Think it is too early to use the term "changing of the guard" in the Presidents' Athletic Conference after Thomas More College clinched its second consecutive conference title with a 14-7 win at Washington & Jefferson yesterday?

Tell that to W&J coach Mike Sirianni, whose team lost to the same opponent in successive years for the first time in more than a decade and will not have even a share of one PAC crown in a two-year span for the first time since 1982-83.

The Washington & Jefferson Presidents have dominated their namesake conference for years, winning 22 championships. But, in the wake of losing to the Saints two seasons in a row, Sirianni was asked if the old adage about competition bringing out the best in you will ring true now that there is another power within the PAC.

"Another power?" Sirianni interrupted. "They are the power now. They've won the last two conference championships. So they are the league power."

Cordario Collier rushed for 80 yards and a touchdown and Thomas More's defense limited Washington & Jefferson (7-1, 3-1, No. 6 national Division III ranking) to 155 yards of offense in becoming the first team to beat the Presidents two years in a row since Hanover in 1997-98. Furthermore, the Saints (8-0, 6-0, No. 13) are the first PAC team to do it since Grove City in 1996-97.

"When we came into the conference, it was definitely that [W&J] was the team you always knew was the team you had to play and had to beat if you wanted anything to do with winning the conference," said Saints quarterback Trevor Stellman said. "Now it's come pretty much full circle."

Stellman was 11 for 17 for 96 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown pass to Chris Farley. He also rushed for 48 yards, more than any W&J player. Presidents quarterback Gino Rometo threw three interceptions after throwing two in the first seven games.

The third quarter was the key.

Thomas More had 131 yards of offense then, only 106 the other three quarters. The Saints had 10 of their 14 first downs, almost half their 141 rushing yards and all 14 of their points. They held the ball nearly 10 minutes (9:41) after having it for roughly that much (10:28) in the first half.

The Presidents' offense was not much better in the third, netting minus-11 yards.

"Their coaches did a great job adjusting, and they've got good players," Sirianni said. "There hasn't been a team in our league like this -- besides us -- ever."

Thomas More earned an automatic bid to the playoffs by finishing undefeated in PAC play for the second consecutive season. Washington & Jefferson must win its final two games and hope for an at-large berth. Last year, the Presidents were undefeated before losing to Thomas More and still were invited to the playoffs.

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