FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The Emory & Henry College Football Team (3-0) scored early and often as it lit up the scoreboard with a 61-22 victory over Methodist University (2-1) Saturday afternoon at Monarchs Stadium. The 61 points scored by E&H are the most under Head Coach Don Montgomery and most since the Wasps defeated the Scots of Maryville (Tenn.) College, 61-7, in the 1990 season.
Emory & Henry jumped out to a 22-0 lead in the first quarter with a trio of touchdowns. Senior quarterback Kyle Boden (Knoxville, Tenn.) found junior wide receiver Josh Smith (Radford, Va.) for a 14-yard touchdown in the game's first possession for the 6-0 lead.
The Wasps got their next two scores thanks in part to Monarch turnovers. Junior linebacker Paul Forney (Newton, N.C.) forced and recovered a fumble at the Methodist 36. Boden and the offense needed only four plays to make the score 14-0 as he found senior tight end Kenton Williams (Madison, Ind.) for the two-yard touchdown. Boden ran the ball in for the two-point conversion.
Sophomore defensive back Ryan Byrd (Grottoes, Va.) picked off Max Reber's pass in the end zone as Methodist was driving to score to start the next E&H possession. The Wasps kept the ball on the ground for the majority of the drive as Boden rushed for 23 yards including the two-yard touchdown. Junior Devan Corum (Zionville, N.C.) went in for the two-point conversion.
Methodist got on the board after getting the ball back on a muffed punt by E&H at the Wasps' six yardline. Jordan Vann's pass to Vaughn Cross from three yards out trimmed the margin to 22-7 with 12:03 to go before the half.
E&H scored another two touchdowns in the first half for the 37-6 halftime lead. Junior wide receiver Lucas Kirby (Covington, Va.) had a 36-yard catch from Boden to cap a seven-play, 64-yard drive and redshirt freshman Jonathan Turpin (Wytheville, Va.) poked one in from a yard out with 37 seconds remaining before the break.
In the second half, the Wasps continued their dominance. Four more touchdowns including a 49-yarder by senior Cleo Cooper (Raleigh, N.C.) and Smith's second of the day, this one a 33-yard reception, made the score 49-13 in at the end of the third quarter.
Junior running back Kasey Jones (Jacksonville, Fla.) capped a seven-play 81-yard drive with a 13-yard run for the next score and junior running back Chris Edwards (Murphy, N.C.) got his first-ever taste of the end zone with a 75-yard scamper in the final moments of the game.
Methodist scored two second-half touchdowns on runs by Jordan Vann. Vann had the first score after the break when he ran it in from a yard out and put the Monarchs over the 20-point mark with a seven-yard rush late in the fourth quarter.
Emory & Henry rolled up 600 yards of total offense as it scored nine touchdowns on the afternoon. Boden threw for 382 yards and five touchdowns on 29-for-31 passing with and rushed for 24 more yards and a score. Smith had a career day with a game-high 12 catches for 153 yards and two touchdowns. Edwards led the Wasps rushing attached with 100 yards and a touchdown on six carries while Jones finished the game with 51 yards and a score.
Defensively, Emory & Henry had 17 different players with three or more tackles. Byrd finished the day with eight stops to go along with his pick while senior defensive end Scott Hill (Jefferson, Ga.) also had eight tackles. Forney added four tackles including 1.5 for loss to his fumble force and recovery. Senior corner Anthony Jones (Bristol, Va.) and junior safety Robbie Gaines (Lewisburg, Pa.) each had interceptions that they returned for 52 and 18 yards, respectively.
Methodist's offense got 349 yards of offense on the day after just 68 in the first half. The Monarchs were led by Vann as he threw for one touchdown and rushed for two others. Reber rushed for 56 yards and went 13-for-26 through the air for 167 yards but was picked off three times by the Wasps. Anthony Radke was the leading receiver for the Monarchs as he caught four passes for 71 yards.
Andrew Davis had 10 tackles to lead all players while Tyler Mitchell and Jonathon Fullmore each made eight stops. Fullmore forced a fumble and added a half-sack as well. D.J. Payne picked off a pass and had half a sack to add to his six tackles while Mike Jones blocked two kicks and Briant James recovered a fumble.
Emory & Henry will have its annual bye week next week. The Wasps will next be in action on Saturday, October 5 when they travel to Ashland, Va. to open Old Dominion Athletic Conference play against the Yellow Jackets of Randolph-Macon College. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m.
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