BETHANY, W.Va. – The Geneva College football team came up with a late defensive stand to secure a 34-27 victory at Bethany on Saturday afternoon in a high-scoring affair, improving the Golden Tornadoes' overall record to 4-4.

The game started with a couple explosive plays.  Bethany scored on its first play of the game when Brett Phillips his Elijah Moffatt for a short pass, and Moffatt broke a tackle and raced 75 yards for a Bison touchdown, though the extra point was blocked.

On Geneva's next possession, the Golden Tornadoes returned the favor when sophomore quarterback Caleb Romano found senior wide receiver Keaton Baker behind the Bethany defense, and Baker hauled in Romano's long pass and raced 72 yards for a Geneva touchdown to give the Golden Tornadoes a 7-6 lead.

The Geneva defense came up with a big stand on Bethany's following possession.  Bethany marched down the field, securing a first down at the Geneva two-yard line.  However, the Golden Tornadoes stuffed the Bison on four straight plays to keep Bethany off the board.

Geneva's was forced to punt on its next possession, but the defense forced a Bethany turnover when senior Cameron Smith caused a Bison fumble, which junior Reed Gordon recovered.  The Golden Tornado offense took advantage with a long drive, culminated by a seven-yard touchdown run from junior David Reid.

The Geneva defense struggled to contain Bethany quarterback Brett Phillips, though, who answered the Golden Tornado score with a 29-yard touchdown pass to pull the Bison back within one point, 14-13.

On the ensuing kickoff, sophomore Ariel Pierre produced a long return to set up Geneva inside Bethany territory, and the Golden Tornadoes converted the return into another touchdown from Reid, this one from one yard away, though the Geneva extra point was blocked.

Bethany wouldn't go away, though, spurred on by a career day from Phillips.  The freshman quarterback led another long touchdown drive, and Phillips hit Garrell Leeper for a nine-yard touchdown on fourth-and-goal just seconds before the halftime buzzer to send the two teams into the break tied at 20-20.

The Geneva defense forced a Bethany punt on the opening drive of the third quarter, and five plays later Reid rumbled 33 yards for his third touchdown of the game, giving the Golden Tornadoes the lead back, 27-20.

However, on the second play of Bethany's next drive, Phillips hit Moffatt again for a 57-yard touchdown pass to pull the Bison level at 27-27.

Geneva used the passing game again to respond.  This time Romano hit Baker for a 42-yard touchdown pass to give Golden Tornadoes the lead back, 34-27, with still five minutes remaining in the third quarter.  Those proved to be the last points of the game.

Both teams had two empty possessions over the next several minutes before Bethany regained possession at its own 19-yard line with nine minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.  The Bison proceeded to march all the way to the Geneva 10-yard line, converting two fourth downs along the way, with just over a minute remaining.  However, the Golden Tornado defense stiffened with the Bison holding a first-and-goal opportunity.  Junior Payne Brereton and sophomore Coltin Hill stopped Phillips for a three-yard loss on the first play, and a false start by Bethany pushed the Bison back even further.  Three straight incompletions ended the drive, and Geneva took a couple of kneel downs to run out the final 51 seconds to secure the 34-27 victory.

As a team Geneva finished with 356 yards of total offense, 185 on the ground and 171 through the air.  Bethany actually finished with 456 yards of total offense, with Phillips accounting for almost all of that with 316 yards passing and 117 yards rushing.

Romano had another big day at quarterback for the Golden Tornadoes.  He completed 7-of-10 passing for 171 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 60 yards rushing.  Baker was the primary recipient of Romano's big passing day, finishing with a career-high 155 yards receiving, on five catches, along with two touchdowns.  Reid led the way on the ground for Geneva, finishing with 93 yards on 21 carries and three touchdowns.

Junior Nicholas Ciriello led the defense with 10 tackles.  Hill had a huge day as well for the Golden Tornadoes, totaling nine tackles, 1.5 TFLs and one sack. 

Geneva finishes its season with two home games, beginning next Saturday with a 1:00 p.m. kickoff against Westminster on Geneva's Hall of Fame day.