NEWBERRY, S.C. – The Emory & Henry Football Team (6-3, 5-3 SAC) outgained its opponent and added a special teams touchdown, but the turnover bug bit the Wasps as they fell on the road in South Atlantic Conference play to Newberry College (7-1, 6-1 SAC) Saturday evening. The Wolves capitalized on three interceptions to stay atop the SAC by a 36-34 final score.
The Basics
FINAL SCORE – Newberry 36, Emory & Henry 34
LOCATION – Newberry, South Carolina
VENUE – Setzler Field
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (6-3, 5-3 SAC); Newberry (7-1, 6-1 SAC)
How It Happened
The Wasps came out firing on all cylinders, as they marched 65 yards on 13 plays on their opening possession of the contest. Senior running back Jordan Jackson (Richmond, Va.) plunged into the end zone from three yards out to put E&H on top 7-0.
The Emory & Henry defense forced Newberry to punt with their first turn with the pigskin, but E&H committed its first turnover of the game with the ensuing possession when Jalen Stradford picked off a pass from junior quarterback Cole Lambert (Abingdon, Va.) and returned it to the Wasp 14 to put the Wolves in business. Quez Spells found paydirt on a 14-yard run on the first Newberry play to knot the score at 7-7.
The Wasps had an immediate answer as redshirt freshman De'Ante Childs (Columbus, Ga.) returned the following kickoff 95 yards for the first touchdown of his young career to put the visitors from Emory ahead 14-7.
E&H forced the Wolves to punt once more and began to move the ball down the field on offense. The Wasps matriculated 71 yards on five plays, highlighted by a 28-yard strike from Lambert to junior wide receiver Jakari Mozelle (Hampton, Va.), and Jackson found the end zone on a 21-yard scamper for his second touchdown of the contest to push the E&H lead out to 21-7.
The Newberry offense kicked into gear with their next possession as the Wolves methodically drove 57 yards on 15 plays over 9:17 of game time. The drive stalled however, and NC had to settle for a 37-yard field goal from Burke Nettles to reduce the deficit to 21-10.
The Wasps went three-and-out on their turn with the football and had to immediately punt the ball back to the Wolves. Newberry ran a successful two-minute offense and Spells scampered in from 17 yards away for his second score of the evening. A two-point conversion attempt was no good and the score stood at 21-16 heading into the locker rooms.
Newberry took their first lead of the game on the opening possession of the second half. The Wolves drove 69 yards on the back of 12 plays over 7:24 of clock and quarterback Reed Charpia found Keith Desaussure for a six-yard touchdown to leapfrog the Wolves ahead by a 23-21 margin.
NC struck again after intercepting Lambert for the second time of the evening as Santory Jones stepped in front of a pass at the E&H 39. Grayson White completed a three-yard running back pass to Ja'Corey Martin for another score, but the extra point was no good to keep the contest a one-score game at 29-21.
Emory & Henry finally got things going as the Wasps strung together an eight-play, 87-yard drive in just 4:32, capped off by Jackson's third touchdown of the game, this of the two-yard variety. E&H had an unsuccessful two-point conversion attempt of their own and Newberry clung to a 29-27 advantage.
The Newberry offense stayed hot as the Wolves went 54 yards on just four plays and Charpia found DeAndre Coleman for a 29-yard touchdown pass to balloon the home team's lead back out to two possessions at 36-27.
Emory & Henry would not go down without a fight as the Wasps scored once more when Jackson rushed into the end zone from nine yards out for his career-high fourth touchdown of the game to draw E&H back within two with just 47 seconds remaining. The Wasps went for an onside kick, but the Wolves recovered and bled the clock to escape with the 36-34 win.
Emory & Henry Individual Leaders
Lambert was 8-for-14 through the air for 148 yards, but turned the ball over thrice with a trio of interceptions.
Jackson rushed for 130 yards on 29 carries and his four scores, while junior running back Rudolph Paul (Douglasville, Ga.) added a career-high 59 yards on 10 attempts.
Redshirt sophomore Parker Prioleau (Radford, Va.) led the receiving corps with 69 yards on one catch while Mozelle added 38 yards on a pair of grabs. Senior wide receiver Cam Peoples (Reidsville, N.C.) finished with four catches for 36 yards.
Defensively, senior linebacker Kasey Branch (Waynesboro, Va.) finished with a game-high 14 tackles, one for loss, and a quarterback hurry. Senior defensive back Tyreon Porter (Charlotte, N.C..) added eight stops while senior linebacker A.J. Burgess (Roxboro, N.C.) had seven tackles, .5 for loss. Junior defensive lineman Ean Rhea (Glade Spring, Va.) recorded six tackles, two for loss, two quarterback hurries and a sack to increase his SAC-leading season total to 10.5. Sophomore defensive lineman Connor Roberts (Bluefield, Va.) recorded four tackles, 1.5 for loss, and a sack.
Newberry Individual Leaders
Charpia threw for 253 yards on 26-for-33 passing with a pair of touchdowns.
Spells recorded 53 yards on eight carries and two scores for the Wolves.
Desaussure led NC with 117 yards receiving on 12 receptions and a touchdown. Xavier Preston added 36 yards on three catches.
Devon Williams led the defensive effort for Newberry with nine tackles. Jones, Stradford and Avery McFadden all registered an interception for the Wolves in the win.
A Deeper Look
Emory & Henry finished with 337 yards of total offense on 55 plays, including rushing for 189 yards on 41 attempts and passing for 148 net yards. The Wolves managed 315 yards on 63 plays from scrimmage.
Both teams converted 50% of their third-down attempts. The Wasps were 5-for-10 while the Wolves went 6-for-12.
Each squad was successful on all of their fourth-down conversion attempts as E&H went 3-for-3 and Newberry converted their only attempt of the contest.
NC held an advantage in time of possession as they held the ball for 34:01 of gameplay, compared to 25:59 for E&H.
The Wasps committed six infractions for 55 yards while Newberry was penalized eight times for 70 yards.
Up Next
Emory & Henry has a week off before returning home for a non-conference contest against the Bears of Shaw University for Senior Day on Saturday, November 8. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. from Fred Selfe Stadium at Nicewonder Field.
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