VALDOSTA STATE 27, ARKANSAS-MONTICELLO 17
VALDOSTA, Ga. - Valdosta State receiver Gerald Ford caught a 7-yard touchdown pass with 33 seconds left to give the Blazers a victory over Arkansas-Monticello on Saturday at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium.
The Valdosta State touchdown drive came on the heels of a go-ahead scoring drive by UAM, capped by a 9-yard pass from senior Scott Buisson to junior DJ Stephens to give the Boll Weevils (3-5, 2-4 Gulf South) a 17-14 lead.
UAM had three scoring chances inside the Valdosta State 5-yard line throughout the game that resulted in zero points. The first came as time expired in the first half with an incomplete pass from Buisson intended for senior receiver Jywin Ceasar. The final two chances came on consecutive drives early in the fourth quarter. The Valdosta State defense held UAM junior Nakita Myles for no gain on three consecutive runs with 11:26 left, which was followed by a blocked field goal attempt on UAM’s next drive.
UAM jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter on a 43-yard field goal by freshman Taylor Pontius at the 8:54 mark and a 28-yard touchdown pass to Stephens from Buisson with 30 seconds left in the quarter. Pontius’ field goal capped a five-play, 17-yard drive that used just 1:28, while Stephens’ touchdown capped a 10-play, 70-yard drive.
The Blazers (6-1, 4-1) answered with the only score of the second quarter on a 7-yard touchdown run by Ronnye Nelson to end a nine-play, 89-yard drive that used 3:17. UAM led 10-7 at halftime.
In addition to his game-winning touchdown catch, Ford was also responsible for the only score in the third quarter, a 32-yard touchdown catch on a Brett Whitmire pass with 7:19 left to cap a seven-play, 89-yard drive.
Buisson completed 27 of 42 passes with 329 yards and 2 touchdowns, his first 300-yard passing game since throwing for 395 in last season’s victory over Harding. Buisson also had a teamhigh 48 rushing yards on 16 carries.
Senior Johnny Polite rushed 12 times for 43 yards, while Myles had the majority of the workload with 18 carries for 40 yards.
Buisson’s leading receiver was Stephens, who made 13 receptions for 203 yards and 2 touchdowns. Stephens became the first UAM receiver to haveat least 200 receiving yards in a game since Tim Harris had 210 in a victory over Harding in 2007.
Ceasar added eight catches for 76 yards. The Marrero, La., native is just three catches away from becoming UAM’s all-time receptions leader.
UAM outgained Valdosta State 459 yards to 291. The Boll Weevils had 329 yards passing and 130 yards rushing, while the Blazers had 225 yards passing and 66 yards rushing.
HENDERSON STATE 33, HARDING 28
ARKADELPHIA - Nick Hardesty completed 34 of 51 passes for 448 yards and 3 touchdowns to lead Henderson State to a victory over Harding at Carpenter-Haygood Stadium.
Harding (3-4, 1-4 Gulf South) led 28-27 with 3:53 left in the game after sophomore quarterback Chaz Rogers scored on a 10-yard run. Henderson State (5-3, 4-2) responded with a sixplay, 70-yard drive that ended with Hardesty throwing 25 yards to Josh Sipho on a crossing route for the gamewinning touchdown.
Harding entered the game as the leastpenalized team in the Gulf South Conference, averaging just over 50 yards per game in penalties. But the Bisons were hit with a rash of penalties in the second half, including several pass interference penalties that kept Henderson State drives alive. The officials flagged Harding 20 times for 153 yards, both school records. The Bisons had nine penalties in the third quarter.
Neither team scored in the first quarter, but both scored 14 points in the second. Harding’s touchdowns came on a 1-yard Josh Powell sneak and a 50-yard Jeremy Holt run around right end.
Holt had his second 100-yard rushing game of the season. He rushed 10 times for 120 yards and 1 touchdown.
Harding took a 21-14 lead in the third quarter on a 2-yard run by Kale Gelles, which came after Henderson State botched the snap on a punt and gave the Bisons the ball at the 2.
Henderson State then scored 13 consecutive points on a Hardesty 2-yard run and field goals of 34 and 29 yards by Eric Torres. Harding ended the run and took the lead on Rogers’ touchdown run.
Harding, which entered the game as the rushing leader in the GSC, rushed 52 times for a season-high 362 yards. Henderson State rushed for only 41 yards, but the passing game carried the Reddies.
Henderson State had three wide receivers with more than 100 yards receiving. Chris Evering had 10 catches for 106 yards, Jazz Scott had eight catches for 113 yards and Sipho had six catches for 119 yards.
Mike Wightman led the Reddies’ defense with 14 tackles (6 solo, 8 assisted). Ben Chandler had nine tackles. Jamulus Varnado recorded a sack.
For Harding, Jason Thomasson led the Bisons with nine tackles and one sack. Eddie Russ Jr. had eight tackles. Aaron Gillaspie had seven tackles, three for loss.
Harding hosts Arkansas-Monticello at 2 p.m. on Saturday in Searcy. Henderson State hosts Ouachita Baptist at 1 p.m. at Carpenter-Haygood Stadium in the annual Battle of the Ravine.
WEST ALABAMA 49, ARKANSAS TECH 26
LIVINGSTON, Ala. - Deon Williams completed 13 of 25 passes for 330 yards and 3 touchdowns to lead West Alabama past Arkansas Tech on Saturday.
Williams threw touchdown passes of 62 yards to Gerald Worsham, and 46 and 21 yards to Antonio Hughes. He also ran for a 3-yard touchdown.
Rico Keller was 21 of 37 for 283 yards with 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions for the Wonder Boys. Roger Jackson caught 8 passes for 126 yards and 3 touchdowns.
The Tigers (6-2, 4-1 Gulf South) jumped out to a 14-0 lead and led 14-13 at halftime.
The Wonder Boys (3-5, 2-4) host Valdosta State on Saturday in Russellville.
Sports, Pages 31 on 10/24/2010