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FB v Huntingdon Howard TD run
10
Methodist MU 2-5 , 2-3
37
Winner N.C. Wesleyan NCW 5-2 , 4-1
Methodist MU
2-5 , 2-3
10
Final
37
N.C. Wesleyan NCW
5-2 , 4-1
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
MU Methodist 0 3 0 7 10
NCW N.C. Wesleyan 14 13 3 7 37

Game Recap: Football | | Ja'Shawn Steward-Johnson

Howard Closes in on Record in Loss

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.  Methodist dropped its USA South Athletic Conference game to host N.C. Wesleyan, 37-10 on Saturday afternoon. The Battling Bishops jumped out to an early, first-half 20-0 lead which proved to be too much for the Monarchs.

In a battle of two of the conference's top offenses, it was N.C. Wesleyan that prevailed with a vicious ground game. The Battling Bishops out gained the Monarchs in first downs, 28-14, and in total yards of offense, 510 to Methodist's 263. The Bishops finished the game with 337 rushing yards.

Vontre Howard rushed for 130 yards on 20 carries in the loss, putting him 63 yards away from the Monarchs' single-season rushing record set in 2005.

JUST THE FACTS
Final Score: N.C. Wesleyan def. Methodist, 37-10
Records: Methodist 2-5 (2-3 USA South Conference), N.C. Wesleyan 5-2 (4-1 Conference)
Location: Rocky Mount Athletic; Rocky Mount, N.C.

HOW IT HAPPENED
  • The Battling Bishops came out firing on all cylinders as they gained five first-downs in the opening drive, resulting in a nine-yard touchdown run by Jalen Mitchell. A 42-yard run from Adrian Minondo set up a N.C. Wesleyan touchdown on its second drive.
  • The first three drives by the Methodist offense ended up with a punt.
  • Midway through the second quarter, Hunter Baldwin made a 27-yard field goal, set up by six Howard runs for 50 yards in the drive.
  • Nate Gardner ran the ball in for a touchdown from the two-yard line to give N.C. Wesleyan a 27-3 lead right before the end of the first half.
  • The best drive by the Monarch offense came in the third quarter but resulted in zero points after the Battling Bishops recovered a fumble in the end zone. On that drive, Steve Keoni was six-of-seven passing for 54 yards.
  • N.C. Wesleyan went three-and-out immediately following the turnover and the Monarchs took advantage of the good field position for a score. Howard scored a two-yard touchdown.
  • There was another fumble that bounced the Battling Bishops way in the fourth quarter. Gardner fumbled at his own nine-yard line but was able to recover the fumble. If the Monarchs recovered, they would have had a good chance to cut the deficit to 17-30 early in the fourth quarter.
  • After a turnover-on-downs in the red zone by Methodist, Minondo broke free with a 55-yard touchdown run for the final score of 10-37.

THE STAT FACTS
  • Keoni went 15-of-25 for 106 yards and an interception.
  • Josh Carter led all Monarchs with five catches for 36 yards.
  • Julian Cupo had a team-high eight total tackles, five of them being solo stops. E.J. White had a team-high six solo tackles.

BATTLING BISHOPS' VIEW
  • Minondo rushed a season-high 246 yards on 29 carries and three touchdowns. Joe Izaguirre added 93 rushing yards on 11 carries.
  • Trey Lancaster, the USA South's leading receiver for yards, had seven catches for 81 yards.
  • Isaiah Williams wreaked havoc in the Monarchs' offensive backfield with nine total tackles, eight of them solo stops and three and a half tackle for losses, including a sack.

UP NEXT
  • Methodist is back on the road to take on LaGrange (2-6 overall, 1-4 USA South) Saturday at 1 p.m.
  • It is Senior Day for N.C. Wesleyan as they are home once again to take on Huntingdon on Saturday at 1 p.m.
    
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