MARYVILLE, Tenn. – The Emory & Henry College Football Team (2-0) bounced back from a 13-0 halftime deficit with a pair of second half touchdowns to defeat Maryville (Tenn.) College (1-1) by a 14-13 score Saturday at Lloyd L. Thornton Stadium at Honaker Field. The Wasps run their win streak to 19 games against members of the USA South Athletic Conference.
The Scots got the ball to start the game and churned out a 12-play, 53-yard drive which took 5:53 off the clock. Maryville's Wesley Bloeme capped the drive with a 42-yard field goal to make the score 3-0.
After trading punts, E&H drove down the field but freshman quarterback Kevin Saxton's (Monroe, N.C.) pass was intercepted in the end zone for the first turnover of the game. Maryville was unable to capitalize off the miscue and was forced to punt the ball away.
MC got the ball at midfield for its first possession of the second quarter. The Scots kept the ball on the ground for the majority of the drive including Trenton Shuler's one-yard plunge across the goal line for the first touchdown of the game. Bloeme converted the kick as Maryville led 10-0 with 10:25 to go in the half.
The Scots got the ball back with 54 seconds on the clock at the Emory & Henry 22 after a botched punt by the Wasps. The E&H defense held strong only allowing seven yards, but MC was already in field goal range and Bloeme tagged one from 32 yards for a 13-0 lead at the break.
Midway through the third quarter, Maryville was on the march again. Inside the Emory & Henry red zone, Evan Pittenger was met in the backfield by senior safety Roth Healey (Easton, Pa.) and coughed up the ball. Healey scooped it up and returned it 72 yards to put E&H on the board.
Early in the fourth quarter, Saxton took a hard hit after a rush and was transported to a local hospital for precautionary measures. He was released following the game to travel back to Emory with the team with a clean bill of health.
Freshman quarterback Nick Bowen (Gate City, Va.) took over the signal calling duties for the Wasps. An interception by senior safety Clint Peregoy (Salem, Va.) gave E&H a short field at the Maryville 30, and Bowen guided the offense into the red zone. Faced with third and goal from the three, Bowen called his own number and tied the game 13-13 with his first career touchdown. Senior placekicker Austin Breed (Atlanta, Ga.) split the uprights to put the Wasps ahead, 14-13, with 8:17 remaining in the contest.
The Maryville offense couldn't get going again and Emory & Henry was able to melt the clock on its final possessions on the game. Junior corner Ryan Byrd (Grottoes, Va.) sealed the win for the Wasps with an interception at the MC 34 yardline. E&H closed out the game with a pair of plays from the victory formation.
The contest was as evenly matched on the stat sheet as it was on the scoreboard. Emory & Henry outgained Maryville, 351-334, but the Scots led the time of possession, 31:25 to 28:35. Both teams struggled on third down as the contest featured 13 total punts.
Saxton was 21-for-36 for 169 yards through the air and added 15 yards rushing prior to leaving the game while Bowen had a touchdown on 15 yards rushing and 15 passing yards. Senior running back Kasey Jones (Jacksonville, Fla.) had 76 yards to lead all players while freshman running back Isaiah Rodgers (Canton, Ga.) added 53 yards on the ground. Senior wide receiver Josh Smith (Radford, Va.) caught seven passes for 56 yards while senior Lucas Kirby (Covington, Va.) had six receptions for 58 yards.
Pittenger paced the Maryville offense with 197 yards passing and 29 rushing, but his four turnovers gave the Wasps the opportunity to seize the win. Deshijon Whitlock carried the ball 12 times for 52 yards while Jared Miller caught four balls for 56 yards.
The Emory & Henry defensive unit was led by Healy's nine tackles and he added an interception for 11 yards to his 72 yard fumble recovery for a score. Peregoy also had nine tackles and an interception while Byrd made eight stops to go along with his game-winning pick and three passes broken up.
Maryville's Jayvon McCullough had nine tackles including 2.5 for a loss while Eric Benison picked off two passes to go along with four stops. Micah Smith was one of three Scots to make eight tackles, six of which were solo stops.
Emory & Henry will have its annual bye week next week prior to a trip to Sewanee, Tennessee to face The University of the South on Saturday, September 27. Kickoff between the Wasps and the Tigers is set for 1:00 p.m. Central Daylight Time (2:00 p.m. Eastern). It will be the first time since the 2002 season that the two teams have met. E&H is 2-1 against Sewanee in the NCAA Division III era of the two programs.
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-photo courtesy of Randy Fannon