WISE - - Special teams play ruled the day in Southwest Virginia Bowl IV as Emory & Henry College returned two kickoffs for touchdowns and blocked a punt en route to a 41-24 win over UVA Wise at Carl Smith Stadium Saturday.
E&H (3-3, 1-3 SAC) struck first when J'Quan Anderson broke off a 65-yard touchdown run with 53 seconds to play in the opening quarter.
The score would remain unchanged until UVA Wise (1-5, 0-4) running back Jaevon Gillespie darted 45 yards to the end zone with 6:55 to play in the first half. Following Kellan Dalton's conversion kick, the game was tied.
Momentum was short-lived for the Cavaliers as the Wasps' Cam Peoples returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown.
Following a UVA Wise 3-and-out, E&H took possession of the ball just past the midfield stripe and five plays later Malikk Kennedy scored from 1-yard out to make it a 21-7 affair.
Gillespie would again get the hosts on the scoreboard when he capped a 9-play, 61-yard drive with a 6-yard touchdown run with just 30 seconds to play in the half cutting the deficit to seven at 21-14.
Again, the excitement would be short as Peoples returned the kickoff 76 yards to the UVA Wise 23-yard line, setting up a Trace Butcher 22-yard field goal to make it a 24-14 game at intermission.
The second half began with another long kick return, this time by the Wasps' Jarrell Harrison who took the kick 79 yards for a touchdown.
The Cavs would fail to pick up a first down on their next possession and when Jake Marcantel had his kick blocked, the visitors had the ball inside the UVA Wise 40-yard line in front 31-14.
A 7-play, 36-yard drive would culminate with a Kyle Short touchdown toss to Anderson making it a 38-14 game with 8:35 to play in the third period.
Kellan Dalton would boot a 34-yard field goal for the Cavs with 17 ticks to play in the third quarter to send the game to the final period with E&H up 38-17.
Shyheim Pannell would get UVA Wise within two scores with 7:39 remaining when he capped a 6-play, 71-yard scoring drive with a 2-yard touchdown scamper.
The UVA Wise defense would force a stop on E&H's next possession but the Cavs would fail to gain a first down on four plays, turning it back over to the Wasps with 5:37 remaining.
Dane Damron's team would get one more shot when Brub Hines III forced a fumble on the first play from scrimmage with Jalen Jones recovering it.
Once more, E&H's defense stepped up holding UVA Wise without a first down on four plays.
Butcher booted a field goal from 18 yards out with 2:13 to play for the game's final points, providing the final margin of 41-24.
Gillespie rushed for 144 yards and two touchdowns in the loss as UVA Wise gained 251 yards on the ground.
Anderson rushed for 109 yards in the win with linebacker Kaleby Lundy posting 14 tackles.
Next week, UVA Wise travels to Tusculum in a 2 p.m. kickoff.
