Box Score Nov. 13, 2004
Final Stats |
Cullowhee, N.C. -
Western Carolina, who honored its senior class prior to the game, had reserve quarterback Justin Clark find Michael Reeder for a 22-yard touchdown with 41 seconds left in the game as the Catamounts posted a 30-27 come-from-behind win over Appalachian State Saturday evening at E.J. Whitmire Stadium/Bob Waters Field. It marked the first time since 1998 that the Catamounts (4-6, 2-4 SoCon) had defeated the Mountaineers (6-5, 4-3 SoCon) and laid claim the Old Mountain Jug.
Clark, who came in for an injured
Bennett Swygert, finished the game by completing all five of his passes for 113 yards and two touchdowns. Redshirt freshman
Eddie Cohen caught five passes for a career-high 109 yards, with two TDs, while sophomore tailback
Darius Fudge had a career-high 134 yards on nine attempts (14.9 yards per carry) to play key roles in the victory as well.
The game-winning touchdown was setup when WCU senior defensive tackle Albert Reid recovered a Richie Williams fumble, which was caused by Catamount senior Lamar Beam, on the Mountaineer 22. After a short pass to Calvin Guinyard, Western called a time out to stop the clock with 49 seconds left. Clark then found Reeder in the left corner of the endzone to put WCU up one. Clark then connected with Reeder once again for the two-point conversion, putting the Cats up three (30-27) with 41 seconds left.
The game featured several thrilling plays down in the final quarter and two long scoring drives.
Down four to start the fourth quarter, Western Carolina was backed up on its own two yard line after 31-yard punt by ASU's Julian Rauch. After a short completion to give WCU some breathing room, Fudge broke a 51-yard run up the middle, giving WCU the ball on the ASU 42. Swygert then completed a 19-yard pass to Guinyard. A 15-yard Nicholas Wishart run put the Cats down to the eight and, three plays later, Swygert completed the eight-play, 98-yard drive with a six yard touchdown pass to Cohen. The score put Western up 16-13 with 9:52 left to play.
Appalachian answered with an 11-play, 80-yard scoring drive. Williams had short runs and short completions, methodically marching the Mountaineers down the field. However, Williams did hit Alan Atwater for a 34-yard pass, moving ASU to the Catamount 15. From there, Williams has rushes of nine yards and one yard, then completed a four-yard pass for Atwater to get the one. Williams then capped the drive with a one-yard quarterback sneak to the endzone. Rauch tacked on the extra point as App State regained the advantage, leading 20-16 with 5:17 left.
The Mountaineers looked to be in fine shape 15 seconds later when ASU linebacker Nygel Rogers intercepted a Swygert pass and returned it 27 yards for a touchdown to give the Apps a 27-16 lead with 5:02 left.
The Mountaineers stormed the field after the interception return for a TD, resulting in a 15-yard penalty on the kickoff. ASU then was penalized five more yards for kicking the ball out of bounds. As a result, Western started the ensuing drive near midfield. On the first play of the drive, Swygert was injured and Clark entered the game. On his first pass, Cohen snagged a short pass, broke some tackles and, 53-yards later, found the endzone. The Cats tried for two, but failed and trailed the Apps 27-22 with 4:35 left.
Western then kicked a bloop kick, which dropped on the Appalachian State and recovered by senior Randy Thompson on the Mountaineer 39. Clark moved the Cats to the one yard line, thanks largely to a 32 pass from Clark to Cohen. However, Clark tried a quarterback sneak, only to fumble and have ASU's Michael King recover the ball in the endzone for a touchback with 2:03 left in the game.
After Williams had an incomplete pass and a short pass to Atwater, he fumbled to setup the game-winning Clark-to-Reeder pass.
The Catamount defense was impressive. Western kept the Mountaineers scoreless on their first five drives, forcing a punt, fumble, an interception, another punt and downs. However, Western Carolina was equally frustrated, having to punt and missing a field goal on its first two possessions.
The Cats broke the scoreless tie late in the first. After an interception by senior O.J. Owens, the Cats marched 48 yards in eight plays. The drive was capped by a three-yard Swygert to Guinyard fade route in left corner of the endzone. The point after was wide and the score remained 6-0.
On Appalachian's sixth and final drive of the first half, got on the scoreboard with 49 seconds left before the break with a 48-yard Rauch field goal, making the score 6-3 at the break.
Western Carolina took the second half kickoff and put together a 10-play, 49-yard scoring drive to regain momentum. The drive was highlighted by an 11-yard Fudge run and a 16-yard Reeder run. Tim Mayse came on and split the uprights from 29 yards out, giving the Cats a 9-3 lead.
The Mountaineers answered with a 13-play, 64-yard drive. DaVon Fowlkes, who set the Southern Conference single-season record for all-purpose yards during the contest, had a 14-yard rush to get to the WCU three. WCU kept the Mountaineers out of the endzone and looked to escape unscathed as Rauch missed a 21-yard field goal. However, a holding penalty on Western gave Rauch another try, and the ASU kicker connected from 19-yards out to make the score 9-6 in WCU's favor.
Appalachian State used the momentum to force Western to a three-and-out. The Apps had three consecutive plays over 10 yards to get the WCU 13. A nine-yard Williams to Victor Chavis pass moved the Mountaineers to the four. On first an goal, Western stopped Atwater for a loss, only to have Williams score from six yards out, giving ASU its first lead, 13-9, with 28 seconds left in the third quarter and setting up the thrilling four quarter battle.
For the game, Swygert turned in a fine performance in his first game back since suffered a shoulder separation Oct. 2 at Furman. He was 17-of-26 for 102 yards and two touchdowns, with the one interception. Clark was battling a should separation as well, leaving Western's last game -- at Elon Oct. 30. Guinyard had five catches for 33 yards and a score and Reeder had four for 31, not including his two-point conversion. Defensively for the Cats, freshman lilnebacker Travis Hill led the way with nine stops, while Bruce Lee had eight with two pass breakups.
Appalachian's Williams finished the game by completing 28-of-43 passes for 285 yards. While Williams did not have a touchdown pass, he did have two TD runs and led ASU with 23 rushes for 40 yards. Atwater, who had 39 rushing yards on nine attempts, was Williams' top target, getting eight receptions for 87 yards, while Fowlkes ended the night with five catches for 56 yards. The Mountaineer defense was led by Brad West, who tallied 10 tackles, with Omaar Byrom getting six.
Western Carolina closes the 2004 season next Saturday (Nov. 20) at The Citadel. Kickoff is set for Noon.
