PRESIDENTS' ATHLETIC CONF. Stern's pick helps Titans top Bethany

Westminster rallied for a 23-20 victory.
By BILL ALBRIGHT
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
NEW WILMINGTON -- Although Saturday's game was played in overcast conditions, the sun was shining on Westminster College.
The Titans fell behind by 12 points early, but rallied and held on for a 23-20 win over Bethany before a Homecoming crowd of 4,500 at Harold Burry Stadium.
"Any win is a nice win and today, it was a real battle back and forth," said Westminster coach Jerry Schmitt. "We had to come back to finally go up and they put the excitement in it at the end. It was a great win for our kids and we were able to come up with the big play at the end."
Sealing it
For the Titans (3-2, 1-1 Presidents' Athletic Conference) it was the clincher, but for strong safety Joe Stern it will be simply be known as "The play."
With seven seconds remaining, Bethany had a third-and-11 at the Westminster 12.
Quarterback Jeremy Lacaria rolled left, came back right and tossed a pass to what appeared to be an open receiver in the corner of the end zone. But Stern stepped in front of the Bison receiver and intercepted the pass to end the game.
"I knew I had to find my man and stay with him because when a quarterback scrambles, it is difficult to do because all of the receivers are running around too," said Stern. "I just saw the ball coming, made a break on it, stepped in front of him and made the play."
The Bison (1-5, 0-3) took an early 12-0 lead when they scored the first two touchdowns of the game on a 9-yard run by Lacaria and a 1-yard pass from Lacaria to Mike Doyle.
The Titans put together a 6-play, 59-yard drive, capped by a 10-yard touchdown run by Scott Froelich, who dragged four Bethany defenders with him into the end zone.
"Even if all we got was a field goal, just from the mental standpoint it was real important for us to score there," Schmitt said.
Pulling ahead
Trailing 20-14, the Titans evened the score on a 45-yard scoring pass from Matt Robison to Matt Steve on the first play of the fourth quarter. Josh Simpson's extra point kick was wide left.
But with the game on the line, Schmitt never doubted Simpson would redeem himself.
"It was a tough [decision] because it was 39 yards, but I said I am throwing the ball and if we don't get it [a first down], he's kicking," said Schmitt. "I have a lot of confidence in him because for a young kid, he's got a lot of savvy."
The game featured the top two rushers in the President's Athletic Conference in Bethany's Will Anderson and Froelich. Anderson rushed for 159 yards and Froelich finished with 143.
"I knew they were going to come out and try to stop Froelich," said Schmitt. "We weren't just mentally ready to attack that in the early going. Once we got things going, we were OK."