Local Sports

The Newberry College football team picked up two defensive touchdowns and posted 248 rushing yards on offense en route to a 32-21 South Atlantic Conference victory over number 15 Wingate University Saturday night at Setzler Field on the Newberry campus.

The scarlet-and-gray victory creates a three-way log jam for first place in the SAC standings: Newberry, Carson-Newman and Wingate are each 3-1 in the league fray. Newberry is 4-3 overall following Saturday’s contest, while Wingate slips to 7-1 overall. The Bulldogs saw an eight-game winning streak end Saturday (dating to the final game of the 2007 season).

In the third quarter, Newberry sophomore defensive back Kamaal McIlwain (Fort Mill, S.C.) returned a fumble 60 yards for a touchdown. The score gave Newberry a 19-7 lead with 5:03 remaining in the third frame.

Wingate answered on the next drive. Bulldog sophomore running back Patrick Pinchinat (Rockville, Md.) returned the ensuing kick-off 63 yards. Three plays later, Wingate redshirt senior quarterback JD Moore (Mount Holly, N.C.) found junior tight end Ryan Webber (Concord, N.C.) with an 18-yard TD pass. Redshirt senior place kicker/punter Michael Crutchfield (Concord, N.C.) booted the extra point to cut the Wingate deficit to 19-14 with 3:23 to play in the third quarter.

The scarlet-and-gray added another defensive TD midway through the fourth quarter. Newberry redshirt freshman defensive end Derrell Kinard (Boiling Springs, N.C.) scored his first career touchdown on a 15-yard interception return with 6:12 to go in the fourth quarter. The Kinard touchdown put Newberry up 26-14.

Newberry added to its advantage when junior running back Gerald Legree (St. Helena Island, S.C.) scored on a 20-yard run with 1:52 left in the contest. Wingate redshirt senior wide receiver Shawn Barrett (Andover, N.J.) completed the scoring with nine seconds left, as he collected a six-yard scoring strike from Moore.

Wingate took an early lead when redshirt sophomore Delric Ellington (Charlotte, N.C.) grabbed a 30-yard touchdown pass from Moore. Crutchfield’s PAT gave the Bulldogs a 7-0 advantage with 7:38 remaining in the first quarter.

Early in the second quarter, Newberry got on the board when sophomore place kicker Britt Blackmon (Kershaw, S.C.) nailed a 33-yard field goal at the 11:59 mark. The scarlet-and-gray took a 10-7 lead at intermission, thanks to a one-yard TD run by senior quarterback Eric McCollom (Camden, S.C.) with 45 seconds to go in the second quarter. McCollom’s score was preceded by a Newberry interception return.

Blackmon added his second field goal of the contest to put the hosts up 13-7 with 6:41 on the third quarter clock. The 34-yard field goal capped a 10-play, 50-yard drive for Newberry. The scarlet-and-gray utilized 4:45 on the game clock.

Legree led Newberry with 18 carries for 110 yards. Sophomore running back Tharry Salley (Blackville, S.C.) added 92 yards on 17 attempts. McCollom completed five-of-11 passes for 76 yards.

For Wingate, Moore completed 25-of-45 passes for 266 yards and three touchdowns. Ellington topped the receiving charts, grabbing seven receptions for 95 yards. Bulldog redshirt sophomore running back Nelson Woods (Charlotte, N.C.) rushed 20 times for 75 yards.

Newberry senior linebacker Will Newell (Irmo, S.C.) had 12 tackles, one pass break-up and one quarterback hurry for the hosts. Wingate sophomore linebacker Ben Hinson (Monroe, N.C.) had 14 tackles, while Bulldog junior safety Tylan Merkerson (Oxford, N.C.) added 10 total stops.

Wingate returns home Saturday, Oct. 25, hosting Catawba College for a 1:30 p.m. SAC contest. Catawba edged Tusculum College 37-35 Saturday afternoon. Newberry hits the road, traveling to Tennessee for a match-up with Tusculum in Greeneville. Kick-off is slated for 2 p.m.