NEWBERRY, SC -- UVA Wise picked up their first win of the year in style as they upset fifteenth-ranked Newberry 48-38 Saturday evening at Setzler Field. The Cavaliers scored 17 unanswered points across three second-quarter scoring drives, turning a 7-7 game into a 24-7 advantage. They later took advantage of Newberry turnovers and penalties to pull ahead and hold off a late surge by the Wolves.
The win was UVA Wise's first over a ranked team since the 2021 season and comes over a team that reached the NCAA Division II National Semifinals last season, falling to eventual national champion Ferris State.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Result: UVA Wise 48, #15 Newberry 38
Records: UVA Wise (1-5, 1-3 SAC); Newberry (3-2, 2-2 SAC)
Location: Newberry, SC | Setzler Field
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
The Highland Cavaliers used nearly the first 10 minutes on their opening possession, overcoming early penalties and converting third downs on
McCalan Beason's 1-yard keeper and
Evan Kennedy's 4-yard run while moving from their 19 into the red zone. After Jamar Blandin sacked Beason and a 37-yard field-goal try was wiped out by roughing the kicker, Kennedy finished the 18-play, 81-yard drive with a 9-yard touchdown run at 5:39, and
Ryder Lawson's kick put the Cavs ahead 7-0. The Wolves answered on their first drive, with Mason Kidd completing four passes for 52 yards on a 10-play, 75-yard march that ended with his 8-yard touchdown pass to Gage Gunter at :42 before Peyton Waters' extra point tied the game at 7-7.
Second Quarter
Beason hit
Hunter Purdue for 50 yards on the first snap of the second quarter, and the drive ended with
Aiden Magee's 27-yard field goal at 12:21 to put UVA Wise ahead 10-7. After
Kevin McKinley recovered a Newberry fumble at the 9, Beason found
Israel Conway for a 4-yard touchdown at 9:42, and Lawson's extra point made it 17-7. The Wolves stopped the next Cavalier possession with a fumble recovery at their 25, but UVA Wise answered defensively by forcing two punts and allowing only one first down on the next two Wolves drives. The Cavs put together a 51-second scoring drive in the final minute, with
Evan Kennedy running 25 yards for a touchdown on fourth-and-1 at :08 before Magee's extra point sent UVA Wise to halftime up 24-7.
Third Quarter
Tyleke Mathis' 67-yard kickoff return gave the Wolves a short field to open the third quarter, and Jonah Norris finished the drive with a 5-yard touchdown run before Peyton Waters' extra point made it 24-14. The Cavaliers struck back on the next snap from scrimmage when Beason hit
Thomas McCoy for a 75-yard touchdown at 12:34, then
Connor Pleasants recovered a Wolves fumble on the ensuing kickoff to set up Beason's 6-yard touchdown pass to McCoy and Magee's extra point for a 37-14 lead. Newberry put together a 75-yard scoring drive to make it 37-21, then turned a sack-fumble recovery at the Cavaliers' 23 into a 39-yard Waters field goal that cut the margin to 37-24 at 4:23. The quarter ended with the Wolves driving again, but
Braylon Henry intercepted Coleman Gray at the Cavaliers' 1 with 12 seconds left, and UVA Wise carried the 37-24 lead into the fourth.
Fourth Quarter
The Cavaliers moved off their own 1 early in the fourth quarter, but the drive ended on downs at the Wise 20, and the Wolves turned the short field into a Grayson White 1-yard touchdown run before Peyton Waters' kick made it 37-31 at 9:41. The Cavaliers answered with a 75-yard drive, aided by Newberry penalties, and Beason hit
Thomas McCoy for a 23-yard touchdown before a successful two-point pass pushed the lead to 45-31 with 6:14 left. The Wolves came back quickly, going 75 yards in three plays and scoring on Mason Kidd's 37-yard pass to DeAndre Coleman to make it 45-38 after the extra point at 5:06.
Evan Kennedy's 57-yard run helped the Cavaliers reach the red zone on the next possession, and Magee's 32-yard field goal made it 48-38 with 1:55 left before
Braylon Henry intercepted Kidd at the goal line with 4 seconds remaining to seal the final score.
GETTING WISE
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McCalan Beason had another solid outing, throwing 21-for-29 for 267 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions.
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Evan Kennedy had a career-high 147 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries.
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Thomas McCoy also had a career night as he had eight receptions for 137 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns.
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Braylon Henry had two interceptions and three total tackles.
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Aiden Magee went 2-2 on field goals and 2-2 on PATS with the longest field goal being 32 yards.
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Jalen Pickens had seven tackles, while
Connor Pleasants and
Landon Goeller had four tackles apiece.
- The Cavs had 439 yards to 379 by Newberry, outrushing the Wolves by a 172-62 margin. They also had the ball for 34:19, compared to Newberry's 25:41.
- The win was the first by UVA Wise over Newberry. They now trail the Wolves 3-1 in the all-time series.
- The last win over a ranked opponent by the Cavs was a 35-28 Homecoming upset of then #16 Lenoir-Rhyne on Oct.2, 2021.
UP NEXT
The Highland Cavaliers return home to host Lenoir-Rhyne at 6 p.m. next Saturday. The Bears lost to #23 Carson-Newman 20-17 in overtime earlier today and are now 2-4 overall on the season and 1-3 in SAC play.
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