Jefferson City, N.C. – The Brevard College football team faced perhaps their toughest challenge of the season on Saturday afternoon, as they faced off with the No. 13 ranked Carson-Newman Eagles in Jefferson City, T.N. 

 

The Eagles are the second nationally ranked opponent that the Tornados have lined up against on the road this season having faced the Wingate University Bulldogs only three weeks ago when they were ranked No. 23 overall.

 

The loss drops BC to 2-7 overall, while the win bumps Carson-Newman to 8-1 for the season.

 

The Eagles got on the board first when running back Ricky Harris pushed the ball across the goal line from one-yard out, capping off an eight-play drive that started at the Eagles own 44 yard line. Place kick Aubrey Ingham added the point after attempt to push the Carson-Newman lead to 7-0.

 

Carson-Newman would add to their early lead only three minutes later, as the Eagles again would rely on the running attack. Running back Dwayne Mims would break through the left-side of the Tornado defense and scurry in to the end zone for a 33-yard touchdown run. Again Ingham’s point after attempt was good, pushing C-N’s lead to 14-0 in the opening quarter.

 

After Brevard’s second straight three and out on the offensive side of the ball, Carson-Newman went on the attack again, capping off a 58-yard drive with a 42-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Alex Good to receiver James Banks to help push the score to 21-0.

 

The BC defense would hold strong on the Eagles next offensive possession, as defensive tackle Christian Lumbu picked up a huge sack on the first down play. After linebacker ReShawn Parks picked up a tackle in the Eagle backfield to force a third and long, the Eagles drive was ultimately stopped on the next play as Richard Ray and Butch Bridges combined to pick up another sack and for the Eagles to punt for the first time on the afternoon.

 

Down 21-0 the Tornados offense looked to start the second quarter off on the right track but failed to get going as a fumble on the option pitch was recovered by the Eagles giving them great field position deep in BC territory.

 

Again the defense would come up big for BC as Devin Simpson forced a Mims fumble which was recovered by Josh Durm on the Tornados five-yard line to give the ball back to the BC offense.

 

Yet BC could not capitalize on the turnover and after they were forced to punt again, the Eagles pushed the score to 28-0 midway through the second quarter, as Clarence Goines would score on a 10-yard run and Ingham added the extra point with 7:58 remaining in the half.

 

Late in the second quarter the Tornado offense began to find its rhythm, as they put together a string of first downs before being forced to punt once again.

 

The Eagles would add a field goal right before the end of the half to put the lead at 31-0 going into the halftime break.

 

Coming out of the halftime period, the Eagles scored on the first play of the second half as reserve quarterback Doug Belk hit an open Justin Long on a swing pass, who then took it 56-yards for the score. Kicker Marcello Roberts added the extra point to push the score to 38-0.

 

The heart of the Tornados would show through, as on the next possession the Tornado offense broke through when freshman quarterback Trey Wilborn broke through on a quarterback option run, going 65-yards untouched down the BC sideline for the score. Chase Henry’s extra point attempt was blocked, as BC got on the board making the score 38-6.

 

Carson-Newman would answer back with a score of its own, which was set up by a 50-yard kick off return. The Eagles, who started on the BC 30-yard line, capped off a six play, 30-yard drive with a one-yard quarterback sneak by Belk. After Roberts' extra point was good, the Eagles increased the lead to 45-6.

 

Yet the will and determination of the Tornados was conveyed, as Donald Hudson finished off a four-play, 53-yard drive with a 28-yard touchdown scamper to cut into the large C-N lead. Henry’s extra point was good to make the score 45-13 with a little over eight minutes remaining in the third quarter.

 

Carson-Newman tried to again answer the Tornados score with a score of their own, as they drove down the field on their next possession only to have Goines cough up the ball on the goal line. BC’s Stanley Jones recovered the loose ball on the one-yard line, giving the ball back to the Tornado offense that had scored on its previous two drives.

 

Yet both teams offenses would slow down as neither team would score over the next eight minutes heading into the final quarter of play.

 

Carson-Newman added a late score with only six seconds remaining in the game to seal the 52-13 win for the No. 13 ranked Eagles.

 

In the second half of play, the Tornados played well as they held the No. 13 ranked Eagles to 21 points, while scoring 13 points of their own. BC also gained 154 yards on offense in the final two quarters of play, after gaining only 32 yards in the first half.

Wilborn led the Tornados with 91 yards on only eight rushing attempts. Hudson had 26-yards on the ground, while sophomore Derek Church and running back John Taylor had 20 and 18 – yards, respectively.

 

For the Eagles, running back Matt Ward led the way with 137-yards on 12 carries.

 

The Tornados return home next Saturday, November 3, as they will play host to the Catawba Indians in the 2007 home finale. Kick off is set for 2 p.m.

 

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