Football

September 29, 2018

Football Suffers Overtime Loss to Carson-Newman

SALISBURY, N.C -- Sherron Jackson scored on a three-yard run in overtime to lift Carson-Newman to a 33-30 win in a thrilling South Atlantic football contest on Saturday afternoon at Shuford Stadium and Kirkland Field. The victory improves the Eagles to 3-2 overall and 2-1 in the SAC, while the Catawba Indians fall to 1-3 and 0-2.

Lee Brackman, who sent the game to overtime with his 41-yard field goal with just 20 seconds remaining, connected from 37 yards out to give Catawba a 30-27 edge after its possession of overtime. For the Eagles, Marcus Williams carried twice to the Catawba 10 then Derrick Evans kept for seven yards to set up Jackson’s winning score.

The Indians drove from their own 14 in the final four minutes to get the game to overtime. Kenyatta Greene had a 31-yard on a third-and-one and the drive was later extended on a fourth-down pass interference penalty that set up the tying field goal.

The game featured numerous big plays. Greene scored on runs 54 yards and 66 yards, while Toot Johnson had a 68-yard TD run to open the third quarter. Catawba’s Reid Carlton completed just eight passes, but two went for huge chunks to Will Sweeper covering 51 and 40 yards.

Greene scored on his 54-yard just two minutes into the game. The Eagles scored on the first play of the second quarter when Demitri Saulsberry ran in from 27 yards out. C-N took their first lead with 6:03 to go in half on a 16-yard pass from Evans to Antonio Wimbish. Greene quickly put the Indians back on top racing 66 yards a minute later for a 14-12 lead that held until the half.

Carson-Newman retook the lead in the opening minutes of the second half on Johnson’s long run. Catawba went up 21-20 after Carlton’s 51-yard pass to Sweeper set up his one-yard-run. Brackman extended the Indian lead to 24-20 on a 38-yard field goal early in the fourth before Williams gave C-N at 27-24 edge with 8:04 to go.

Catawba ran for 307 yards on the day with Greene totaling 197 yards and Demonte Good another 110. Carlton had 132 yards passing with 101 to Sweeper, who had three catches.

Johnson led Carson-Newman 350-yard rushing attack with 95 yards. Williams added 73 with both Jackson and Evans picking up 50.

Jeremiah Ferguson recorded 18 tackles in a loss for Catawba. He was in on two for losses. LJ Melvin made eight stops. Temoris Coats totaled five and half tackles for losses for Carson-Newman and had an interception. Desmond Fairell also intercepted a pass.

Catawba is at home again next weekend, hosting Albany State on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. The game will be carried live locally on WAXN Channel 64 in Charlotte, N.C.

Box Score