Stollson's Two Touchdowns Lift Jacksonville Past Pittsburgh
Riley Kade — JRSports One
Connor Stollson caught a 7-yard touchdown pass from Tama Weat with 3:22 left in the third quarter, and Jacksonville held on to beat Pittsburgh 17-13. The score gave Jacksonville its first lead of the game and moved the Juice to 3-4, while Pittsburgh fell to 1-6.
Pittsburgh led 10-0 after one quarter, on Ji-ho Mungmura's 1-yard touchdown run at 6:54 and Mack Dollson's 45-yard field goal at 1:01. Jacksonville stayed in the game through the second quarter. Stollson ran 10 yards for a touchdown at 2:18 to make it 10-7, and Angus Waurke's 42-yard field goal at 0:49 tied it 10-10 at halftime.
The game turned on the drive that followed. Weat hit Stollson for 7 yards at 3:22 of the third quarter, and the score put Jacksonville ahead 17-10. Pittsburgh got no closer until Dollson's 37-yard field goal at 11:23 of the fourth quarter cut the margin to 17-13, the final score.
Turnovers shaped both sides of the night. Viktor Wurdorf threw two interceptions for Pittsburgh, one to Joaquin Bos at 6:53 of the second quarter and one to Nick Thollson at 14:12 of the fourth, with Jacksonville leading 17-10. Owen Blelfield recovered a Stollson fumble at 10:41 of the third quarter, and Seth Varman recovered another one at 13:27 of the fourth. Jacksonville finished with 321 total yards to Pittsburgh's 254, and converted 8 of 15 third downs to Pittsburgh's 2 of 11.
Weat completed 23 of 35 passes for 208 yards and one touchdown, with no interceptions. Stollson carried 18 times for 90 yards and a rushing touchdown, and caught four passes for 28 yards and a second score. Wurdorf went 21 of 28 for 205 yards and two interceptions. Fausto Soena added 59 rushing yards on 17 carries for Pittsburgh.
On defense, Blelfield led all players with 11 tackles and a sack. Oneil Rasillo had eight tackles and two forced fumbles, and Walker Stoostwood added seven tackles, a sack and a forced fumble.
Pittsburgh lost Kyle Greckwood to a concussion, and he is out for the game and expected to miss two weeks. Jacksonville lost Dalton Dinn to a concussion with the same timetable. Ryota Mong (hamstring strain) and Jesse Nacklin (rib injury) were also ruled out for Pittsburgh. Enmanuel Forez and Gavin Thil were listed as questionable.
Jacksonville, now 3-4, has won two of its last three games, and the win keeps it in the middle of the league standings. Pittsburgh, at 1-6, has lost six games this season.
