COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Capital University football team traveled to Waynesburg University on Saturday afternoon where they rolled to a 35-12 season-opening victory. The win marked the second straight season in which the Comets opened up the season with a 1-0 record.
The story of the game proved to a strong balance of all three areas of the game contributing to the win. The offense tallied 397 total yards, while the defense limited the Yellow Jackets (0-1) to 265 yards and just two scores. Additionally, the special teams unit added five PATs and scored a touchdown by recovering an errant snap on a punt play. All-in-all, the Comets' balanced approach led to a fairly comfortable afternoon in the win.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Comets got out of the gates fast and furious in the first quarter, embarking on an eight-play, 73-yard drive on their opening possession, but the steam could not result in a score. Despite being halted on that first drive, Capital kept cool and scored on their second drive of the game – a five-play, 57-yard drive that took 1:50 of game time. The scoring play came on a 31-yard touchdown pass from
Tyler Love to
Wesley Armstead. Freshman kicker,
Jensen Petro remained calm on his first collegiate kick and converted the PAT to make it 7-0.
That score would hold as neither team would score until inside the two-minute timeout just before halftime.
First, Waynesburg lined up for a punt in their own territory, but a bad snap sailed over the punter and a scramble for the ball ended in Capital's
Markus Mealy claiming possession in the end zone for a Comet touchdown. Petro again converted the PAT, making it 14-0 with 1:49 left in the half.
The ensuing Waynesburg drive fizzled out, giving the ball back to the Comets with 1:19 left. Capital then took the ball down the field and scored again, this time on a two-yard touchdown run by
Tyler Love. Petro again made his PAT, making it 21-0 just before the half. That drive was spurred down the field by two big passing completions to
Preston Hannika and
Trent Renz.
The 21-0 score carried into the halftime locker room with the Comets in front.
Out of the break, Capital gave up a touchdown on Waynesburg's first drive of the second half, but the ensuing PAT was missed, leaving the score at 21-6.
The score did not rattle the Comets as they responded almost immediately. Just 2:14 after the hosts scored, Capital connected on a 52-yard pass play from
Preston Hannika to
Finn Devine, scoring the team's fourth touchdown of the game. Petro again converted the PAT making it 28-6.
From there, it was almost the same moment in the fourth quarter that Capital would score again with 7:10 left in the game. This time, the scoring play came via an eight-yard rushing score from
Zion Solomon. The score capped off an 11-play, 57-yard drive that took 4:38 of game time.
With Capital fully in control ahead, the Yellow Jackets did punch in another score but could not convert the two-point conversion, ending the game with a 35-12 final score and Comet win.
The final drive of the game saw the Comets in full control of the clock as Jojo Ahon and
Xavier Rodriguez combined to run out the clock before a kneel down by Love ended the game.
THE NUMBERS
Tyler Love finished the game with 218 passing yards and a touchdown on 14 completions. He also added a score and 23 yards on 10 rushing attempts.
In receiving,
Preston Hannika was the top man, catching four passes for 82 yards. Hannika also accounted for one passing touchdown on a 52-yard completion.
Also in receiving,
Wesley Armstead hauled in three catches for 68 yards and a score.
Finn Devine caught two passes for 67 yards and a touchdown.
Trent Renz made three catches for 34 yards, while
Cobi Stevens,
Demoyne Stoney and
Sonny Ward accounted for the other four catches.
On the ground,
Zion Solomon led the way with 61 yards and a score, followed by Love's 23 yards. Jojo Ahon ran for 16 yards, while Stevens and
Xavier Rodriguez each totaled 14 yards.
Defensively,
Diamonte Salley led the team with eight tackles, six of which were solo stops.
Olaoluwa Obayemi was next on defense with five tackles.
AJ Adams,
Evan Clephane and
Robbie Hatcher all ended with four tackles.
Capital was successful at stopping Waynesburg behind the line as the team tallied eight TFLs, four of which were sacks. Hatcher ended with two sacks, while Adams and
Caleb Walker finished with one sack each.
The Comet special teams corps showed up well in the afternoon as freshman kicker
Jensen Petro converted all five PATs in his debut. He also added six kickoffs for an average of 63.7 yards per kick. Finally, he punted four times for an average of 34 yards per punt.
Also on special teams in punt coverage, the Comets'
Markus Mealy recovered an errant snap on a Waynesburg punt for a touchdown.
UP NEXT
Capital will return home to Bernlohr Stadium to take on Wilmington College with kickoff slated for 1:30 p.m. in Columbus.
