Saturday, October 7, 2006
Presbyterian Falls Just Short Against Wingate
CLINTON, S.C. – Presbyterian scored the game’s first points to take a 6-0 lead going into halftime, but PC allowed the Wingate Bulldogs to score 14 points in the second half and Wingate improved to 2-0 in league play with a 14-9 victory before a Presbyterian homecoming crowd of 4,251.
The loss marks the first time in nine league contests that Presbyterian has faltered in a South Atlantic Conference game. The last time prior to today’s loss that PC succumbed to a conference foe was in November of 2004 in a 28-25 loss to rival Newberry on Nov. 6, 2004.
Presbyterian had a chance to go ahead on the final play of the game, but the 35-yard heave by quarterback Grayson Mullins fell just out of the reach of three Presbyterian wide receivers in the right corner of the end zone.
Wingate obtained the eventual game-winning touchdown scamper with 9:22 left in the final quarter when Bryson Summers’ 39-yard punt was returned by preseason All-SAC first team member Donald Brown for a touchdown to give Wingate a 14-6 lead.
Presbyterian on the very next series gave itself the chance to take the game, marching 69 yards to the Wingate 11-yard line after starting the series at its own 20-yard line. The Blue Hose could not move further, garnering three yards on its next three plays.
Carl Stevenson then connected on his second field goal in as many weeks, hitting a 27-yarder to make up for an earlier missed extra point and to set the score at 14-9 in favor of Wingate.
Wingate originally acquired the lead in the third quarter on its second series of the half after opportunistically taking advantage of a Mitch Doolittle fumble at the PC 11-yard line. After a one-yard run by Jamie Lilly, Anthony Metzelaars threw a 10-yard strike to Gabe Neil to tie the game at 6-6.
Wingate’s Jonathan Bedford was on target on the extra-point try to give Wingate its first lead of the game at 7-6.
Presbyterian scored the first touchdown of the contest at the 2:45 mark in the second quarter when Doolittle found Chris Pope for a nine-yard touchdown. The 10-play, 66-yard scoring drive by Presbyterian lasted almost five minutes, but was somewhat marred by Stevenson’s failed extra-point attempt.
Presbyterian finished ahead of Wingate in the contest in many statistical categories, including first downs (PC 17, WU 9) and total net yards (PC 263, WU 196).
The PC defense had as stout of a performance as it has had all year, holding the league’s leading passer in Metzelaars to just 122 yards through the air. Antwan Thomas led the charge individually, concluding the contest with nine total tackles and two quarterback hurries.
The quarterback tandem of Doolittle and Mullins ended the contest with a cumulative 154 yards passing, which bested Wingate’s total of 140. Doolittle threw for 80 yards and one touchdown, while Mullins threw for 74 yards and rushed for another 19.
Presbyterian falls to 3-3 on the year and 1-1 in SAC play, while Wingate improves to 5-1 overall.
Presbyterian continues its SAC title defense next weekend against Tusculum. The Pioneers and Blue Hose will kick things off at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 14 in Greeneville, Tenn.