From Carnegie Mellon University Athletics
With 11 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, the Carnegie
Mellon University football team scored on Zach Cree's
(Vanderbilt, Pa./Connellsville Area) one-yard touchdown run to even
the score against Washington University, 16-16. Sophomore
placekicker Gabe Renna (Carlsbad, Calif./La Costa Canyon)
knocked home the extra-point to propel the Tartans to a 17-16
victory over their UAA rival. Carnegie Mellon finishes the 2014
campaign with a 4-6 record and the Bears finish with the same
mark.
The Bears struck first on Saturday, as a blocked field goal by Ryan
Rees set Washington up at midfield. Nine plays later, Alex
Hallwachs drilled a 36-yard field goal to give the visitors the
early 3-0 lead with 10:28 to play in the first quarter.
Carnegie Mellon responded with a six-play, 44-yard drive that
resulted in a one-yard touchdown plunge by Cree to take a 7-3
advantage. The score was setup by a 32-yard scamper by junior
quarterback Andrew Hearon (Tulsa, Okla./Metro Christian
Academy) on the previous play.
Hallwachs pulled the Bears to within a point as he converted his
second field goal of the game. His 41-yard boot made the
score 7-6 with 14 minutes left in the first half. Hallwachs
added a third field goal of the half with 2:35 to play, making the
score 9-7. A 54-yard interception return by Dylan Petre deep
in Washington's territory, led to Hallwachs' third field goal
attempt.
With three minutes left in the third quarter, the Bears extended
their lead to 16-7 as JJ Tomlin found Max Elliott for a four-yard
touchdown toss. The score capped off a 10-play, 59-yard drive
that took 3:35 of the clock.
Right before the end of the third quarter, Carnegie Mellon cut into
Washington's lead with a 20-yard field goal off the foot of Renna
to make the score 16-10 heading into the fourth.
The Tartans began their winning drive with 2:27 left to play in the
contest. The nine-play, 68-yard drive saw Hearon complete
three passes for 37 yards while rushing for another 25 before Cree
found the end zone from a yard away. Freshman running back Sam
Benger (Hingham, Mass.), who finished the game with a
career-high 175 yards rushing, accounted for the other five yards
on the drive.
Carnegie Mellon outgained Washington 460-316 with 286 yards coming
by way of the Tartans rushing attack. The Cardinal and Gray
controlled the clock, holding the ball for 35:27 to the Bears
24:33. Benger's 175 yards marked the most by a Tartan since
November, 5, 2011 when Patrick Blanks rushed for 171 yards in a
Tartan victory over UAA foe Chicago. Hearon was 23-of-39 for
177 yards and one interception. The junior added a
career-high 98 yards rushing on the ground.
Junior Chris Herrera (Miami, Fla./Christopher Columbus)
led the Tartan wide receivers with six catches for 71 yards,
including a huge three-yard reception on third-and-three the play
prior to Cree's winning score. Senior Tim
Swanson(Millburn, N.J.) finished his career with 1,465 yards
receiving, ranking fourth all-time in school history, after
recording five catches for 35 yards.
Junior linebacker Nico Comsa (Connellsville, Pa.) and
freshman safety Drew Fitzmorris (Omaha, Neb./Westside)
led the Tartans' defense with 10 tackles each. Junior
cornerback Vince Demarchi (Chesterland, Ohio / West
Geauga) recorded his second interception of the season in the
Tartans' victory.