Saturday, November 11, 2006

EAGLES TOPPLE TUSCULUM 23-3 IN FOOTBALL SEASON FINALE

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Buck Wakefield rushed for 109 yards on 18 carries and a touchdown to lead Carson-Newman to a 23-3 victory over host Tusculum Saturday afternoon at Pioneer Field in South Atlantic Conference football action. It was the season-finale for both teams.

The Eagles (8-3, 4-3 SAC) scored on three of its first four possessions as C-N out-gained the Pioneers by a 372-140 margin in total offensive yardage. C-N posted 225 rushing yards on the No. 1 rushing defense in NCAA Division II. Tusculum (6-5, 3-4 SAC) entered the game allowing just 37.6 yards per game this season.

C-N quarterback Alex Rouse went 6-for-10 for 147 yards and two touchdowns. Reggie Hubbard tallied two catches for 65 yards, including a 53-yard touchdown strike in the second quarter.

Carson-Newman got on the scoreboard first in the opening quarter when Rouse found Otis Miller on a 35-yard scoring strike. David Brentz added the extra point as the Eagles led 7-0. On its next possession, the Eagles marched 58 yards on 11 plays, capped off by a five-yard touchdown run by Wakefield with 38.1 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

In the early moments of the second quarter, Rouse struck again as he completed a 53-yard pass to Hubbard, who rambled into the end zone to put the Eagles up 21-0.

The Pioneers mounted a scoring threat in the final minute of the half when Rouse was sacked by Broderick Gillespie and fumbled as TC recovered at its own 43. TC moved into Carson-Newman territory, but Glen Black's 51-yard field at the end of the half drifted wide right as the Eagles took a 21-0 lead into the locker room.

Tusculum's best scoring chance came in the third quarter as the Pioneers moved to the C-N one-yard line on Jerlmichael Sykes 23-yard rush. The drive stalled as the Carson-Newman defense held the line as Tusculum settled for a 24-yard field goal by Black at the 4:26 mark of the quarter as the Pioneers trailed 21-3.

Early in the fourth quarter, Carson-Newman was driving into Tusculum territory, but C-N quarterback Alex Good was jarred by Tagon Richard while throwing as his pass was intercepted at the TC 3 by Pharis Baldwin. The C-N defense held Tusculum in the shadow of its goal line. TC attempted a fake punt in its own end zone, but the play was negated due to a pair of off-setting penalties. On the next play, TC attempted another fake, but the play was snuffed out by Brandon Walden as C-N recorded the safety as Eagles went ahead 23-3 for the game's final margin.

Eight different players carried the football for the Eagles on Saturday.

On defense, Tusculum was led by Rodney Peebles and Justin Scott, who recorded 10 tackles each, while Eric McIntyre added eight stops in the loss. The Eagles were led defensively by Eric Rice with eight tackles, including two for loss and a sack.

- TC -