MONTGOMERY, AL – The Brevard College football team (2-4, 2-1
USA South) fell by a final of 38-14 to No. 23/25 Huntingdon College (5-1, 3-0
USAS) on Saturday afternoon in Montgomery, Alabama.
Huntingdon, who was ranked in the top 25 of all NCAA DIII
football teams in both the D3foootball.com and the AFCA coaches poll, put up 31
unanswered points that included 24 points in the first half en route to the
24-point victory.
Senior wide receiver Dalton Cole totaled 162 yards of total
offense, rushing for 48 yards on seven carries while logging 114 passing yards
after taking over at quarterback late in the first half for the Tornados. Cole,
a former USA South Offensive Rookie of the Year at the quarterback position,
went 9-for-22 with three interceptions and a rushing TD under center.
Mitchell Yoder dashed for 56 yards on 10 carries, while
Freddie Aiken III punched the ball in for his first touchdown of the 2022
season. Jaden O'Leary led all Tornados with four catches and 39 yards
receiving.
Stamati Damalos made a pair of extra points, while Cooper
Hogan averaged 27.3 yards-per-return and a long of 42 on kickoff returns. Joe
Powell handled the punting duties for the second-consecutive week, averaging
37.3 yards per attempt.
Senior linebacker Toby Naylor led all Tornados with nine
tackles, including a team-best three tackles-for-loss. KJ Dagout matched his
season-high with seven tackles, while Tyler Harrison added six tackles. Trey
Williams logged a pair of TFL's while James Woods, Grequenceo Coger Jr., Reece
Rubio, and Eli Everhart also totaled tackles-for-loss.
Both teams traded punts on their first possessions, but
after a three-and-out from the Tornado offense, Huntingdon struck first with a
48-yard drive on eight plays that ended with a Kahari McReynolds touchdown run
that gave the hosts the early advantage, 7-0.
BC was able to get a first down on its next possession, but
was forced to punt the ball away. Huntingdon put together another lengthy drive
– this one 11 plays and 69 yards – that ended with a 40-yard field goal from
Will Edwards.
The Hawks scored on their third consecutive possession after
another Brevard three-and-out, as a nine-play, 75-yard drive ended with Landon
Cotney finding Tyler England for a 10-yard touchdown that extended the
Huntingdon lead to a 17-0 margin.
The Tornados put together their most productive drive of the
first half, getting the ball inside the red zone with an eight-play, 48-yard
drive, but Damalos' 35-yard field goal attempt was wide right. Huntingdon was
able to capitalize on the missed opportunity, marching down the field 80 yards
in just five plays to extend the lead, 24-0, as the hosts took this 24-point
cushion into the halftime locker rooms.
Huntingdon continued its positive momentum on the first
drive of the second half, going 58 yards in just seven plays as McReynolds
rushed for his second TD of the day to extend the lead, 31-0. Both teams traded
punts before the Hawks picked Cole off for the second time, but BC's defense
forced a three-and-out on the next possession. Both sides again traded punts as
the contest shifted to the fourth quarter with the hosts in command, 31-0.
Cole orchestrated BC's best drive of the afternoon – a
nine-play, 54-yard possession that ended with Cole punching the ball in from a
yard out as the Tornados cut the deficit back down to 24 points, 31-7.
After the Tornado defense forced another three-and-out, BC
put together its longest drive of the day, running 10 plays for 77 yards and
finishing with Aiken III's first touchdown of the season, as the lead shrunk to
17 points for Huntingdon, 31-14.
The Hawks were able to put the game on ice with a
seven-play, 48-yard drive that ended with another Cotney touchdown pass. BC's
final drive of the game ended with an interception as the Tornados fell for the
first time in conference play.
Huntingdon outgained Brevard 434-250, including a 292-129
advantage in the passing game. Huntingdon controlled the ball for over 35
minutes of the game and converted 25 first downs while forcing three turnovers
defensively.
Brevard will look to bounce back next weekend as the Tornados
return to Ives-Lemel Family Field to take on LaGrange College on Saturday,
October 22 at 3 p.m.
