Oct 26, 2002

Final Stats

CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Junior running back Manny DeShauteurs accounted 222 yards of offense, including a career-high 163 on the ground, to lead Western Carolina to a 45-28 Homecoming victory over Chattanooga Saturday afternoon at E.J. Whitmire Stadium/Bob Waters Field. Western has now won each of its last five Homecoming tilts and eight of its last 10.

DeShauteurs carried the ball 23 times, also a career-high, and caught two passes for 59 yards. With the Cats holding on to slim 24-21 lead midway through the fourth quarter, Catamount quarterback Pat Cilento completed a short pass to DeShauteurs in the flat, which turned into a 50-yard touchdown play. With Western running out the clock holding a 38-28 lead, DeShauteurs broke a 42-yard rushing touchdown with 35 seconds left in the game to provide the final 45-28 margin.

On the defensive side for Western (4-5, 2-4 SoCon), junior defensive end Michale Spicer tallied seven tackles, including five for losses and 3.5 sacks. The five tackles for loss ties a WCU single-game record, which he also accomplished this season versus West Virginia Tech. He also played a key role in WCU's taking a 38-21 lead 15 seconds after DeShauteurs' 50-yard TD reception. Spicer pressured Chattanooga quarterback Ryan McCann into throwing an errant pass, which WCU junior linebacker Rod Dunlap picked off and returned 14 yards for a score. With his effort, Spicer moves to fifth on Western's career sacks list (18) and sixth on the schools tackles for loss list (36).

Western Carolina took the opening kickoff and jumped out to an early 7-0 lead, driving 90 yards in seven plays. Cilento missed on his first passing attempt of the drive, but connected on his next five, including a 12-yard score to junior tight end Todd Bargella. The Cats missed a field goal on their next possession, but would take a 10-0 lead late in the first quarter on a 40-yard Chris Vought field goal.

Chattanooga (0-8, 0-4 SoCon) got on the board, making the score 10-7, on its first drive of the second quarter. The 10-play, 65-yard drive was capped with a five-yard McCann to Jeremy Grier pass. However, four plays later, the Cats would regain a 10-point advantage on a 54-yard Brian Gaither to Chris Lane passing TD. The pass would mark the first time in two years of rotating at quarterback that Cilento and Gaither had thrown a touchdown pass in the same game.

With 1:01 left in the first half, the Mocs once again trimmed their deficit to three, 17-14. McCann was 5-of-6 passing on the drive, while Patrick Flanagan provided the final four yards on a rushing TD.

Like the first half, Western would score on its first possession of the second half. Cilento accounted for 71 of the 77 yards on the scoring drive. He rushed twice for 23 yards and was 4-of-4 passing on the drive, including a 23-yard scoring strike to Lamont Seward to make the score 24-14.

As the third quarter came to a close, the Mocs once again made the game interesting on a 63-yard McCann to Ebrahim Tehrani touchdown pass. McCann posted career highs with 28 completions, 43 attempts and 375 yards on the day. However, the WCU defense held the Mocs to just 34 yards rushing on 33 attempts for the contest.

The teams traded punts over the next four possessions before DeShauteurs' 50-yard TD reception. After Dunlap's interception return, the Mocs continued to stay in the game. With 1:45 left, Jason Ball scored from five yards out, making the score 38-28. Chattanooga attempted an on-side kick, which WCU tight end Brian Pesci recovered, leading to DeShauteurs' 42-yard TD run.

In addition to DeShautuers' impressive day, Cilento completed 18-of-31 passes for 190 yards and a career-high three TDs. Gaither completed 3-of-4 for 64 yards and a TD. In all, the Cats passed for four touchdowns, coming into the game with only four passing TDs on the season. Michael Banks was Western's top target, hauling in six passes for 35 yards. The senior now has 174 career receptions, which moves him to fifth on the Southern Conference's all-time list. (His total is third on the WCU list.)

On the defensive side of the ball for Western, true freshman Lamont Reid, who was thrust into the starting role last week, registered a team-high eight tackles. Dunlap also tallied eight stops, including three for losses and a half sack.

For the Mocs, Jeremy Grier caught nine passes for 88 yards, while Jason Jones had eight receptions for 110 yards. Josh Cain, the SoCon's leading tackler, had another double-digit day, getting 12 stops.

Western Carolina will return to action next Saturday (Nov. 2) at VMI. Kickoff is set for 1:00 pm in Lexington, Va. Chattanooga will host Appalachian State next Saturday at 1:30 pm.