Nov. 8, 2008

Final Stats |  Notes

Elon, N.C. - Elon's Scott Riddle threw for 210 yards and accounted for three touchdowns to lead the 11th-ranked Phoenix to a 33-14 win over Western Carolina on Saturday afternoon at Rhodes Stadium.

Riddle, who completed 17 of 26 passes and an interception, connected with Lance Camp on a 3-yard touchdown to give the Phoenix (8-2, 6-1 Southern Conference) a 10-0 lead in the second quarter. Andrew Wilcox, who made a 47-yard field goal in the first, added a 34-yarder in the second to put Elon ahead 13-0.

Sophomore Mitchell Bell returned an interception -- his team-leading, fourth of the season -- 55 yards for a touchdown to cut the Elon lead to 13-7 in the third quarter for the Catamounts (3-8, 1-6). But Riddle scored on a 5-yard run for Elon in the third to stretch the lead back out to 20-7.

On its ensuing possession, Western drove the field to paydirt as true freshman WR Andrerius Thomas hauled in his fifth touchdown pass of the season, again trimming the deficit to six, 20-14.

However, Western Carolina would never pull closer as the Phoenix used two fourth quarter touchdowns to pull out the 33-14 victory.

"I felt like defensively in the first half we played a pretty good football game. In the second half we kind of let some things go. Too many third down conversions by (Elon) to keep drives going," said first-year head coach Dennis Wagner during a post-game press conference. "Offensively we never got any rhythm in the game at all. Late in the second quarter, they got up and pressed our receivers and took them out of the passing game."

He added, "They were just too good up front (on the defensive line) for us to hold up that long in pass protection. We knew going in that their team speed was a concern of ours, and we were not able to run the ball as effectively as we needed to. We certainly had opportunities to win the game and we didn't do the job. When opportunity knocks you've got to pull the trigger and we have not done that yet."

Bell and junior LB Adrian McLeod led the Catamount defense with eight tackles apiece, while Kurt Clouden and C.J. Johnson combined for a full tackle for loss.

Terrell Hudgins caught seven passes for 120 yards and a touchdown for the Phoenix. Jamal Shuman ran for 51 yards on seven carries and a rushing score.

For the Catamounts, red-shirt freshman QB Zack Jaynes went 24 of 31 for 182 yards, one touchdown and was sacked seven times. He added 23 yards rushing, while freshman tailback Levon Curtis rushed 12 times for just 23 yards. Red-shirt sophomore WR Adam Hearns led all receivers with a career-high nine catches for 55 yards, while Thomas established career-highs with five catches for 81 yards and a score.

The Catamounts will have a bye week before hosting nationally-ranked Appalachian State on Saturday, Nov. 22 in the annual gridiron grudge match, the "Battle for the Old Mountain Jug." The game, which is set for a 3:00 pm kickoff, will be televised on SportSouth as a part of the SoCon Saturday.