Football
September 25, 2014
Football Set For Home Debut on Saturday
Photo by Kevin Burris

The Catawba football team will be out to do what has only been done once before in school history on Saturday – beat Carson-Newman in back-to-back seasons. The Catawba Indians rallied last season for a 25-22 win in Jefferson City to set up the rare chance at a double versus the Eagles.
The only previous years that Catawba won consecutive games against Carson-Newman was the 2006 and 2007 seasons. Catawba claimed a 24-22 win in Salisbury in 2006 then won a shootout with a 55-49 come-from-behind victory in 2007. The series between the teams has been dominated by the Eagles, who have won 36 of the previous 47 meetings.
Last year marked another dramatic comeback win for Catawba in a 25-22 victory. The Indians trailed late, but were led on an 8-play, 88-yard drive by Danny O’Brien that ended in a 34-yard touchdown pass to Carlos Tarrats. Carson-Newman had a chance to force overtime, but LJ McCray blocked a potential tying field goal with just seconds to play.
Both teams enter the game this year with identical 2-1 overall records and perfect 1-0 marks in the South Atlantic Conference. Carson-Newman is ranked 19th in the AFCA Poll. It is the ninth time since the AFCA began its coaches’ poll in 2000 that the Eagles enter the game with Catawba as a nationally-ranked opponent.
Catawba is coming off a 37-34 win at Newberry Saturday in double overtime. Mike Sheehan tossed an 11-yard TD pass to Tarrats to give the Indians the win after the defense had held Newberry to a field goal in its possession. Carson-Newman topped Brevard 55-42 last weekend. Andy Hibbett ran for 105 yards and scored twice for the Eagles.
Cary Littlejohn, who ran for 117 yards in the win over Newberry, leads the Indians in rushing at just under 60 yards a game. He is closing in on 1,000 for his career needing 250 yards to become the 37th Catawba player to reach the milestone. David Burgess and Trey Mashore are rushing at just around 50 yards a game.
Sheehan is completing nearly 65% of his pass attempts to lead the SAC and is one of the top rated passers in the league. He ranks second in passer rating and total offense, while topping the conference in touchdown passes with seven.
Jason Taylor has led the defense this season with 29 total tackles and six for losses. He collected 16 stops in the win over Newberry to equal his career high. Jamal Lackey has made four tackles for losses.
This year’s contest will by Family Weekend for Catawba and marks the home opener for the Indians. The kickoff at Shuford Stadium and Kirkland Field is set for 1:30 p.m.
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« | April 2018 | » | ||||
1 | 2 | 3 April 3 Golf (M) @ Tennessee River Rumble - Day 1 (Tennessee National GC) Tennis (W) @ JC Smith 9-0 Softball @ Newberry 5-2 Tennis (M) @ JC Smith 8-1 Softball @ Newberry 3-5 Lacrosse (M) vs. MARS HILL 11-9 | 4 April 4 Golf (M) @ Tennessee Rumble - Day 2 (Tennessee National GC) 10th of 16 Tennis (W) vs. LENOIR-RHYNE 3-6 Tennis (M) vs. LENOIR-RHYNE 4-5 Baseball vs. North Greenville (Flour Field) 5-6 | 5 | 6 April 6 Tennis (W) vs. MARS HILL 9-0 Tennis (M) vs. MARS HILL 8-1 Baseball vs. NEWBERRY 18-12 Lacrosse (M) vs. LIMESTONE 11-12 | 7 |
8 April 8 Golf (M) @ SAC Championships - Day 1 (Cobbs Glen GC) Softball @ Anderson 1-2 Softball @ Anderson 0-4 Baseball vs. NEWBERRY 8-6 Baseball vs. NEWBERRY 8-6 | 9 April 9 Golf (M) @ SAC Championships - Day 2 (Cobbs Glen GC) | 10 April 10 Golf (M) @ SAC Championships - Day 3 (Cobbs Glen GC) 10th of 11 Baseball vs. MOUNT OLIVE 13-9 | 11 April 11 Softball vs WINGATE 3-4 Tennis (M) @ Coker 1-8 Tennis (W) @ Coker 4-5 Lacrosse (W) vs. LENOIR-RHYNE 9-14 Softball vs WINGATE 2-4 Lacrosse (M) vs. LENOIR-RHYNE 11-20 | 12 April 12 Tennis (W) vs. SHAW 7-2 Tennis (M) vs. SHAW 5-4 | 13 April 13 Baseball vs. LINCOLN MEMORIAL 3-6 | 14 April 14 Track/Field @ Phoenix Invitational Football Spring Blue/White Game Lacrosse (M) @ Queens 10-18 Baseball vs. LINCOLN MEMORIAL 8-9 Lacrosse (W) @ Queens 10-16 Baseball vs. LINCOLN MEMORIAL 13-12 |
15 April 15 Golf (W) @ SAC Championships - Day 1 (Woodcreek CC) Softball vs LANDER, ccd. 2 p.m. Softball vs LANDER, ccd. 4 p.m. | 16 April 16 Golf (W) @ SAC Championships - Day 2 (Woodcreek CC) | 17 April 17 Golf (W) @ SAC Championships - Day 3 (Woodcreek CC) 9th of 11 Softball @ Coker 2-3 Softball @ Coker 1-4 Baseball vs. BARTON 16-10 | 18 | 19 April 19 Track/Field @ SAC Outdoor Championships (Day 1) | 20 April 20 Track/Field @ SAC Outdoor Championships (Day 2) M-9th; W-10th Baseball @ Wingate 2-8 | 21 April 21 Softball vs CARSON-NEWMAN 0-5 Softball vs CARSON-NEWMAN 3-2 Baseball @ Wingate 9-5 Lacrosse (W) vs. TUSCULUM 13-11 Baseball @ Wingate 7-3 Lacrosse (M) vs. TUSCULUM 14-10 |
22 | 23 | 24 April 24 Lacrosse (M) @ Queens (SAC Tourn. - 1st Round) Lacrosse (W) vs. LINCOLM MEMORIAL (SAC Tourn. - 1st Round) 4 p.m. Baseball vs. UNC PEMBROKE 5 p.m. | 25 | 26 | 27 April 27 Lacrosse (M) @ SAC Tournament (Semifinals) Lacrosse (W) @ SAC Tournament (Semifinals) Baseball TBA @ SAC Tournament noon Softball vs. Coker (SAC Tournament) 3 p.m. | 28 April 28 Softball @ SAC Tournament Baseball @ SAC Tournament |
29 April 29 Baseball @ SAC Tournament Lacrosse (M) @ SAC Tournament (Championship) Lacrosse (W) @ SAC Tournament (Championship) | 30 April 30 Baseball @ SAC Tournament |
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