EMORY, Va. – The Emory & Henry College Football Team (1-2, 0-1 SAC) made history on Saturday afternoon with its first-ever South Atlantic Conference game with an instant classic against No. 9 Newberry College (3-0, 1-0 SAC). The Wasps tangled with the top-10 nationally-ranked Wolves for 60 minutes to a 20-20 tie in regulation. The reigning SAC Champions squeaked out the 26-23 victory in double overtime on an 11-yard rush by Mario Anderson.
It was the first meeting between the two schools since the 1973 season when E&H grabbed a 26-19 win at home. The double-overtime ending was the first contest for E&H to go past regulation since 2019 when the Wasps fell to North Carolina Wesleyan College, 31-24, and the first multiple-overtime game since a four-overtime affair with a 13-10 Wasp win at Ferrum College in 1997.
The Basics
FINAL SCORE – No. 9 Newberry 26, Emory & Henry 23
LOCATION – Emory, Virginia
VENUE – Nicewonder Field at Fred Selfe Stadium
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (1-2, 0-1 SAC); Newberry (3-0, 1-0 SAC)
How It Happened
The Wolves opened the contest with a touchdown on the second play from scrimmage as Dre Harris hit Deshun Kitchings for a 62-yard catch-and-run and a 7-0 advantage. E&H tied things up at seven apiece with 6:03 left in the first on a seven-yard pass from junior quarterback Kyle Short (Lebanon, Ohio) to fifth-year wide receiver Kashawn Cosey (Chattanooga, Tenn.).
Newberry retook the lead, 10-7, late in the quarter on a 23-yard field goal by Lawson Reel and went ahead by a 13-7 margin with 3:17 to go before the intermission as Reel hit a second field goal, this time from 25 yards out.
Emory & Henry closed the gap to 13-10 at the break as freshman kicker Trace Butcher (Dacula, Ga.) drilled a 32-yarder with 52 seconds remaining.
In the third, the Wolves pushed their lead to 20-10 as Harris plunged in from one yard out with 7:20 on the clock. The Wasps answered with a 11-play, 56-yard drive on the ensuing possession, capped by a two-yard catch in the right corner of the end zone by junior wide receiver Tmahdae Penn (Martinsville, Va.) to make the score 20-17.
E&H tied things up at 20-points apiece early in the fourth when Butcher converted a 22-yard field goal. After forcing a Newberry punt, the Wasps moved the ball to midfield but saw their drive stall out and a stand on fourth and one gave possession back to the Wolves.
Newberry then drove down the field getting inside the 15 yardline with less than a minute to play. Harris rushed over the right side inside the 10 but senior defensive lineman Jay Swegheimer (Orlando, Fla.) punched the ball loose and junior defensive lineman Logan Tomlinson (Gate City, Va.) fell on it to give E&H possession. The Wasps kneeled to run out the regulation clock and force overtime.
In the first overtime period, E&H's defense pushed Newberry back and Reel's 47-yard field goal went wide left. On the next possession, the Wasps got to the 16 yard line setting up a 33-yard attempt by Butcher, but his kick was wide to the left.
Emory & Henry got the ball to start the second overtime and after a three-play series the Wasps were again forced to kick a field goal. This time, Butcher was good from 40 yards out, giving E&H the 23-20 advantage. Newberry's possession needed just three plays to end the game as Anderson rushed through the middle for the 11-yard touchdown and the 26-23 win.
Emory & Henry Individual Leaders
Short went 16-for-26 through the air for 237 yards and two touchdowns. He hit six different receivers on the day, led by junior wideout Jermawn Ford's (District Heights, Md.) six catches for 95 yards. Kosey finished the game with four receptions for 74 yards and a touchdown while Penn caught three balls for 49 yards and a score. Senior running back Grayson Overstreet (Moneta, Va.) rushed 27 times for 53 yards with several key carries late in the game that kept the Wasps' in the hunt.
Sophomore linebacker A.J. Burgess (Roxboro, N.C.) posted a game-high nine tackles with two tackles for a loss while fifth-year linebacker Ivan Phillips (Kingsport, Tenn.) had eight stops, 2.5 tackles for loss and a pass defended. Fifth-year defensive lineman Donvan Pinnix (Eden, N.C.) and redshirt freshman defensive back Chendrick Cann (St. Petersburg, Fla.) each had six stops while senior defensive back T.J. Payne (Chattanooga, Tenn.) broke up a pair of passes in big situations down the stretch to go along with two stops.
Newberry Individual Leaders
Anderson rushed for 101 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries while Harris had 52 yards and a score on the ground. Harris added 182 yards on 8-for-17 passing and another touchdown.
Kitchings had just two catches on the day, but his 62-yard touchdown to start the game was an offensive highlight. Bryson Woodruff hauled in one reception for 49 yards which set up a touchdown while Andre Banks notched two catches for 36 yards.
Defensively, the Wolves were led by Luke Taylor's eight tackles including one sack for six yards and Devantae Gambrel's seven stops with a sack for nine yards. Carson Smith made five stops, including three in the E&H backfield as Melvin Lundy broke up a pair of passes to go along with three tackles.
A Deeper Look
Emory & Henry had 328 yards of total offense with 18 first downs. The Wasps posted 239 yards through the air and 89 on the ground against a stout Newberry defensive line. The Wolves gained 356 yards of offense with a nearly even split between the run and pass game with 14 first downs.
E&H was 8-for-18 (44%) on third down and 1-for-3 on fourth-down chances while Newberry converted just 33 percent (4-of-12) of its third down opportunities.
Newberry racked up four quarterback sacks to Emory & Henry's one but two turnovers at key moments in the game kept the Wasps in the running.
E&H commanded the time of possession, keeping the ball for more than 38 minutes.
Up Next
Emory & Henry will visit Wingate University next Saturday for a 6:00 p.m., SAC matchup with the Bulldogs.
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