LATROBE, Pa. (Nov. 13) - Saint Vincent rolled up 517 yards of total offense and 27 first downs to comfortably defeat Bethany College, 36-7, in the 2022 regular season finale at a rainy Chuck Noll Field.
 
Saint Vincent quarterback Brady Walker celebrated his Senior Day in fine fashion, completing 19 passes for a season-high 322 yards and three touchdowns. Junior receiver Molayo Irefin made five catches for 146 yards and two touchdowns, including a 90-yarder midway through the first quarter, while also adding a rushing score. Sophomore running back D.J. Gray Jr. eclipsed the 100-yard mark for the second consecutive week, with 24 carries for a career-high 140 yards.
 
The Bearcats (5-5, 5-3 PAC) limited the Bison (1-9, 0-8 PAC) to just 190 yards of total offense and 11 first downs, while forcing three Bethany turnovers. The Bearcat defense was led by a trio of seniors, with Desonio Powell recording a fumble and Ahmad Shaw and Nathan Ault each recording interceptions.
 
Receiving the opening kickoff, Saint Vincent moved down the field methodically, with Walker completing five passes for 49 yards, including a 3-yard touchdown pass to Wayne Corbin Jr., to open up a 7-0 lead just 4:04 into regulation.
 
Just over six minutes later, the Bison looked primed to tie the game, but Shaw recorded his team-leading fourth pick on the SVC 10-yard line. SVC wasted little time in making the Bison pay for the miscue, with Walker finding Irefin for a 90-yard touchdown - the second-longest pass play in program history – to up the lead to 14-0 with 4:03 left in the quarter.
 
On Bethany's final possession of the quarter, Powell recovered a fumble on the Bison 29-yard line, and again, SVC made the Bison pay. Gray opened the second quarter with a pair of rushes for 10 yards, before a Bison personal foul moved the Bearcats inside the 10-yard line. Walker and Irefin would then hook up for a 9-yard touchdown to open up a 21-0 lead just 59 seconds into the second stanza.
 
The Bison would score the final points of the half, embarking on a 7-play, 45-yard scoring drive, capped off with a 7-yard pass from Marquice Robinson to Tim Mickens, to make it 21-7 at the intermission.
 
Bethany looked to keep the momentum coming out of the break, taking the third quarter kickoff and needing just five plays to move inside the red zone. The SVC defense buckled down, with Ethan Facey breaking up a third-down pass attempt in the end zone, bringing out the Bison field goal unit. The 27-yard try went wide left, and the score remained 21-7.
 
The Bearcats' ensuing drive stalled near midfield, but punter Kyle Murray pinned the Bison inside their own 5-yard line. Two plays later, Evan Brozenich took down Bison quarterback Marques Robinson in the end zone for the safety to up the lead to 23-7.
 
After receiving the free kick, Saint Vincent went right back to work. Taking over at midfield, Walker completed passes to Irefin, McElroy and Dammion Bundridge to move to the Bethany 25, before a 10-yard run from Ja'Tier Berkley set up first down at the 15. Two plays later, Irefin took a pitch and ran it around the right end and into the end zone for his third touchdown of the afternoon to increase the SVC lead to 30-7.
 
The Bearcats went to the ground to score their final points of the afternoon. Taking over at their own 40 midway through the fourth quarter, Gray ripped off three runs for 44 yards, before Berkley broke through the hole and scampered down the sideline and into the end zone to make it 36-7.
 
The Saint Vincent defense would then put an exclamation point on the win, when Ault tallied his first career interception on a fourth down Bison heave with 1:17 left in regulation.
 
The Bearcats' totals of 195 rushing yards, 322 passing yards and 517 receiving yards were all season-highs. Along with Gray's 140-yard effort, Berkley added 51 yards on seven carries, while Irefin's 146-yard receiving day was supplemented by a 3-catch, 79-yard performance from Jeffrey Downs and a 3-catch, 30-yard effort from tight end Scott Garlock.
 
The Bearcat defensive effort was led by a number of seniors. Dwight Collins Jr. topped SVC with seven tackles, including a sack, while Powell and Caleb Green each finished with six tackles. Green totaled two TFLs and a sack.
 
Chris Williams led Bethany's offense, making five receptions for 80 yards. Tre'Jour Oens ran 10 times for 43 yards, while defensively, Tsi Fofang made eight tackles, including 3.5 TFLs and a sack.
 
With the win, the Bearcats post their second consecutive 5-win campaign, while their five conference victories match the 2011 squad for most in a season.