Saturday, October 27, 2007

LUKSHIS FIELD GOAL LEADS NEWBERRY PAST TUSCULUM 17-14

NEWBERRY, S.C. --- Ryan Lukshis connected on 32-yard field goal with 1.9 seconds remaining in the game as 25th-ranked Newberry defeated visiting Tusculum College 17-14 Saturday night at Setzler Field in a South Atlantic Conference thriller.  Newberry hands the Pioneers (5-4, 3-1 SAC) their first league loss of the season and ending TC’s five-game winning streak.

Tusculum now finds itself in a three-way tie for first place in the league, along with Catawba and Carson-Newman.

Tusculum out-gained Newberry by a 330-250 margin, but the Indians forced four turnovers, including a 92-yard interception return for a touchdown by Andre Moyd in the third quarter to tie the game at 14-14.

Tusculum’s Corey Russell went 22-for-47 for 236 yards and two touchdowns. Brandon Dixon posted six catches for 72 yards, while Ryan Tallent added five grabs for 58 yards. Patrick King has a stellar game as he finished with over 121 all-purpose yards. He rushed for 70 yards on 12 carries, while making five receptions for 51 yards and a touchdown.

Tusculum only converted once in its four trips inside the red-zone, including a pair of missed field goal attempts.

Newberry's Brandon Gantt came off the bench to lead the Indians as he went 13-for-17 for 131 yards, while also rushing for 30 yards on five carries.

Newberry (7-2, 3-2 SAC) got on the scoreboard first on its first possession as Kelton Tindal hauled in a 46-yard pass from Michael Johnson.  Lukshis’ kick made it 7-0 at the 8:50 mark of the first quarter.

Tusculum would take the lead with consecutive touchdowns, thanks to a pair of Newberry fumbles. After TC's Adrian Samples caused and recovered a fumble at the NEW 22, Tusculum converted the miscue into points as Russell connected with King on a 21-yard touchdown strike. Justin Higgins' kick tied the score at 7-7 at the 4:42 mark of the first quarter.

In the early moments of the second quarter, Johnson was sacked by Tagon Richard, causing a fumble which was recovered by TC's Jermaine Jennings at the NEW 11. On fourth and two from the four-yard line, Russell found Jarrell NeSmith in the right corner of the end zone for the touchdown to move the Pioneers ahead, 14-7.

With six minutes remaining in the first half, Newberry was pinned deep in the shadow of their own end zone. Newberry's Alex Haynes fumbled the football at the NEW 5, but the Pioneers couldn't recover the loose ball, which TC kicked out of the back of the end zone. By rule, Newberry maintained the possession and got the football at the NEW 20. The Indians fumbled five times in the opening 30 minutes.

The momentum turned in the third quarter for the Indians, as Tusculum drove to the NEW 15. But Russell was intercepted by Moyd as he scampered down the sideline for the 92-yard touchdown at the 5:12 mark of the period.

Both teams exchanged possessions as TC drove into Newberry territory to the NEW 37 late in the game, but the drive stalled. Tusculum punter John Gregory pinned the Indians at the two-yard line with 4:50 remaining in the contest.

Newbery converted on several key plays on the winning drive, including a 28-yard pass by Gantt to Tindal and later Gantt scrambled 28 yards into TC territory.  On third and 11 from the TC 43 with two minutes remaining, Gantt completed a 23-yard pass to Eric Huggins across the middle to move the Indians inside field goal range, setting up Lukshis' winning kick.

Tusculum had one last chance as the ensuing kickoff was squib kicked and downed at the NEW 44 with one tick remaining on the clock. But Russell was sacked and fumbled on the final play of the game to preserve the win for the home team.

The Pioneers were led on defense by Samples who finished with a career-high 10 tackles, including three for loss and a sack. Jeremy Jones added eight tackles, including three for loss, while Jarvis Littlejohn recorded seven stops in the loss. Newberry’s Tony Ransom and Will Newell each finished with nine stops apiece.

Tusculum returns to action next Saturday when it hosts cross-mountain rival Mars Hill College at Pioneer Field for a 1:30 p.m. kickoff.

- TC -