Defense steps up again in carrying Villanova
Through four games Villanova’s defense has been quite offensive minded.
The defense scored for the second straight week and the third time in four games to lead the No. 19 Wildcats to a 31-14 victory over Lafayette in the first meeting between the schools in 96 years.
End Tanoh Kpassagnon scooped up a fumble and rumbled 25 yards for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage and linebacker Jeff Steeb returned an interception 45 yards for a touchdown to close out the scoring to help the Wildcats (3-1) extend their winning streak to three games.
The defense almost had three scores. Safety Rob Rolle had what would have been his second 100-yard interception return for a touchdown in as many weeks wiped out by a penalty. Rolle finished with two interceptions.
Special teams came up big, too. With Villanova clinging to a 17-14 lead in the third quarter, Javon White blocked a punt by Lafayette’s Ryan Forrester. T.J. White recovered it at the Leopards’ 25yard line. Aaron Forbes scored on a three-yard run five plays later to give the Wildcats some breathing room.
Forbes had the first 100yard rushing game of his career. He carried the ball 11 times for 111 yards. Javon White added 61 yards and one touchdown on 18 carries.
In other action: WIDENER 25, WILKES 23 >> Midway through the second quarter, the Pride appeared to be headed to an easy victory over the Colonels. Widener had a 22-0 lead and Wilkes had 13 yards of total offense.
It was anything breeze.
Widener (2-1 overall, 2-0 MAC) needed a 32-yard field goal from Michael Raczak with 10 minutes, 5 seconds left in the game and a defensive stand at the end to hold off Wilkes for its second straight victory.
Quarterback Ryan Daily threw one touchdown pass and ran for another score as the Colonels (1-3, 1-2) cut the deficit to 22-17 with 12:50 to play in the game. Raczak’s field goal extended the lead to eight points.
Wilkes had a chance to tie the game after Jacob Brook’s four-yard TD run with 8:03 to play in the game, but Jose Tabora’s two-point pass was incomplete.
Donte Harrell ran for 143 yards and one touchdown for but a the Pride. Raczak booted a pair of field goals and Alex Stewart returned an interception 29 yards for a touchdown. BLOOMSBURG 54, CHEYNEY 14 >> After failing to score a touchdown against California and Indiana in their last two games, the Wolves reached the end zone twice against the Huskies.
Erik Heller scored on a 10yard run in the second quarter and Brandon French reached pay dirt from four yards out in the third quarter for the Wolves (1-3, 0-1 PSAC East). Heller gained 85 yards on 16 carries, while quarterback Dominick Trautz completed 14 of 23 passes for 142 yards.
Lawrence Elliott only had 13 carries for the Huskies (31, 1-0), but he made the most of those attempts. He scored three times and also returned a punt 65 yards for a touchdown. Qmac Quiteh scored on two of his five carries. Bloomsburg also scored 20 points off four Cheyney turnovers. WILLIAMSON 41, HAMPTON ROADS CC 38 >> The Mechanics (1-2) went down to the wire for the third straight week to pick of their first win of the season.
Gino DiCamillo’s 34-yard interception return for a touchdown with 3:10 to play sealed a wild game in which the teams combined for 859 yards of total offense. DiCamillo, a freshman linebacker from Marple Newtown, also converted 6 of 7 extra point attempts.
Conversions were the difference. Hampton Roads went for two points six times and only converted once.
Andrew Hicks carried the ball 32 times for 137 yards and two touchdowns for Williamson. Senior quarterback Nicholas Rotandi (Upper Darby) completed 15 of 23 passes for 195 yards and three scores. Senior Justin Venditti (Upper Darby) was on the receiving end of seven of those completions for 129 yards and one touchdown.