Newberry defense keys much-needed win over Tusculum

NEWBERRY (Newberry Athletics) – The final stats told one story. The scoreboard told another.

Newberry was outpaced in nearly every statistical category by visiting Tusculum on Saturday afternoon, including being outgained in total offense 424 yards to 249, but came away with a 30-20 victory to snap a four-game losing skid dating back to last season.

The Wolves (1-3, 1-1 South Atlantic Conference) forced a remarkable five turnovers, scored a safety, turned the Pioneers (1-3, 1-1 SAC) over on downs twice, and blocked an extra point for good measure.

The game turned late in the first quarter, when a backward pass from Tusculum starter Bryce Moore fell to the turf well behind its intended target and was scooped up by Krishaon Jackson. The 30-yard return got the Wolves on the board to tie the game at 7-7 and ignited a team that had managed just one yard through its first two drives.

Two Pioneers’ possessions later, Keito Jordon came up with his second consecutive third-down sack, prying the ball free from Moore’s grasp and pouncing on it at the Tusculum 12. The play was the second of three fumbles lost on the day for a team that had not lost a fumble all season entering the game.

Newberry’s offense was stopped short on fourth down inside the 5-yard line, but Darryl Foster and Alex Smith made sure the Wolves didn’t come up empty. Foster led the charge, crashing through the Pioneers’ offensive line on the next play to stop Jordon Shippy, who finished with 162 yards on 16 carries, in the end zone for a safety.

Brentley Allen returned the ensuing free kick to the Wolves’ 37, where Colton Bailey, playing his second series, rolled right after a play action fake and found Deshun Kitchings in stride on a go route down the near sideline for a 63-yard touchdown. The play was a career long for both players and gave Newberry nine points in a span of 14 seconds.

The play accounted for nearly all of Kitchings’ 69 receiving yards on three catches, making him Newberry’s leading receiver on the day. Logan Bailey added a touchdown and 40 yards on two receptions, while Austin Gordon and Bobby Irby totaled 28 and 27 yards, respectively, with Gordon catching a touchdown just before the half.

Colton Bailey completed nine of 15 passes for 160 yards and became the first Newberry quarterback to throw for three touchdowns in a game in nearly two years. He was also Newberry’s second-leading rusher with 31 yards, one yard behind Logan Bailey for the team lead. Neither Bailey nor Dre Harris was sacked; the Pioneers have yet to record a sack this season.

Colton Bailey engineered a 72-yard touchdown drive just before halftime that extended Newberry’s lead to 23-7. The drive was helped by a facemask penalty that negated a third down stop by the Pioneers’ defense and a pass interference penalty in the end zone one play before Bailey threw an 8-yard strike to Gordon.

Tusculum returned the second-half kickoff for a touchdown, but in a play emblematic of how the day went for the Pioneers, Terrell Owens blocked the extra point attempt. Trey Woods ended the next drive with an interception on a tipped ball. Tusculum drove 86 yards in nine plays on its next possession but was stuffed twice on goal-to-go plays, with Ty Kelly in on both tackles.

The Pioneers lined up with three wide receivers to the short side of the field and attempted to find a receiver on an out route at the pylon, but Anthony Blue stepped in front of the pass to keep Tusculum out of the end zone and returned the interception to the 17.

Newberry finally found the scoreboard again with just under 10 minutes remaining on Logan Bailey’s perfect, over-the-shoulder catch on a 22-yard strike from Colton Bailey to extend the lead to 10 points.
The Pioneers again marched inside the Newberry 5 on the ensuing drive before a bad exchange on a handoff led to a fumble recovered in the end zone by Nick Yearwood.

Newberry ran over two minutes off the clock on its next drive but was forced to punt, giving Tusculum the ball back with 3:50 to play and protecting a 10-point lead. The Pioneers drove into the red zone, but were stopped on a fourth down play as time expired.

Yearwood led the team in tackles for the second time in three weeks with eight stops on the day. He also accounted for 1.5 tackles for loss, half a sack, and a quarterback hurry in addition to his fumble recovery. Anthony Blue had two pass breakups to go along with four tackles and his interception.

Keito Jordon made six stops (four solo) with 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and three quarterback hurries. He now has 15.5 sacks in his career, moving him into sole possession of ninth place in school history, and is tied for fifth with 30 tackles for loss.

The Wolves host Mars Hill on Family Weekend next Saturday. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m.