Box Score Box Score
WEST CHESTER, Pa. - No. 24 West Chester ran up 551 yards of total offense on a windy and rainy afternoon en route to a 60-6 white-washing of cross-town rival Cheyney Saturday afternoon on Senior Day at Farrell Stadium.
Senior WR Mike Washington caught five passes for 120 yards and a touchdown in the win, marking the 21st time in his illustrious career that he has gone over 100 yards in a game, to lead the offensive surge. He is now ninth all-time in NCAA DII history for career yards receiving with 4,327. His TD reception was the 54th of his career. He stands third all-time in NCAA DII history in that category.
West Chester (7-2, 6-0 PSAC East) moved its winning streak to six straight on the season and set up a showdown for first place next week at No. 4 Bloomsburg (9-0, 6-0), who was a 21-0 winner at Shippensburg (3-6, 2-4) Saturday.
The winner of Saturday’s tilt, which will be held on Homecoming Weekend at Bloomsburg University, will earn a trip to the re-instated PSAC Championship Game against the West Division winner, No. 6 California (Pa.), who has already locked up that race.
Cheyney (0-9, 0-6) is still in search of its first victory of the season for first-year head coach Jeff Braxton.
The Golden Rams’ special teams officially blocked three kicks, and got a piece of three others. Cheyney managed to get away just two of its seven punts on the day cleanly. West Chester’s Bill Pommerer blocked the Wolves’ lone extra-point attempt.
West Chester ran out to a 21-0 lead in the first five minutes of the game on runs by Jackson Fagan (1 yard and 46 yards), and Pat McDermont (4 yards). At that point, the Rams’ offense had scored three times, but had just 1:42 in time of possession.
Fagan’s one-yard plunge capped a 6-play, 61-yard drive that ate up 1:27 on the Rams’ first possession of the tilt. McDermott’s 4-yard run was set up by a Will Davis blocked punt on Cheyney’s third possession of the game. Fagan then scampered 46 yards untouched through a gaping hole off left tackle on the first play of West Chester’s next possession.
Washington caught a 31-yard pass from quarterback Joe Wright on the first play of the second quarter to put the hosts up 28-0 before Cheyney could get on the scoreboard. Ron Hunter ran 18 yards for a TD with 10:32 left before halftime for the visitor’s only points of the afternoon.
Fagan scored his third touchdown of the contest with 6:30 left before the break to up the advantage to 35-6, and Sal Viscount scored from 21 yards out with 32 seconds left in the half to send West Chester into the break with a 42-6 lead. Fagan’s TD was a 17-yard aerial from Wright over the middle.
Chad Halterman scored on a pair of runs (8 and 10 yards), and Brian McDermott scored on a 9-yard jaunt in the fourth quarter to close out the scoring. All three of West Chester’s PAT attempts in the second half were unsuccessful.
Wright, the PSAC’s second-rated passer, finished 8 of 12 for 170 yards and two TDs. He now has 22 touchdowns on the year against just seven interceptions. He has 2,251 passing yards on the season.
Viscount, who had been a defensive back all year, became the fourth running back for West Chester this season to lead the team in rushing in a game with 73 yards on 12 carries. Fagan finished with 61 yards on four totes with the pigskin, scoring on two of those attempts. Brian McDermott rushed for a career-best 60 yards on seven carries and a TD. Halterman had 46 yards and two scores on six tries.
Chinoso Okoro and Hunter each ran for 71 yards to lead Cheyney’s ground game. Bo Thompson was 6 of 17 for 56 yards under center for the Wolves.
Neither team committed a turnover despite some difficult playing conditions. The majority of the contest was played in 30-mph winds and a steady rainfall.
NOTES: West Chester improved its overall series record against Cheyney to 40-2-1, including the last 17 straight … the Golden Rams have now won 12 straight PSAC East contests and 23 straight league games over opponents other than Bloomsburg … WR Mike Washington is ninth all-time on the NCAA DII charts for career receiving yards and third all-time in NCAA career TDs … Washington has caught for more than 100 yards in a game 21 times in his career … he has also caught a TD pass in 32 of his 46 career games … Washington is now second all-time in school history with 193 catches … West Chester completed its home slate undefeated (5-0), allowing a grand total of 36 points in those five games (7.2 ppg) … QB Joe Wright has thrown just one interception in his last 153 attempts … Alex Walsh converted six extra points, giving him 162 in his career – just eight behind the PSAC career record … West Chester won its 29th consecutive game when it allows less than 20 points.
