a wall. That being a Wilson-fueled Yellow Jackets defense.

“The halftime speech was everything that they got we gave them and they really didn’t earn it,” sophomore defensive back Marcus Crum Jr. said. “It was because of our mistakes so once we understood that we were on a roll.” 

A shutout in the second half served up by Presidents’ Athletic Conference Newcomer of the Week freshman defensive lineman Jumah Byrd and company turned the game around.

Nine sacks and two interceptions highlighted the defensive scheme from the Yellow Jackets. Shutting down all seven drives the Golden Tornadoes posted in the second half of play. Allowing the Yellow Jackets to score 27 unanswered points on offense. 

“It’s awesome to see at the end of the year that we’re still elevating and making it hard on the offense,” Wilson said.

The Golden Tornadoes looked to score with no time remaining but Crum took it as an opportunity to embarrass them. Crum intercepted backup sophomore quarterback Chris Smiley at the goal line and sprinted to the end zone for a 100-yard touchdown to finalize the game at 40-14.

“The pick-six was a great moment,” Crum said. “We’re taught that when you get a turnover on the last play to go down, but once I explained to him that they were talking trash and I had to shut them up. Wilson understood the cherry on top.”

“I like the fact that we’re starting to play a new brand of Waynesburg football,” Wilson said. This new brand of 40-point football will be tested this Saturday as the Yellow Jackets host the Bethany College Bison for the final game of the PAC season.