Skip to navigation Skip to content Skip to footer

Sam Benger Totals 201 Yards of Total Offense in Tartans Win Over Grove City

Sam Benger Totals 201 Yards of Total Offense in Tartans Win Over Grove City

From Carnegie Mellon University Athletics

The Carnegie Mellon University football team hosted the Wolverines of Grove City College on Saturday, October 18 in Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) play.  Freshman Sam Benger (Hingham, Mass./Hingham) accounted for 201 total yards of offense, as the Tartans defeated the Wolverines 21-10 on the turf at Gesling Stadium.  The win evens Carnegie Mellon's record at 3-3 overall and 3-3 in PAC play while Grove City is now 0-6, 0-4.

The Tartans took the opening kickoff and drove 62 yards on six plays, as junior quarterback Andrew Hearon (Tulsa, Okla./Metro Christian Academy) capped it off with a five-yard touchdown run.  Grove City answered the Tartans score on the next possession putting together a 19-play drive that took 9:12 off the clock.  A 32-yard field goal by Ryan Stewart made the score 7-3.

Sophomore running back Zach Cree (Vanderbilt, Pa./Connellsville Area) gave the Tartans a 14-3 lead on their next possession.  The sophomore back powered in from the two-yard line with 13:20 to play in the half to finish off a 13-play drive.  Senior wide out Tim Swanson's (Millburn, N.J.) 16-yard reception from Hearon two plays prior to Cree's score set the Tartans up inside the Wolverines five-yard line.

Late in the third quarter, the Tartans put together another 13-play scoring drive.  This time, junior running back Troy Witt (Cranberry Twp., Pa./Seneca Valley) scored on a nine-yard run after carrying the pile five yards into the end zone. Freshman placekicker Tyler Kohman's (Pataskala, Ohio/Columbus Academy) extra point sailed through the uprights to give the home team a 21-3 advantage.  

Grove City cut the lead to 21-10 with eight minutes to play in the game.  Gabe Greco found David Folkmire in the back corner of the end zone from five yards out.  Late in the fourth quarter, the Wolverines were threatening to cut into the Tartans' lead again, but junior corner back Ryan Aitken (Alexandria, Va./West Potomac) stepped in front of the defender and intercepted Greco's pass to seal the Tartan victory.    

Carnegie Mellon totaled 337 yards of offense with 209 coming by way of the running game.  Benger led the running attack with a career-high 139 yards on 19 carries, marking the first 100-yard rusher since October 5, 2013 at Saint Vincent. The freshman was also the team's leading receiver, catching four passes for 62 yards.  Cree finished the game with 48 yards rushing and a touchdown.

Junior safety Malcolm Guya (Whitehall Pa.) recorded a career-best six solo tackles as he finished with nine total.  Junior linebacker Nico Comsa (Connellsville, Pa.) also recorded nine tackles in the win.   

Greco finished the afternoon passing for 131 yards while also leading the Wolverines on the ground with 51 yards.  Brandon Berringer and Bobby Tuttle each had eight tackles to lead Grove City.