Senior running back
Mario Wallace and junior quarterback Drew Carter reached career
milestones. Wallace went over 5,000 career all-purpose yards with
165 on Saturday. Carter reached 5,000 career passing yards with 166
in the game.
Wallace rushed for a season-high 125 yards and a touchdown on 13
carries. The Panthers finished with a season-high 212 yards rushing
as a team.
The Panthers' defense held quarterback Nick Lindsey to 160 yards
of total offense. Lindsey came into the game averaging 299 yards of
total offense this season.
Josh Britt led the defense with eight total tackles. The Panthers
forced three turnovers, including two interceptions. Josh Clinton
returned one of the interceptions for the Panthers' second score of
the game.
Eureka took the opening kickoff and controlled the ball for half of
the first quarter. Lindsey converted on a fourth and 13 at the
Panthers' 33 with a 13-yard run. The Red Devils reached the 5
before the drive stalled and Travis Huber kicked a 27-yard field
goal for a 3-0 lead.
The Panthers answered on their second possession. A short punt set
the Panthers up at the Eureka 45. Wallace needed only one play to
cover the distance, putting the Panthers ahead to stay 7-3 at the
end of the first quarter.
Clinton extended the Panthers' lead to 13-3 early in the second
quarter. He picked off Lindsey's pass and returned it 37 yards for
the touchdown. It was the Panthers' first defensive touchdown of
the season.
The Panthers drove to the Eureka 6 on their next possession. Carter
and Dustin Canon hooked up on a 60-yard catch and run to get to the
6. The drive stalled and Josh Stripling booted a 22-yard field goal
to make it 16-3.
The Panthers went 67 yards in seven plays to open up a 23-3 lead at
halftime. Carter ran for 22 yards on third down and a personal foul
penalty on the play put the Panthers at the Eureka 24. On fourth
and 10 from the 24, Carter hit Riley Hill for the touchdown with
3:20 left in the half.
Eureka moved the ball on its first possession of the second half.
The Red Devils reached the Panthers' 5. But the Panthers' defense
stiffened, forcing the Red Devils to turn the ball over on downs at
the 3.
Tim Hill's fumble recovery stopped the next Red Devils' drive at
the Panthers' 27. From there, the Panthers went on a 14-play
scoring drive. Carter completed the drive with his second touchdown
pass on a fourth down play, this time 17 yards to Nick Langley on
the final play of the quarter.
Eureka got in the end zone in the fourth quarter to make it 30-10.
Backup quarterback Sam Durley passed 3 yards to Wes Schmidgall to
complete a nine-play 74-yard drive.
The Panthers finished the scoring with a seven-play 57-yard drive.
Kent Gibson had all of the yards on the ground. The Red Devils
helped the Panthers with a 15-yard personal foul penalty. Gibson
finished the drive with a 13-yard run for his first collegiate
touchdown.
The Panthers host Westminster for Homecoming next Saturday. Kickoff
is 1 p.m.