SEWANEE, Tenn. - For the first time in the 125-plus year history of college football at the University of the South, there was spring football at historic Hardee-McGee Field at Harris Stadium. Sewanee battled Greensboro College on a bright, sunny Saturday afternoon, but it was the visitors who held up the 24-21 victory.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final Score: Greensboro (1-2) 24, Sewanee (0-1) 21
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HOW IT HAPPENED
-On the second play of the game, Greensboro's Blake Hawkins threw the ball right to Sewanee's Joseph Conwell, and the Tiger offense had excellent field position at the Greensboro 30-yard-line.
-Inside the red zone, Cooper Hancock found Cyrus Wilson for a 12-yard touchdown to put the good guys on top with 11:48 left in the opening quarter.
-After each team traded punts on their next possessions, the Pride caught the home defense napping on the first play of the drive, finding Zach Atkinson for a 45-yard touchdown reception to even the contest at seven midway through the opening quarter.
-Greensboro added another score early thanks to a 31-yard receiving touchdown from Cale Matthews to Amane Kimba to give the visitors its first lead of the day, 14-7, with nine minutes left in the opening half.
-The Purple and White responded immediately on the team's next drive. After a Pride facemask penalty to put the football at the GC 15-yard-line, Tucker Kirk from Dagem Samuel for the score, and thanks to a Brody Palmer point-after attempt, we were all square at 14 points each with 6:57 left in the second quarter.
-After a Greensboro punt, Sewanee started a 13-play drive with 3:47 left in the half. During the drive, a key 34-yard reception by Tyler Wright put the hosts in the red zone at the 15-yard-line.
-With 27 seconds left in the half, Hancock found Hunter Jones for the six-yard touchdown reception. Thanks to the touchdown reception, Sewanee took a 27-21 lead into the locker room.
-The second half started out interesting for both teams. After a Greensboro kickoff and a muffed return by a Sewanee player, the Pride recovered the fumble and took over at the Sewanee 39-yard-line.
-On the next play, the Pride returned the favor by coughing up the ball themselves on the next play. Jacob Jackson poked the ball out of Zach Atkinson's hands and picked up by Wesley Porter. However, the offense could not cash in the turnover as the drive ended on an interception.
-After the Pride's defense picked the ball off on defense, the offense responded with a nine-play drive capped by a 16-yard score by Cale Matthews from Loughry. Halfway through the third stanza, the score was even at 21 points apiece.
-Five seconds into the fourth quarter, Zac Ellison was the difference-maker in the game. Thanks to his 32-yard field goal, the lead went back to the visitors, 24-21.
-The Tigers had multiple chances to even the score in the fourth quarter. After the hosts punted on their next possession, Porter got in the way of a Loughry pass and returned the interception for 53 yards to the Greensboro 20-yard-line with 10:56 left in the contest. However, a missed 36-yard field goal kept the game in favor of the Pride, 24-21, with 9:11 left in regulation.
-Sewanee had one more chance in the red zone with less than two minutes to go thanks to a Samuel 27-yard reception from Hancock to the Pride eight-yard-line. However, two plays later, the contest was decided after a Sewanee interception.
SEWANEE KEY STATISTICS
-Cooper Hancock went 13-of-22 with 166 yards and two scores.
-In his first collegiate game, Dagem Samuel caught nine passes for 102 yards and a 15-yard touchdown reception. Cyrus Wilson and Hunter Jones also added receiving scores.
-Wesley Porter recorded six tackles, one for a loss, and added a 53-yard interception return and a fumble recovery.
-Parker Hughes had two tackles for a loss, while Jacob Jackson and Daniel May each added two pass breakups.
GREENSBORO KEY STATISTICS
-David Loughry II threw for 213 yards and scored two touchdowns.
-Cale Matthews caught five passes for 102 yards and a receiving score.
-Juwarren Byrd posted 2.5 sacks and totaled nine tackles.
UP NEXT
The Tigers return to gridiron next weekend versus Brevard for a 3 p.m. kickoff.
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