WINSTON-SALEM — It was Catawba’s game most of the night, but the Indians had to
go down to the wire to hold off Winston-Salem State Saturday evening.Catawba held off the Rams 17-14 in a
non-conference college football opener for both teams at Bowman Gray Stadium when
placekicker Shawn Thomas of the home team missed a 29-yard field goal with 26 seconds to
play.
“Thank goodness, he
didn’t make that field goal,” said Catawba head coach Dave Bennett after his
team’s second win over the Rams of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association
in two seasons. “We were already getting ready for overtime.”
Catawba, a South Atlantic
Conference member, held a 17-0 lead through three quarters and, led by a spectacular
defense, appeared to be well in control.
However, Catawba failed to make a
first down while trying to protect the lead in the final period, and the Rams struck for
two quick touchdowns with 6:21 and 2:29 to play to pull within 17-14.
Winston-Salem’s
“pooch” kickoff appeared to be recovered by Catawba, but officials ruled that
Monte Simmons had possession for the Rams at the Catawba 28.
Coach Kermit Blount’s Rams
moved the ball down to the 9 before the Indians’ DeVonte Peterson chased
Winston-Salem quarterback Tory Woodbury out of bounds for a 2-yard loss with 26 seconds on
the clock.
Blount called on Thomas to kick
the 29-yard field goal that would have tied the score, but it was wide left, much to the
delight of the Indians.
“I was pretty excited,”
said Catawba defensive back Alvis James of Albemarle, who ran off the field high stepping
and pumping his fists into the air. “The offense and special teams put us in a bind,
but we came through. We came together as a team and played hard. That’s what
we’ve got to do every week.”
Coach Bennett called his final
time out just before Thomas attempted the field goal.
“They were hurrying around.
They really had plenty of time with 20-some seconds to go,” said Bennett of the Rams.
“But, they were in a hurry. We saved that time out to freeze him. He pulled it.”
Until the final quarter,
Catawba’s defense had done a great job of containing an explosive Winston-Salem
offense, led by junior quarterback Woodbury, who passed for 1,346 yards last year and
finished with 1,595 yards total offense.
Woodbury avoided a shutout when he
completed an 18-yard touchdown pass to fullback Dontrieze Chapman at the 6:21 mark. After
the Indians punted, Woodbury drove the Rams down the field again. Tailback Terrie Newkirk
ran in from 2 yards out, and Thomas converted to pull the Rams within 17-14.
The fumble recovery on the ensuing
kickoff gave the Rams their final possession.
For Catawba’s offense,
quarterback Mitch Ellis completed 14 of 29 passes for 174 yards, including a 13-yarder to
tight end Sean Pearson for a TD in the second period.
Joe Hilliard ran for a 3-yard TD
in the third period. Matt Gross’ 44-yard field goal and two extra points accounted
for the rest of Catawba’s scoring.
“I think it was a real team
effort,” said one of Catawba’s defensive leaders, linebacker SteveMcKnight of
Kannapolis. “We all decided that we were going to come out and play this game as hard
as we could. Unfortunately, we ran into some obstacles, but we came out at the end.
I’m pretty happy to get out with a win.”
State had only 185 yards offense.
“The defense just played
their hearts out,” said Bennett. “They got a little tired out there in the
fourth quarter, and the offense (no first downs) didn’t help out the defense, but the
offense did a lot of nice things (303 total yards).” |
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