SELINSGROVE, Penn. - Western Connecticut State University sophomore wide receiver Camrin Jean-Pierre (Stamford, Conn.) and junior wide receiver Jayden Leroy (Danbury, Conn.) each caught a touchdown pass from senior quarterback Dylan Jackson (Monroe, Conn.) on Saturday, but Susquehanna - ranked No. 7 in the region - scored on its first drive and never trailed in a 55-12 football matchup at Amos Alonzo Stagg Field.
Susquehanna's Matt Surtz scored on a 50-yard run on the game's second play from scrimmage and added four more rushing touchdowns, finishing with 130 yards on 21 carries. WestConn answered the first two Susquehanna scores with a six-play, 75-yard drive. Jackson hit Jean-Pierre for 49 yards on 2nd-and-10, a pass interference penalty gave the Wolves a first down at the nine, and Leroy caught the touchdown on a nine-yard pass to make it 13-6 late in the first quarter. A two-point attempt failed, as did a second one later.
The visitors didn't score again until late in the third quarter, with the game already at 41-6. After a 26-yard Jackson-to-Leroy completion and Donald Highsmith runs of nine and two yards, Jackson found Jean-Pierre for a 17-yard touchdown on 3rd-and-11, ending a seven-play, 75-yard drive. Jean-Pierre led WestConn with four catches for 88 yards.
Turnovers were the difference. WestConn fumbled six times and lost four, while Brayden Nolan returned one of them 31 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter. A Jackson punt was also blocked, which set up Susquehanna's final touchdown. The hosts finished with 480 yards of offense to WestConn's 211, and the Wolves ran for only 10 net yards.
WestConn's defense had a goal-line stand in the fourth quarter. After a fumble put Susquehanna at the WestConn 12, three plays from the 3-yard line lost yardage, and Cohen Hoover misfired on a 27-yard field goal. Susquehanna also turned the ball over on downs four times. Junior safety Tafari Johnson (Bronx, N.Y.) had a team-high nine tackles, and sophomore safety Ethan Morris (White Plains, N.Y.), junior linebacker Jordan Tyler (Bay Shore, N.Y.) and senior linebacker Eamon Moran (Stratford, Conn.) each recorded seven.
Highsmith led WestConn with 39 rushing yards on 7 carries. Freshman wide receiver Kyron Brown (Brooklyn, N.Y.) had a 40-yard catch from sophomore quarterback Joseph Motes (Rocky Hill, Conn.) late in the contest. Sophomore kicker/punter Gavin Damboise (Bristol, Conn.) averaged 46.5 yards on two punts, including one for 56 yards.
Susquehanna's Tommy Wright was 13-for-21 for 211 yards which included a touchdown to Frankie Mroz.
WestConn falls to 3-5 overall and 2-3 in league play, while Susquehanna improves to 8-1. The Wolves will look to rebound when they host a regular season finale contest against Wilkes University on Saturday at Noon.
