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FB v Averett Howard
Dave Hilbert, D3photography.com
22
Winner Averett AVERETT 7-2 , 6-1
13
Methodist MU 2-7 , 2-5
Winner
Averett AVERETT
7-2 , 6-1
22
Final
13
Methodist MU
2-7 , 2-5
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
AVERETT Averett 7 0 2 13 22
MU Methodist 0 13 0 0 13

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

Near upset by Monarchs on Senior Day

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.  In the season finale against Averett University, the Monarchs lost 22-13 Saturday afternoon to the visiting Cougars in USA South Conference action.

Methodist took a 13-7 lead late in the second quarter and held on to the advantage through the fourth quarter before Cole Westberry knocked in the go-ahead 38-yard field goal for Averett with less than four minutes to go.

After breaking the Monarchs' single-season rushing record last week, Vontre Howard added 118 rushing yards in this game, bringing his regular season total to a final tally of 1,350 yards and ten touchdowns in only nine games.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Averett def. Methodist, 22-13
Records: Methodist 2-7 overall (2-5 USA South); Averett 7-2 (6-1 USA South)
Location: Fayetteville, N.C.; Monarch Stadium
Attendance: 1,084

HOW IT HAPPENED:
  • Sporting a 13-12 lead with ten minutes left to play, the Monarchs' offense was putting together a promising drive which spanned 45 yards on five plays but was cut short just outside of the red zone as Averett's Joseph Ledbetter forced and recovered a Methodist fumble.
  • Following the fumble, the Cougars drove down to the Monarchs' 21 and on fourth and one, Averett brought out Westberry for the potential go-ahead kick. Westberry made the 38-yarder with leg to spare to put them up 15-13.
  • On the previous Cougars drive, Westberry made a 24-yarder to cut the deficit to only one point. Those two made field goals came after he missed a 21-yard field goal earlier in the third quarter.
  • That third-quarter miss came after the Cougars were repelled from the end zone beginning with a first and goal at the Methodist one yard line. Combined stops from Julian Cupo, Scott Berry, Nathan Jones and Brandon Bagley pushed the Cougars backward.
  • With the Monarchs trailing 15-13 with less than four minutes to go, Methodist threw four consecutive incompletions to turn the ball over on downs.
  • Five plays later, Sean Bowman scored on a six-yard run and Westberry made the extra point to clinch the nine-point win for the Cougars with 34 seconds left.
  • A safety by the Monarchs' punter Bobby Haggerty gifted the Cougars with two points and possession in the third quarter but Westberry missed the 21-yard field goal at the end of the ten-play drive.
  • On the Methodist drive following Westberry's miss, the Monarchs' Hunter Baldwin missed a short field-goal of his own as the attempt was blocked the Cougars. Keoni was masterful in that 13-play, 73-yard drive. Keoni completed five-of-eight passes for 47 yards, not including the defensive pass interference that was called on Averett.
  • Nine of the 12 drives in the first half resulted in a punt. The other three drives were touchdowns.
  • Quarterback Jacob Wright put the Cougars on the board first with a five-yard touchdown run after Averett was gifted with good field position following a short punt.
  • After runs of 21 and 20 on one drive by Howard, Steve Keoni hit Victory Woods for a 21-yard touchdown completion to cut the deficit to 7-6.
  • Following an Averett three-and-out, the Monarchs responded with another touchdown, a ten-yard pass from Keoni to Carter. The touchdown came after an illegal block took a Howard touchdown run off the board.
  • Methodist's defense ended the first half on a positive note when a drive that started on their side of the field resulted in zero points as Wright threw three incompletions in a row, two of which were broken up by Monarch defenders.

STAT FACTS
  • Keoni turned in one of his better games of the season by completion 20-of-35 passes for 197 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions.
  • Howard topped 100 rushing yards for the fourth consecutive game with 118 on 22 carries.
  • Josh Carter led all receivers with eight catches and 75 yards and a touchdown.
  • Julian Cupo established himself early and often as he had a career-high 15 total tackles, the second time he has went over double digits in tackles. Brandon Bagley had a season-high ten total tackles and Nate Jones added nine.
  • The Monarchs out gained the Cougars in the first downs, 20-17.
  • Methodist's defense held up, especially on third downs as Averett converted only three of 13 opportunities. The Monarch offense was fifty percent, going 7-of-14.

COUGARS SCAN
  • Sean Bowman had a game-high 141 rushing yards on 23 carries.
  • Rayvon Johnson had a team-high five catches for 63 yards and a touchdown.
  • Seth Brendle and Joseph Ledbetter led the Cougars' defensive unit as Brendle had a team-high ten total tackles and Ledbetter had seven total tackles with 2.5 going for a loss.

SENIOR DAY
Today was the last collegiate game for 10 Monarch seniors as Josh Carter, Devon Cox, Traven Johnson, John Strahl, Jamsly Louizuis, EJ White, Scott Berry, DJ Twitty, Nick Wade, and Teddy Wilkerson were all honored before the game.
    
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