Newberry tops Wingate for fifth-straight win

NEWBERRY, S.C. – The air was brisk on the afternoon of Saturday, November 6 but the action was on fire on the field as the Newberry College (8-2, 6-1 SAC) football team was able to secure the thrilling double-overtime victory over the Bulldogs of Wingate University (6-3, 4-2 SAC), as they won their fifth straight contest by a score of 41-35.

The day was highlighted by redshirt-senior Bryson Woodruff’s (Roebuck, S.C.) second career overtime receiving touchdown, the other dating back to 2019 where, ironically, he also caught a pass from a teammate named Ruff, as his 25-yard reception came from the arm of redshirt-junior Cade Ruff (Prosperity, S.C.) to seal the deal for the Wolves.

Senior Deshun Kitchings (Aiken, S.C.) led the team in offensive production in the contest as he hauled in four catches for 144-yards while also carrying the ball twice for 32-yards, scoring a touchdown each way. Redshirt-senior Dre Harris (Greenville, S.C.) went 10-for-21 for 239 yards and two scores through the air while adding nine rushes for a net 30-yards on the night.  The ground game went through redshirt-sophomore Mario Anderson (Summerville, S.C.) who was able to scamper for 95-yards over his 24 carries.

Defensively the Wolves were led by redshirt-junior Marcus Morgan (Lexington, S.C.) who recorded ten total tackles in the contest as well as a pass break-up. Sophomore Juwan Moye (Lilburn, Ga.) was able to record 1.5 tackles-for-loss in the game account for four-yards lost. The Wolves also recorded a trio of interceptions on the afternoon, one each by senior Alex Smith (Irmo, S.C.), redshirt-senior Tyrone Kelly (Camden, S.C.) and sophomore Ja-Qeuz Smith (Gaffney, S.C.) whose pick in the second overtime sealed the contest.

A pair of big plays would highlight the opening drive for the Wolves as Kitchings would start the drive with a 37-yard reception before capping it off with a 31-yard end-around to give the Wolves the early 7-0 lead. A pair of three-and-outs for the Bulldogs would sandwich a productive drive the Wolves that ended with them punting in their opponent’s territory, give Newberry the ball to end the first quarter.

They would waste no time scoring in the second frame as on the first play from scrimmage Harris hit Kitchings who corralled the ball along the sideline and took it 80-yards for the house to extend the Wolves lead to 14-0.  The two squads traded quick drives before Wingate would finally be able to capitalize on excellent field position and convert their first points of the day to bring the score to 14-7.

However, the Wolves would respond right away as a pair of chunk yardage passes from Harris to Irby, one for 35 and the touchdown scoring play for 15, would extend the Newberry lead back out to 14, 21-7.  Wingate took their next possession and drove right down the field to bring the score back to withing seven at 21-14.

After driving deep into Wingate territory on what would be their final possession of the opening half, the Wolves were forced into a field goal situation, which they would line up for a 43-yard look.  However, no kick would occur as redshirt-junior Olin McCurry (Summerville, S.C.) ran the fake field goal to perfection, sneaking his way 28 yards down field for the score to give the Scarlet and Gray the 28-14 lead halfway through regulation.

Wingate took the second half kick-off and would drive to convert a field goal before the Wolves would respond with points of their own, coming instead in the form of a touchdown from a rush down the left side by Irby to bring the Wolves advantage out to 35-17, a margin which they would carry into the fourth quarter of action.

The Bulldogs scored early into the fourth quarter and would score twice more over the final 15 minutes of regulation action, while the Newberry offense stalled out throughout the fourth quarter, producing no points and ending the regulation time with the score tied at 35.

Two offensive miscues would end the first overtime period quickly as Shaw Crocker for Wingate was picked off while Harris lost a fumble, forcing a second overtime.  That’s when the magic combination of Ruff to Woodruff would make their connection on the first play of the second overtime period, and while the Wolves couldn’t convert the two-point conversion, they would lead 41-35.

That would turn out to be the final score as after two rushes for short yardage, Crocker would throw an errant pass to the left side that was read perfectly by Smith who took the interception nearly 60 yards on his return, but it wouldn’t matter as the Wolves wrapped up their six-point win.

Newberry will travel to Gaffney, S.C. to take on the Saints of Limestone University in their final regular season match-up next Saturday, November 13.  With a win against the Saints, the Wolves would at least grasp a share of the South Atlantic Conference title.  Kick-off is slated for 4 p.m.

Written by Benedict Athletics.