GREENSBURG, PA – West Chester turned the ball over five times, which proved too much to overcome, as host Seton Hill University walked away with a 27-24 victory at Offutt Field Saturday afternoon.
West Chester (0-3) still had a chance to win in the final minutes of the fourth quarter. However, Seton Hill (2-2) engineered an 82-yard drive that culminated in a touchdown with 63 seconds left in the game. The Griffins win was their first over the Golden Rams in four career meetings.
The loss put a sour taste on a career day from senior WR
D'Shaun Seals (Philadelphia, Pa./Imhotep Charter), who finished with nine catches for 171 yards and a touchdown. His catches and yards receiving were both single-game highs. His 84-yard TD reception in the second quarter was a career best as well.
Senior PK
Sean Henry (Reading, Pa./Exeter) also nailed a career-long 50-yard field goal that put the Golden Rams on top, 24-14, heading into the final 15 minutes. He became just the second player in school history to kick a field goal of over 50 yards. It was also just the third field goal in all of Division II this year of at least 50 yards and the longest in the PSAC this fall.
But, the story of the game was four interceptions and a fumble by the Golden Rams. Four of the five turnovers happened in the red zone, and two of the interceptions came in the end zone.
Seton Hill put together a pair of 11-play drives in the fourth quarter to overcome that 10-point deficit and pull out a last-minute win for the second week in a row. The Griffins scored a TD with three seconds left in the game last week against Bloomsburg to score a 15-14 victory.
Saturday's setback marks the first time since 2010 that West Chester has begun a football season 0-3.
The Golden Rams open conference play next Saturday at Bloomsburg University with a 2 p.m. kickoff. The Huskies will honor WCU graduate and former football coach, Danny Hale, who will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in December.
