WISE - - Southwest Virginia Bowl VI will kickoff at 2 p.m. Saturday from UVA Wise's Carl Smith Stadium. The home-standing Cavaliers will look to halt a four-game losing skid overall and score their first win over rival Emory & Henry College since 2011. The Wasps are on a three-game losing skid of their own and will be making their first appearance in Wise since 2011.
E&H's (2-3, 0-3 SAC) long absence from playing in Southwest Virginia's Coalfields stems from how the 2011 game concluded. UVA Wise (1-4, 0-3 SAC)scored on a lateral punt return on the game's final play to claim the victory. From that point, the series was halted for 11 years by the Wasps before the two schools met again last year as members of the South Atlantic Conference for the first time.
As for Southwest Virginia Bowl VI, offense could come at a premium. UVA Wise is averaging just 18.4 points per game and has been held to three points or less twice during its current losing streak. Meanwhile, E&H's offense has not fared much better. The Wasps have scored just 46 points in their three-game losing skid with 23 points coming in an eight overtime affair against Newberry.
Both teams have had players excel on the defensive side of the football. The Wasps' Kyle Lundy leads the conference in tackles per game at 10.6 and has recorded double-digit tackles in consecutive games. For the Cavs, Patrick Taylor has been playing well in recent weeks. The defensive back has posted seven tackles in back-to-back games and ranks fourth in the SAC in solo stops per contest at 4.5.
Special teams play could loom large and both schools have elite kickers. A week ago, E&H's Trace Butcher booted a 50-yard field goal while UVA Wise's Kellan Dalton connected on a 49-yarder. On the season, Butcher is 7-for-10 on field goal attempts while being a perfect 16-for-16 in extra point tries. Over his career, Butcher has twice been the SAC Special Teams Player Of The Week. Likewise, Dalton has twice won the league's weekly honor in his career and the junior has been better than ever this season. Dalton is 5-for-5 in field goal attempts while having made all 11 of his PAT attempts.
Prior to last week's 27-yard rushing performance, the Cavs had been rushing the ball better. UVA Wise posted 250 rushing yards at Barton College before posting 153 rushing yards against Limestone. Jaevon Gillespie has been the primary ball carry for Dane Damron's team. The senior's 351 rushing yards are the fifth most in the conference. After splitting time at quarterback to start the season, Jake Corkren has assumed the starting role in recent weeks. DJ Powell has been a big beneficiary of Corkren's passing ability. Powell had a career-high eight catches for 90 yards. Fellow wide receiver Dorien Goddard is having a solid campaign also, ranking second in the conference in receptions per game at 6.2.
E&H's offense is led by former UVA Wise running back J'Quan Anderson. At his third school, after sitting out last season due to transfer rules, Anderson is averaging 4.8 yards per carry across 75 attempts for 357 yards while having scored four times. Anderson will not be the only Wasp with connections to the Cavs; E&H wide receiver coach Quintin Hunter spent time in the same position at UVA Wise. Thus far, Hunter has worked with one of the league's top freshmen receivers in Cam Abshire who has a team-high 309 receiving yards and three touchdowns this year.
UVA Wise on the road next week at Tusculum with E&H returning home to face Mars Hill.
