Brevard, N.C. – The Brevard College football team returned home after being on the road the last two weeks only to have their homecoming spoiled by the Tusculum Pioneers, who defeated the Tornados 30-7 on homecoming weekend.

 

The loss drops the Tornados to 1-6 on the year, while Tusculum improves to 4-3, having won their last four games.

 

Tusculum got on the board first and did not look back as they scored 30 unanswered points, including 21 in the first half.

 

Tusculum was able to move the ball both through the air and on the ground against a Tornado defense that was on the field for most of the game.

 

The Pioneers jumped out to an early 7-0 lead with 12:43 remaining in their first quarter, as junior quarterback connected with receiver Chris Young for a six-yard touchdown reception, which capped of a nine-play, 79-yards drive.

 

Russell would then score the next two Pioneer touchdowns with his legs, as he scrambled from two-yards out to score with 2:09 remaining in the first half. Russell than ran the ball in on a designed quarterback sneak with no time remaining on the clock in the first half, to push the Pioneers halftime lead to 21-0.

 

The BC defense was challenged throughout the first half, as they were on the field a lot as the Tornado offense was unable to move the ball effectively against the Tusculum defense. For the half, the Tornados had 79-total offensive yards, with all of them coming by way of the running game.

 

After the Homecoming festivities during the halftime break, the Tornados looked ready to blow, as they lined up on the offensive side of the ball to start the half. However, BC was forced to go three-and-out, brining on punter Luke Lovelace for his fifth punt of the night.

 

Tusculum’s offense did not miss a beat, as Russell would throw his second touchdown pass of the game with 8:45 remaining in the third quarter, as he was able to throw up a pass to Brandon Dixon who was able to grab the jump ball away from the BC defender to score the touchdown and push the lead up to 27-0. The extra point attempt by Gareth Rowlands was no good.

 

However, after two more Tornado offensive drives stalled, Rowlands made amends for his missed extra point attempt by connecting on a 45 yard field goal to give the Pioneers a demanding 30-0 lead.

 

Yet the heart of the Tornados would not give in as BC would punch in a score early in the fourth quarter, putting points on the board and spoiling the Pioneers shutout.

 

Sophomore receiver Donald Hudson would score on a pitch play, running the ball in from three-yards out. The score was Hudson’s first of the season and capped off an 11-play, 75-yard drive, by far the best drive of the game for the Tornado offense.

 

Yet BC would not cross the goal line again, falling 30-7. 

 

While the Tornados offense was able to muster up only 193-yards, they did not have a single turnover for the game, after having eight over the past two weeks.

 

Running back John Taylor led the Tornados with 64-yards rushing on 13 attempts, while fullback Desmond Wilson came up with his best game of the season, rushing 11 times for 46-yards.

 

BC’s punter Luke Lovelace punted the ball 10 times on the night for 355-yards, an average of 35.5 for the game. Lovelace placed two punts inside the opponents own 20-yard line.

 

Tusculum was led by quarterback Corey Russell who connected on 20 of 35 passes, throwing for 303-yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Russell also rushed for 40-yards on eight attempts and two touchdowns.

 

The football team will look to regroup before next week, when they will play host to LaGrange College on Saturday, October 20, at 2 p.m. 

 

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