Newberry, S.C. – For the third straight week, the Brevard College football team took on a top-20 team, as they fell on the road to the No. 22 ranked Newberry Indians, 17-6 to finish up their first full season.

 

With the loss the Tornados fell to 2-9 overall, while Newberry improved to 9-2 overall.

 

The Indians got on the board first, driving 78-yards to the three-yard line. However, the Tornados defense made a strong stop at their own three-yard line to force the Indians to settle for a Ryan Lukshis field goal in an early 3-0 lead.

 

After two stalled drives by the Tornado offense, the Indians added to their lead with 6:15 remaining in the second quarter, when running back Alex Haynes scored on a two-yard touchdown run, capping off a 12-play, 81-yard drive to put the Indians up two scores. A Lukshis extra point pushed the Newberry lead to 10-0.

 

The last 6:15 of the first half saw sloppy play from both teams as the Tornados quarterback Trey Wilborn threw an interception to end the next BC offensive drive, while Newberry committed three penalties are their next offensive possession to give the ball back to Brevard with just a little over two minutes remaining. With BC penned back deep in their own territory, the Tornados moved the ball picking up 21-yards on four plays only to have the clock wind down ending the half with the score remaining 10-0.

 

BC came out of the halftime break rejuvenated, as the defense capitalized on a Newberry bad snap, as safety Ricky Morton recovered the loose ball for the Tornados at the Brevard 49-yard line.

 

The BC offense would take advantage of the turnover and drive 42-yards on 11 plays led by the rushing attack. However, the Tornados were forced to settle for a Chase Henry field goal which split the uprights putting BC on the board and cutting the Newberry lead to 10-3.

 

Yet the Indians answered right back on their next offensive possession, driving 62-yards on nine plays which was finished off by a Haynes four-yard touchdown scamper and a Lukshis point after attempt to put the Indians back on top by two touchdowns at, 17-3.

 

With their first offense set in the fourth quarter, BC faced a third down and three from their own 35-yard line, when Wilborn picked up the Tornados longest play of the day, a 62-yard run down to the Newberry 3-yard line. However, BC was unable to punch the ball in on the next three tries and again was forced to settle for a field goal. Henry connected on his second field goal of the game, a 27-yard attempt, to cut the lead to 17-6 with 9:58 remaining in the fourth quarter.

After a Tornado defensive stop, Brevard got the ball back on their own 20-yard line. However, a personal foul penalty would put the Tornados in a hole which forced Luke Lovelace to punt for the fifth time of the game. 

 

The Indians would just run out the last 4:45 of the fourth quarter as they held on to defeat the Tornados, 17-6.

 

The Tornados were led by the running attack they garnered 222-yards, as BC did not complete a single pass on the night, going 0 for 3 with an interception. Wilborn led BC with 61-rushing yards on 10 carries. Fullback Derek Church rushed 16 times for 54-yards, while sophomore running back Tyrone Arrington had 10 carries for 47-yards.

 

Freshman place kicker Chase Henry connected on both of his field goal attempts, 25-yards and 27-yards, to provide the scoring for the Tornados on the night.

 

Defensively the duo of Stanley Jones and Elliot Collins collected 12 tackles apiece, while four players – Donald Hudson, Michael Turner, Cory Pertz and Jeffrey Adams – lined up on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball for most of the game.

 

Newberry was led by running back Alex Haynes who gained 224-yards on 37 carries, scoring twice on the ground for the Indians. Quarterback Brandon Gantt went 10 of 14 through the air for 94-yards, while also rushing for 69-yards on 10 carries.

 

In only the second year of the football program, the Tornados finished their challenging 2007 campaign with a 2-9 record, making drastic improvements throughout the season, and living up to Coach Hamilton’s season motto of “improving each and every day, not only as football players but as young men.” 

 

The Tornados scored in every game this season compared to four shutouts last season, including a 45-0 loss to the Indians in 2006.

 

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