WINGATE, NC – Wingate held UVA Wise scoreless in the second half while scoring 27 points as the Bulldogs outlasted the Highland Cavaliers 41-27 Saturday evening at Irwin Belk Stadium.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Result: Wingate 41, UVA Wise 27
Records: UVA Wise (0-5, 0-0 South Atlantic Conference); Wingate (2-3, 1-2 SAC)
Location: Wingate, NC | Irwin Belk Stadium
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
- The Highland Cavaliers stopped the Bulldogs on fourth-and-1 at the Cavaliers' 44, then
McCalan Beason found
Hunter Purdue for a 36-yard touchdown at 11:07 before
Ryder Lawson's PAT made it 7-0.
- Wingate answered with a 74-yard drive, tying the score 7-7 on Jason Willis' 38-yard touchdown run and the ensuing PAT.
- With the game tied 7-7, the Bulldogs drove from their 12 to the Cavaliers' 18 before
Joshua Graham intercepted Brooks Brien at the Cavaliers' 12 and returned it 61 yards, with the return marked back to the Bulldogs' 42 after a penalty.
- Beason hit
Elijah Thompson for a 31-yard touchdown on fourth-and-10 at 2:34 to put the Cavs ahead 13-7 after a blocked PAT, and the Highland Cavaliers later stopped the Bulldogs on fourth-and-1 at the Cavaliers' 46 with 2 seconds left.
Second Quarter
- The Cavaliers finished their opening drive with a third-down strike, as Beason hit
Tre'mell Washington for a 27-yard touchdown at 12:02 before Lawson's extra point made it 20-7.
- After Ephraim Wright intercepted Beason at the Cavaliers' 40, WU turned the short field into a scoring drive, capped by Brooks Brien's 3-yard touchdown pass to Xavier Jackson at 5:23 to cut the Cavaliers' lead to 20-14.
- The Highland Cavaliers' defense created the late response when
Jalin Edwards sacked Brien and
Isaiah McGuffin recovered the fumble at the Bulldogs' 34. Four plays later, Beason found
Jeremiah Augustin for a 21-yard touchdown, and Lawson's kick pushed the Cavs ahead 27-14.
- The Bulldogs started their final drive at their own 10 after a holding penalty on the return and a personal foul before the snap, and the Cavaliers carried the 27-14 lead through the end of the second quarter.
Third Quarter
- Purdue returned the opening kickoff 40 yards to the Bulldogs' 47, but the Cavs' first drive ended when Tory Kelly intercepted Beason at the Wingate 30.
- The Bulldogs answered with a 14-play drive that reached the Cavaliers' 12 before the Cavaliers held, with
Landon Goeller breaking up a second-down pass and Jonathan Rosser hurrying a third-down incompletion before Gunnar Hilsinger's 30-yard field goal made it 27-17.
- After the Highland Cavaliers punted on their next possession, Wingate went 75 yards in three plays, including Brooks Brien's 38-yard completion to Xavier Jackson and Jason Willis' 21-yard touchdown run, then added the PAT to make it 27-24.
- The Cavaliers moved back into Bulldogs territory on their final drive, aided by face mask and unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, and Beason's 7-yard run to the Bulldogs' 14 ended the third quarter with the Cavaliers ahead 27-24.
Fourth Quarter
- Starting at the Bulldogs' 14, the Cavaliers moved to the 11 on a Beason completion to
Tre'mell Washington, but Ephraim Wright recovered a fumble and Wingate took over.
- The Cavs forced a punt on the Bulldogs' next drive, then stopped a fourth-and-2 at the UVA Wise 32 when
Kenneth Long and
Nehemiah Jones held Ethan Wallace to 1 yard at 8:14.
- A sack-fumble gave Wingate the ball at the Cavaliers' 11, and Jason Willis scored on the next play before Gunnar Hilsinger's kick made it 31-27. After J'Von Mack intercepted a pass at the Cavaliers' 40, Hilsinger added a 37-yard field goal for a 34-27 Bulldogs lead.
- The Cavaliers crossed midfield late and converted a fourth-and-1 on
Evan Kennedy's run, but the drive ended in a turnover on downs at the Bulldogs' 46. Willis followed with a 54-yard touchdown run, and Wingate went on to claim the 41-27 win.
GETTING WISE
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McCalan Beason had another strong outing as he completed 16 of 33 passes for 189 yards and four touchdowns.
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Evan Kennedy had five carries for 15 yards.
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Isaiah McGuffin led the team with 14 tackles and also had half a sack and a fumble recovery.
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Jalin Edwards had seven tackles, a pair of sacks, and forced a fumble.
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Tre'mell Washington had six receptions for 55 yards and a touchdown.
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Joshua Graham had two tackles, an interception, and a 61-yard interception return.
UP NEXT
The Highland Cavaliers visit Newberry on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 7 p.m. at Setzler Field in Newberry, South Carolina.
