Oct. 16, 2004

Final Stats

Spartanburg, S.C. - Defending Southern Conference champion and sixth-ranked Wofford used a late punt block to rally for a 15-12 Homecoming victory over Western Carolina Saturday afternoon at Gibbs Stadium.

Trailing 12-7 with under five minutes to play, Wofford saw freshman linebacker Jason Leventis and senior defensive end Erik Hutchinson combine for a punt block on Western Carolina's Tim Mayse. Alex Love made the recovery for the Terriers at the Catamount 29-yard line.

Three plays later, facing a fourth-and-five, Terrier quarterback Jeff Zolman hit tight end Adam Regenthal with a 23-yard completion to the Western Carolina one. Zolman then scored on a sneak with the next play. A two-point rush by Gabriel Jackson gave Wofford a 15-12 lead with 2:21 remaining.

Wofford's Nick Robinson put the ensuing kickoff into the end zone for a touchback. With a fourth-and-10 at their 35, Catamount signal caller Justin Clark completed a 20-yard pass to Michael Reeder to give the Catamounts a first down at the Terrier 45. Western Carolina eventually reached the Wofford 34 before the drive stalled, giving the Terriers the victory.

Western Carolina (2-5, 0-3) outgained Wofford (5-1, 3-1) by a 246-to-203 margin in the defensive struggle. The Terriers, who entered the game ranking third nationally in team rushing at 329.4 yards per game, were held to 158 yards on the ground. Western Carolina has now held each of its opponents this season to under their season average in rushing. Kevious Johnson topped Wofford with 68 yards on 17 carries.

The Catamount defense was led by Primus Glover. The junior tallied seven tackles, including two for losses, with a half sack. Jada Sullivan added six stops, while Francis Brown and Albert Reid logged five stops each. Western's defense cobined for eight tackles for losses, thanks to two each by Brown and Reid.

Catamount quarterbacks Clark (14-of-23) and Russell Hemby (5-of-8) combined to complete 19-of-31 attempts for 163 yards, while Nicholas Wishart added 75 yards on 21 attempts.

The Catamounts took a 6-0 lead just 6:09 into the contest when Calvin Guinyard blocked a Wofford punt by Daniel McDowell with the ball being recovered in the end zone by Lamar Beam for a Western Carolina touchdown. The extra-point attempt was missed.

Wofford took a 7-6 lead with 5:16 to play in the first quarter when nose tackle Katon Bethay returned an interception seven yards for a touchdown. Hemby was being pressured by Basinger when his pass was picked off by Bethay.

The Catamounts regained a 9-7 lead on a 36-yard field goal by Mayse with 9:17 to play in the first half. It capped an eight-play, 29-yard drive. Western Carolina had the ball with a second-and-goal from the Wofford 3, before a nine-yard tackle for a loss by Ben Whitney and a six-yard Jimmy Freland sack on consecutive plays pushed the Catamounts back to the Wofford 18.

The first half was a defensive struggle. The Catamounts were held to just 75 yards of offense with Wofford totaling 103.

A career-long 41-yard field goal by Mayse with 1:02 left in the third quarter extended Western Carolina's lead to 12-7. It capped a 13-play, 57-yard drive covering 6:13 on the clock.

After a missed Catamount field goal with 6:47 left, Western's defense forced a three and out. However, WCU would go three and out on offense on the ensuing possession, setting up Wofford game-deciding punt block.

Western Carolina will host Chattanooga next Saturday (Oct. 23) at 2 pm for the Catamounts' Homecoming.