Football | 9/8/2012 10:27:00 PM

Box Score GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Methodist football team forced three Guilford turnovers and freshman running back John Pappillion scored three touchdowns as the Monarchs rolled to a 34-21 win at Guilford on Saturday evening.
 
In addition to the three takeaways, the Monarchs(1-1) limited the Quakers to just 76 yards on the ground on 34 carries (2.2 ypc) and scored on a blocked punt in a strong defensive effort.
 
Following a scoreless first half, Methodist would three times in the second period to take a commanding 21-7 lead into the break. Papillion started the scoring when he capped a 6-play, 61-yard drive with a 3-yard touchdown run, the first of his collegiate career, to give Methodist a 7-0 lead with 12:26 on the clock.
 
On Guilford's ensuing possession, facing a 4^th-and-7 from their own 33-yardline, the Quakers punt attempt was blocked by sophomore Van Conyers, who then scooped up the loose ball and scampered in from 11 yards out to put the Monarchs up 14-0.
 
Following three and outs by both teams, Guilford cut into the Methodist lead by marching 60 yards in six plays topped by a Josh Williams 1-yard touchdown plunge with 4:38 left in the half to make it a 14-7 ballgame.
 
Methodist answered right back with an 8-play, 71-yard drive that took just 3:22 and went up 21-7 when Pappillion scored from seven yards out with 1:03 left in the half. Sophomore quarterback Max Reber had back-to-back runs of 11 and 18 yards to key the drive.
 
Sophomore Keltcey Richardson then picked off Guilford's Matt Pawlowski's pass on the Quakers' ensuing possession before halftime.
 
Methodist recorded the only points of the third quarter as Reber finished off an 8-play, 51-yard drive with a 26-yard touchdown pass to junior Vaughn Cross for a 28-7 lead at the 6:40 mark. Pappillion then gave the Monarchs a commanding 34-7 lead with a 5-yard touchdown run, his third of the game, just 1:58 into the fourth quarter.
 
Guilford then embarked on a marathon 16-play, 78-yard drive that used up 6:25 of clock and resulted in a 7-yard touchdown run by Pawlowski that made it a 34-14 game with 6:27 left in the contest.
 
Following a brief delay after the lights went out in the stadium, the second time in as many games that the power has gone out on the Monarchs, Pawlowski hooked up with Adam Smith for a 26-yard touchdown pass with 26 seconds remaining to complete the scoring.
 
Reber finished with 73 yards rushing on 13 carries and was 6-fo-12 for 104 yards with a touchdown and an interception through the air. Pappillion added 45 yards on 15 carries to go with his three trips to paydirt and senior John Flanagan netted 46 yards on 14 carries as part of a rushing attack that totaled 174 yards. Cross finished with two receptions for 61 yards to lead the receiving corps.
 
Defensively the Monarchs were led by sophomore linebacker M.J. Bryant, who made seven tackles. Senior cornerback Malcolm McCoy added six tackles and an interception, while B.J. Minter totaled five stops, including a sack.
 
Pawlowski finished 31-of-55 for 294 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions through the air. He also rushed 12 times for 22 yards with one touchdown. Smith was the primary beneficiary, catching 13 balls for 134 yards in total.
 
Robert Smith led the Quakers' defense with 19 total tackles, including five for a loss. Alex Smith added four stops and a pick.
 
The Monarchs return to action on next Saturday when they travel to Emory & Henry for a 1:00 pm game.