Football

September 1, 2007

Football Rolls to 34-7 Win Over #22 Elizabeth City State

Fisher runs for 142 yards in victory

ELIZABETH CITY, NC -- Catawba took over late in the first half and went on to score a 34-7 win over host Elizabeth City State in football action on Saturday night at Roebuck Stadium.  The Catawba Indians improve to 2-0, while the 22nd-ranked Vikings fall to 0-1.

 Catawba scored first, but overcame three first half turnovers to lead 20-7 at the break.  Brad Roach (Williamston, NC/Williamston HS) threw one of his three interceptions on the Tribe’s first drive, but came right back to give Catawba a 6-0 lead on a 14-yard pass to Shane Timmons (Denton, NC/S. Davidson HS).  The Indians point-after failed.

Roach’s second pick led to an ECSU score after a 49-yard pass from Tashawn Lee to Billy Wiggins to the Tribe three-yard-line.   Brandon Fields scored from a yard out and the extra point put the Vikings up 7-6 with 12:45 left in the half. 

Late in the second quarter, Catawba took the lead for good.  George Bell (Fayetteville, NC/Britt HS) kept a drive alive with a five-yard run on a fourth and one near midfield then carried in from three-yards out for the go-ahead score. 

Cortez Best (Huntersville, NC/N. Mecklenburg) made a key interception with just five second left in the half and Roach struck on the final play with a 32-yard strike to Antwan Strong (Charlotte, NC/W. Charlotte HS).  A two-point conversion pass from Roach to Walter Horne (Statesville, NC/Statesville HS) put Catawba up 20-7.

Elizabeth City State missed on a 44-yard field goal attempt on its first possession of the second half and would not reach Catawba territory again.  Roach added a one-yard scoring run to open the final quarter and Kory Fisher (New Bern, NC/New Bern HS) capped a huge day with an 18-yard run with 8:33 left for the final margin.

Fisher finished with 142 yards on 18 carries, eclipsing the 100-yard mark for the sixth time in his career.  The Tribe ran for 280 yards on the day with Bell adding 57 yards and Jamelle Cuthbertson (Charlotte, NC/Harding HS) going for 52 yards.

Roach rallied from his tough start, tossing a pair of scoring passes and rushing for a third score.  He completed 16-of-27 passes for 211 yards and ran for 28 more.  Joe Mitchell (Tallahassee, FL/ Florida HS) was the top target with five catches for 57 yards.  Timmons tied a career-high with four grabs and Strong had three receptions. 

Catawba totaled 491 yards, while holding the Vikings to only 184.  ECSU completed just 5-of-20 passes for 64 yards.  Fields had 57 yards on the ground. 

Box Score