Football

October 1, 2016

Football Falls At Newberry

NEWBERRY, N.C. -- In a game that neither team could muster 300 yards of offense, Newberry claimed a 35-14 win over Catawba on Saturday night at Setzler Field.  The Wolves improve to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in the SAC, while the Catawba Indians fall to 2-3 and 2-1.

Cole Watson caught two touchdown passes from Raleigh Yeldell and Romelo Doctor scored a pair of rushing touchdowns to lead Newberry.  Yeldell went 19-of-30 through the air for 257 yards and three scores.  Doctor ran for 58 yards for an offense that netted only 41 on the ground.

Eamon Smart (Cape Coral, Fla./Cape Coral) ran for 61 of Catawba’s 92 yards on the ground.  Mike Sheehan (Wilmington, N.C./Laney) completed 8-of-12 passes for 87 yards and a touchdown to Bruce Smith (Winston-Salem, N.C./N. Davidson) before leaving win an injury in the second quarter.

Newberry’s special teams set the tone, blocking a punt on Catawba’s first possession and taking over at the Indian 19.  Doctor carried three times, the first for 18 yards, and scored from a yard out for an early lead.  The point after was missed leaving Newberry up 6-0.

Catawba put together a scoring drive on its third possession, marching 80 yards in 14 plays.  Smart had 23 early yards on the ground then Sheehan all five pass attempts which culminated on a seven-yard toss to Smith and a 7-6 lead.

Newberry regain the lead on its ensuing possession.  The Wolves went 79 yards on 12 plays with Yeldell finishing the drive on a 17-yard pass to Watson.  A two-point conversion pass from Yeldell to Wesley Jordan gave the hosts a 14-7 edge.

After a short punt late in the first half, Catawba had a chance to put some points on the board.  Newberry came up with another big special teams play, blocking a 37-yard field goal try.  The block led to Yeldell’s one-yard toss to Watson with 1:12 to go before the break and a 21-7 edge.

A 50-yard pass from Yeldell to Baptiste Staggers and three Doctor runs gave Newberry a 28-7 lead to open the second half.  Late in the third quarter, Catawba closed within 28-14 as Reid Carlton (Lecanto, Fla./Trinity Catholic) scored from a yard out. 

Carlton completed 5-of-6 passes in the 59-yard drive for 55 yards, including a 26-yard hook up with Sam Mobley (Monroe, N.C./Parkwood/Louisburg).  Newberry capped the scoring in the final five minutes on a Yeldell 13-yard pass to Braxton Ivery.

Cris Page (Atlanta, Ga./Heritage) picked off his third pass of the season for the Catawba defense.  Trey Evans (Barnsville, Ga./Lamar Co.) had a pair of sacks, while Kyle Kitchens (Decatur, Ga./Decatur) had a sack and forced a fumble.

Catawba comes home to Shuford Stadium on Saturday, hosting Limestone at 1:30 pm.

Box Score