Geneva College Athletics

BEAVER FALLS, Pa. – The Geneva College football team put together its most impressive performance of the season for its Homecoming fans on Saturday afternoon, leading from start to finish in a 55-19 victory over a Hiram squad that came into the game with an undefeated 4-0 record.  Geneva improved to 3-2 overall, 2-1 in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC).

The Golden Tornadoes had to feel good to be back home on Reeves Field.  Geneva hadn't played at home for over a month, and the extra energy showed right from the start against a Hiram squad that the football team had not met on the field since 1919.

Geneva received the opening kickoff and quickly went right down for a score.  Senior quarterback Caleb Romano hit junior Liam Gibson for a pair of long passes, and then Romano scrambled for a 14-yard touchdown to cap off the drive.

Hiram also came in with a talented senior quarterback in Sean Tejeda, and two plays into the Terriers' first possession, Tejeda connected with Caleb Tarver for an 81-yard touchdown pass to even the score at 7-7 just three minutes into the game.

Geneva's next possession ended in a blocked field goal, but on the next play from scrimmage, junior AJ Baker picked off Tejeda near midfield, and on Geneva's next offensive play, Romano hit freshman Jerry Davis over the top for a 52-yard touchdown.  It would not be the last time Hiram was tormented by the Romano-to-Davis connection.

Hiram kept fighting, though, answering with a touchdown to pull within one point, 14-13, after the Terriers missed the extra point.

Hiram had no answers defensively for Geneva's offensive attack, though.  Romano found junior Will Patterson for a 33-yard touchdown pass on Geneva's next possession, with still two minutes remaining in the first quarter.

The Golden Tornado defense began to make adjustments entering the second quarter.  Junior Jaden Duckett picked off Tejeda on Hiram's next drive, and after an empty Geneva possession, the defense came up big again when sophomore Demarean Frazier stripped Tejeda as he neared the Geneva goal line, and junior Noah Hutcherson pounced on the ball in the endzone for a touchback, keeping the Terriers off the board once again.

The Romano-to-Davis connection hit again on Geneva's next drive, with Davis hauling in a 12-yard touchdown pass to increase the Golden Tornado lead to 27-13.

The Geneva defense came up big one last time in the half as Hiram drove down inside the Geneva 10-yard line, but on fourth-and-goal, the defense forced an incomplete pass in the closing seconds of the second quarter to allow the Golden Tornadoes to head into the halftime break with a 27-13 advantage.

It was all Geneva in the second half.  Junior Wyman Shaheen wreaked havoc with multiple sacks.  After a Hiram three-and-out to start the third quarter, the Golden Tornadoes added to their lead on a 2-yard touchdown run from Gibson.

Another Hiram three-and-out led to another touchdown from Romano to Davis, the third touchdown between the duo.  This one covered 11 yards and extended the Geneva lead to 41-13.

Romano added another touchdown pass in the fourth quarter, this one a 5-yard strike to sophomore Damien Lacks.  The Golden Tornadoes closed out the scoring just a few seconds later with a highlight reel play.  After Hiram was pinned deep in its own territory on the kickoff, senior Coltin Hill deflected a Tejeda pass inside the Terrier 5-yard line, picked off the floating ball and then fell into the endzone for a touchdown.

Romano finished the game with a sparkling stat line.  He completed 25-of-27 passes for 345 yards and five touchdowns, while also rushing for 27 yards and another touchdown.  Davis had a huge game, finishing with eight catches for 144 yards and three touchdowns, while Patterson added six receptions for 103 yards and a score.

Gibson led the team on the ground with 61 yards and a touchdown, while catching four passes for 48 yards.

Hutcherson, Frazier and junior Cody Patterson led the team with seven tackles apiece, while sophomore Christian Hunter added six stops.  Junior Chidima Iziogo contributed five tackles.  Shaheen posted two sacks, and Hill finished with four stops and the pick-six.  In total, the Golden Tornado defense forced four turnovers, and after allowing almost 300 yards in the first half, the defense gave up just 94 yards of offense to a Hiram squad that came in averaging almost 35 points and almost 500 yards per game.

Geneva will now turn its attention to the Westminster Titans, who come to town next Saturday for a 7:30 p.m. contest on Reeves Field.