Sept. 22, 2007

Final Stats |  WCUvsPC - AP Story  |     |  WCUvsPC - Post Game Notes

Cullowhee, N.C. - Senior tailback Mike Malone rushed for a career-best 105 yards and two touchdowns while his backfield classmate Todd Spitzer threw for a career-high 239 yards on 19 completions as Western Carolina snapped its 12-game losing skid with a 33-20 win over the Presbyterian Blue Hose Saturday night at E.J. Whitmire Stadium/Bob Waters Field.

The win, which ends the nation's third-longest winless drought, was Western's 10th-straight victory in home openers and improved head coach Kent Briggs to 6-0 in home openers during his WCU tenure.

"I am very, very excited for our players and our program. This was a big win for us and boosted our confidence a little more. We have had a rough three weeks and we definitely needed this win tonight," said Briggs after emerging from a jubilant locker room. "We still have some improving to do and we'll work on those things headed into next week, right now we just need to enjoy it. I am very happy for the guys and the coaching staff".

Eight Catamounts caught passes for the Catamounts led by red-shirt sophomore Marquel Pittman who hauled in a career-best seven passes for 107 yards, including a long catch of 42 yards, while red-shirt sophomore Marcus Brown tallied his first career touchdown on a 16-yard strike.

Malone's 100-yard rushing day was the first for WCU since Darius Fudge rushed for 102 at Liberty in 2006. Pittman's 100-yard receiving output was the first since Eddie Cohen recorded 109 yards in 2004 against Appalachian State. The tandem 100-yard performers marked Western's first since the same '04 outing versus the Mountaineers when the Catamounts reclaimed the Jug in Cullowhee.

Western (1-3) scored on its first two possessions on the night to stake itself to a 10-3 lead late in the first quarter. The Catamounts drove the opening kickoff 71 yards in an impressive 13 plays, including a 14-yard pass to senior Nick Miller and a 13-yard delivery to Pittman. The drive was capped by an eight-yard touchdown scamper by Malone to give Western the 7-0 lead.

On the ensuing possession, the Catamount defense held Presbyterian to three and out, but a muffed punt and fumble recovery by the Blue Hose at the WCU eight-yard line set up PC first and goal. However, in the shadow of their own goal posts, Western again stiffened as red-shirt sophomore Darrell Gray broke up a third-down pass play from the three-yard line to limit the Blue Hose to a field goal.

Pittman's 42-yard reception from Spitzer highlighted the Catamounts second possession, which spanned 59 yards in seven plays and ended with a 30-yard Jonathan Parsons' field goal - his first of two on the night.

After Presbyterian closed to within four points, 10-6, with a second Cam Miller field goal, the Catamounts closed the half with a 45-yard scoring drive as Spitzer found Brown streaking down the middle from 16-yards out to push WCU ahead, 17-6, with under two minutes to play before the break.

Trying for a score before the break, Western recorded its first interception of the season as sophomore Antoine George picked off a Grayson Mullins pass in the end zone inside of 30 second left in the half. Western lead at the break, 17-6, marking the first time all season that Presbyterian had been held without a touchdown in any half.

Out of the halftime locker room, the Blue Hose (1-3), under the direction of new quarterback junior Tim Webb, used an aerial attack to move 82 yards in nine plays, seven of which were passes. The scoring drive was capped by a 30-yard strike from Webb to sophomore Matt Quinn, who transferred to PC from Vanderbilt during preseason workouts. Presbyterian's two-point conversion attempt failed leaving WCU ahead, 17-12.

Parsons' second field goal of the game - a 34 yarder with a minute remaining in the third quarter - pushed the Catamounts ahead by eight, 20-12. Yet, for the second time this season, Presbyterian tied the game with an early fourth quarter score as junior Terrence Butler scampered in from seven-yards out on an end around and Webb found Butler for the two-point conversion to leave the game knotted at 20.

With PC shying away from kicking to Malone - who finished with 193 all-purpose yards (105 rushing, 75 returns) - Brown was the beneficiary of a short kickoff on the next possess. The Cary, N.C., native returned the pooch 23 yards to set up the Catamounts in perfect field possession, in PC territory at the 45 yard line. Ten plays later, including eight carries for 36 yards by Malone, the Gainesville, Ga., native plunged in from four yards out to push WCU ahead for good, 26-20, on a drive that consumed 4:19 off the fourth quarter clock.

On Presbyterian's next possession, the Catamount defense again rose to the occasion. After surrendering consecutive runs of five and six yards, respectively, the Catamounts stymied the Blue Hose with a Calvin Johnson stop for no gain and Quinton Phillips and Jeff Bradley combining to shove Webb for a seven-yard loss forcing a PC punt.

Utilizing the running game on its final possession, Spitzer converted a fourth and goal from the one with a sneak up the middle into pay dirt to ice the victory.

Spitzer completed 19-of-31 passes for 239 yards, while red-shirt freshman Adam Hearns was 3-for-9 for 30 yards. Also, sophomore Willie Harper rushed 16 times for 62 yards as Western out gained its opposition for the first time this season, 432-to-346.

"Todd (Spitzer) came through real well for us tonight. He moved the ball and the team real well. He came through went it counted and did what was needed to win. Adam (Hearns) also played well for us tonight; he had a few drives that helped move the ball down field and continues to improve each game. He did some good things for us tonight and is going to have a great year and will continue to grow as the season goes on," said Briggs on the play of his two quarterbacks.

For Presbyterian, both quarterbacks surpassed the 100-yard passing mark as starter, Mullins, finished 10-for-23 with one interception and Webb was 10-of-13 for 104 yards and one TD. Tailback S.J. Worrell rushed 11 times for 76 yards for the Blue Hose who three on 37 of their 60 offensive plays.

"We've got to execute better - both our offense and our defense. Bottom line, what we do is based on execution, and we have to execute better," said PC head coach, Bobby Bentley following the loss.

Western Carolina opens Southern Conference play next Saturday, Sept. 29 as it visits Georgia Southern at Paulson Stadium in Statesboro, Ga. The game will be broadcast by Comcast/Charter Sports Southeast (CSS) with a 3:30 pm kickoff.