LYNCHBURG, Va. - - UVa-Wise scored the second most points in school history while limiting Virginia University – Lynchburg to 58 yards of total offense in a 65-0 non-conference victory at City Stadium Saturday. The Cavaliers' defense tallied 16 tackles for loss, including seven sacks in the team's lone non-league affair of the season.
UVa-Wise (5-4) senior Dorian Harris (Floyd, Va./Floyd County H.S.) rushed for two touchdowns in the win while freshman Chris Thaxton (Richmond, Va./Highland Springs H.S.) finished with a season-high 10 catches for 88 yards.
Lynchburg (0-7) failed to generate any offense in the game. The Dragons picked up 28 yards on one play in the first half on a scamper by quarterback Thomas Jones before finishing the game with fewer than 60 yards of total offense.
The shutout was the first for the UVa-Wise program since becoming a NCAA Division II member and its first overall since the team claimed a 13-0 win at West Virginia Tech on Oct. 1, 2011.
Dane Damron's team got off to a quick start with 23 points in the opening quarter. Redshirt sophomore Brycen Lee (Mayo, Fla./Eastern Kentucky) got his team on the board when he hooked up with sophomore Matt Felton (Fredericksburg, Va./James Monroe H.S.) for an 8-yard touchdown pass. The touchdown was the first of Felton's collegiate carer.
Donavan Montague (Altavista, Va./Altavista H.S.) provided the Cavaliers next two points when the junior linebacker sacked Jones in the end zone for a safety .Moments later, Marquis Hamilton (Washington, D.C./Marshall University) extended the lead when the redshirt sophomore fielded the free kick and raced 70 yards for a touchdown.
Harris provided the final points of the opening quarter when he darted in from five yards out on the quarter's final play.
A touchdown run by senior Javonte Latney (Fredericksburg, Va./Massaponax H.S.) were the only points of the second quarter as the visitors took a 30-0 lead to intermission.
A 21 point third quarter would put the game out of reach. Freshman Muntsier Sharfi (Manassas, Va./Stonewall Jackson H.S.) hauled in the first catch of his career and raced 43 yards for the first points of the half before Jarome Johnson (Washington, D.C./Eastern H.S.) added a 2-yard touchdown run. Johnson would later find James Cousins (Richmond, Va./J.R. Tucker H.S.) for a 14-yard scoring strike for the final points of the period.
Josh Saunders (Freeport, Bahamas/Liberty Christian Academy)thwarted Virginia – Lynchburg best scoring chance when he scooped up a fumble and returned 87 yards for a touchdown with just over six minutes to play. The final points of the game came on Harris' second rushing score of the day, a 4-yard run off tackle to provide the 65-0 triumph.
Dylan Giovine (Staunton, Va./R.E. Lee Staunton H.S.) led the UVa-Wise defense with seven tackles while Anas Elkattan (Richmond, Va./Thomas Jefferson H.S.) led the team with two sacks.
Johnson finished with 57 rushing yards while senior Carlton Griffith (Ft. Belvoir, Va./Mt. Vernon H.S.) added 51 yards on the ground. Lee connected on 22-of-26 pass attempts for 271 yards and two scores while Johnson was a perfect 4-of-4 for 49 yards and a touchdown through the air.
Ten different Cavaliers caught a pass in the win, including six with multiple catches.
Next week UVa-Wise returns to Mountain East Conference play when the team visits South Euclid, Ohio to face Notre Dame College in a 12 p.m. kickoff.
