The Waynesburg University football team held a 13-6 lead late into the third quarter over Carnegie Mellon University, but then 24 straight points by the Tartan offense in the final seconds of the third quarter and fourth quarter, crushed the Yellow Jackets hopes for the upset. Waynesburg scored with just over a minute left in the game, but the score was out of reach and brought the game to its final score of 30-20.

Interim head coach Chris Smithley said the offense continued to put the defense in poor positions throughout the game.

“I told the offense several times that we have to move [the football] out of [their zone],” said Smithley. “This is a good offense and we keep putting our defense in bad situations. It’s going to happen. We have to do a better job of moving the football on offense and we have to play four quarters together as a team.”

Carnegie Mellon (3-0, 1-0) started the scoring in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference affair as junior quarterback Alex Cline found senior wide receiver Tommy Mansfield for a 21-yard score, giving them a 6-0 lead after a missed PAT. Waynesburg (0-3, 0-1) found itself on the board late in the first quarter after junior kicker Garret Guthrie capped off a 19-play 62-yard drive that ate up 9:44 of the clock with a 33-yard field goal.

Sophomore quarterback Tyler Perone used his legs to take in a two-yard quarterback keeper with 5:10 to go in the first half, giving Waynesburg a 10-6 lead that they would take into the locker room. The lead was Waynesburg’s first of the season.

Perone said the team had momentum going into the second half, but the team was unable to maintain it.

“Just to not let it get to our heads and know that we still had two quarters to play,” said Perone. “That’s the biggest thing—we were excited going into half. It was [one of] the first times we had a lead over really the last two years. We haven’t had that luxury too often. We were just trying to get everybody to calm down and know we still had two quarters to play in the game.”

The Yellow Jackets came out strongly in the third quarter, as Guthrie capped off another lengthy 14-play, 63-yard drive with a 36-yard field goal to give the team a 13-6 lead with 9:30 left in the third quarter.

Unfortunately for Waynesburg, it had a tough time moving the chains after the field goal. That’s when the Jacket defense started to crack, according to Smithley.

“I thought we came out and we started the third quarter well, and then I thought we got in a situation where we got a little tired up front,” Smithley said. “We ended up going three-and-out a couple of times that just couldn’t happen with the situation we were in.”

After scoring with two seconds left in the quarter, Waynesburg was outscored 17-7 in the final quarter of play as the Tartans solidified the victory.

“We came out the first two quarters really focused,” Perone said. “The third quarter—I thought our first drive we had really good focus until the end and we stalled a little bit there. In the third and fourth quarter we just lost our focus a little bit.”

The Jacket defense was especially efficient in stopping the run on the day, as two-time All-American running back Sam Benger was limited to just 34 yards on eight carries.

“We were flat out just shutting down the run,” said Smithley. “We were putting eight or nine guys in the box and we were playing them man-to-man. We were doing what we had to do to shut down the run game because that’s their strength. [Defensive Coordinator Scott] Venick does a great job and he always will. I had full confidence that it was going to go the way that it did.”

Smithley was also impressed with his quarterback’s efforts, noting that the guys around him are starting to help him out more as well. Smithley said he also thinks Perone has room to grow and will continue to do so.

“[Perone’s] been solid. The big thing that you’re noticing more production out of him because our receivers are getting better and [the line] protected him a lot better today,” Smithly said. “I think he’s been solid all year. The biggest thing with him is just doing a good job of managing the game and making the best decisions.”

Perone finished the afternoon with arguably his best statistical effort of the young season, going 23-of-43 for 203 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He also added a two-yard rushing score.

“I just wanted to play football today, that was my biggest thing coming in—just not think about it and go do what I’ve been doing my whole life,” said Perone.

Sophomore running back Chad Walker was Perone’s favorite target for the second consecutive week, hauling in seven passes for 38 yards. Junior Jake Dougherty had the lone touchdown reception for the Yellow Jackets, a 20-yard score with 1:15 left in the game.

Junior Ben Ciero returned from injury for his first action of the year, rolling to 41 yards on 15 carries. Sophomore Jarves Crews added another 30 yards on 10 carries.

Defensively, seniors Brent Blaharczyk and Drew Glotfelty recorded two sacks each, while sophomore VaShon Graham led the way in tackles with seven. Junior Andrew Brncic also blocked a punt late in the first quarter to top off a solid defensive showing.

“Everything that we’re doing, I think we’re making big strides and I think we’re doing a lot of good things,” Smithley said. “We just have to keep believing in the process and believe in the goals that we have as a team and where we want this thing to go. We have to practice well every day and have a lot of focus and just keep getting better.”

Waynesburg will be back in action Sept. 23 as it travels to Cleveland, Ohio to take on Case Western Reserve. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.