Ambush, Bison roll over Grove City 33-14

Andrew Woodley, Sports Information Director

Nov. 5 – BETHANY, W.Va. – Led by a 10-catch, 192-yard and two touchdown performance by senior wide receiver Tyler Ambush (Germantown, Md./Northwest), the Bison earned a 33-14 win over Grove City in a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) game Saturday afternoon at Bison Stadium.

The Bethany College football team improves to 2-7 overall, 1-6 in the PAC. Meanwhile, the Wolverines fall to 0-7 in league play, 0-9 overall.

Ambush climbed the Bethany all-time record books in the victory. He now ranks third all-time in school history with 2,190 yards and fourth with 155 career receptions. The Maryland native also moved into a tie for fifth with his 15th and 16th career touchdown receptions.

Junior quarterback Chase Kinemond (Shadyside, Ohio/Shadyside) had an efficient outing to help Bethany snap its seven-game skid. He finished 19-for-25 for 308 yards passing, five touchdowns, zero interceptions and tallied 86 yards rushing on 11 carries.

Senior running back Jalen Holmes (New Castle, Pa./New Castle) led the ground attack with 102 yards rushing on 23 carries, while freshman Raekwon Wright (Baltimore, Md./Patterson) added 74 yards on 11 carries.

The Bison took the opening kickoff and finished off a nine-play 89-yard drive with a 34-yard touchdown pass from Kinemond to Ambush to take a 6-0 lead (PAT no good) less than five minutes into the game.

After a Grove City three-and-out, Kinemond connected with Ambush over the middle for a 52-yard gain down to the 11-yard line. Ambush controlled the ball through the catch, but fumbled as he was tackled to halt any opportunity to extend the lead.

The Wolverines capitalized with their best possession of the game. Grove City converted a pair of third downs and running back Wesley Schools broke through a hole for a 19-yard score to give the Wolverines a 7-6 lead with 4:58 left in the first quarter.

Bethany reclaimed the lead in the second quarter. Kinemond orchestrated a 13-play 94-yard drive and converted on a fourth and six with a 14-yard touchdown to Ambush to give the Green & White a 13-7 lead with 10:20 remaining in the first half. Kinemond scrambled out of the pocket and connected with Ambush, who toe-tapped near the sideline to secure the touchdown and a halftime lead.

The Bison broke the game open early in the third quarter. Grove City quarterback Caleb Jakiel, who relieved starter Brett Laffoon, fumbled on a strip-sack by freshman Anthony Fiasco (Harrison City, Pa./Penn-Trafford), which gave Bethany the ball at the Wolverine 25-yard line. On the next play, Kinemond found junior tight end Dustin Hess (Upper St. Clair, Pa./Upper St. Clair) in the endzone to push the Bison advantage to 20-7 only 22 seconds into the third quarter.

Grove City coughed up the ensuing kickoff and setup Kinemond and the offense at the Wolverine 33-yard line. Two plays later he found freshman tight end Aronis Espinal (Oceanside, N.Y./Oceanside) in the endzone from 34 yards out to give Bethany a 27-7 lead less than three minutes into the second half.

The Wolverines drove the ball into Bethany territory on their next possession, but the Green & White defense forced three-straight incomplete passes, including one on fourth down to end the Grove City threat.

Two plays into the next drive, Kinemond put the Bison in the redzone with a 48-yard rush down to the 12-yard line and punched it in with his second touchdown pass to Hess, this time from one-yard out. The score extended the lead to 33-7 (PAT no good) with 8:40 remaining in the third quarter.

Grove City added a touchdown early in the fourth quarter on a fourth down play from 17 yards out, but did not cut into the Bethany advantage any further.

The Bison finished with 568 yards of total offense and held the Wolverines to 269, including only 76 yards rushing. Bethany held nearly a 13-minute edge in time of possession (36:44 to 23:16) and converted 7-of-14 third down attempts.

Senior Donavan Hayden (Hyattsville, Md./Northwestern) led the defense with nine tackles (seven solo), including two for loss, and had a pass break-up. He now stands at 126 total tackles this season, which is already the third-highest single-season total in school history. Only Dan Rovira in 1991 (149) and Roger Fitzsimmons in 1993 (148) had more tackles in a single-season at Bethany.

Grove City quarterback Brett Laffoon, who started the game and then relived an injured Jakiel, ended the contest 8-for-17 for 135 yards with one interception, while wide receiver Brett Pinson hauled in six catches for 122 yards.

Fiasco ended the afternoon with four tackles, including a sack, 1.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble, an interception and a pass break-up.

The Bison conclude the regular-season on Saturday, November 12 when they host Saint Vincent on Senior Day. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.