Sept. 19, 2010

Recap |  Final Stats |   

Post-Game Notes
Western Carolina 28, Gardner-Webb 14
Spangler Stadium - Boiling Springs, N.C.
Sat., Sept. 18, 2010

With the win...
- Western Carolina secured its first victory of 2010 and snapped a three-game losing skid which dated back to last season;

- The Catamounts halted a two-game slide in the overall series with Gardner-Webb, evening the head-to-head series at 3-2 ... It was also WCU's first-ever win over the Runnin' Bulldogs in Boiling Springs, evening the series at 1-1;

- It was just the third road win for WCU in the last 27 games played away from Cullowhee ... the Catamounts have scored road wins over Presbyterian, Eastern Kentucky and now Gardner-Webb during that span;

- WCU third-year head coach Dennis Wagner picked up his 50th career victory;

Post-Game Notes:
- Trey Selby sacked Runnin' Bulldog quarterback Chandler Browning, forcing the first takeaway of the season for WCU ... Mitchell Bell scooped up the ball and returned it 45 yards for the game's first touchdown ... It was Bell's second career touchdown, also scoring in 2008 on an interception return for a touchdown;

- Bell's fumble return for a touchdown marked WCU's first since 2001 when B.J. Jessup returned a Georgia Southern fumble 85 yards for a touchdown;

- Western Carolina had a 62-yard punt return for a touchdown by Marquel Pittman called back by a pre-kick holding penalty ... the Catamounts also had a Mitchell Bell interception thwarted by a defensive encroachment penalty;

- Junior defensive back Torez Jones gave Western Carolina its first two interceptions of the 2010 season, both coming in the second quarter ... the two INTs were the first of Jones' career;

- Charles Johnson finished with a career-high seven tackles, surpassing his previous career-high of four which was set against Gardner-Webb in 2009 in the first half;

- WCU held its first halftime lead since 7-3 against Appalachian State on the road at the end of the 2009 season ... the Catamounts also held Gardner-Webb scoreless for the first three quarters - the longest scoreless stretch since 2009 when WCU held Eastern Kentucky scoreless for three quarters;

- Defensive back Adam Hearns, playing in his first game of the season - and first on the defensive side of the ball - intercepted a pass early in the fourth quarter, returning it 22 yards for a touchdown to give the Catamounts a 21-7 lead ... It was the first INT return for a score for WCU since Mitchell Bell returned one 55 yards at Elon in 2008;

- Michael Johnson scored his first touchdown of the year on a career-long 60 yard run midway through the fourth quarter to push the Catamount advantage back to 14 points, 28-14;

- Marquel Pittman matched his career-long reception of 78 yards, weaving through, over and around Bulldog defenders for a second quarter touchdown ... He finished with 114 yards marking his seventh career 100-yard receiving performance as a Catamount - it also marked consecutive seasons against GWU that the Maxton, N.C., native had surpassed the 100-yard receiving mark;

- WCU has had 100-yard receivers in back-to-back games as Jacoby Mitchell (116 yds) and Josh Cockrell (114) both had 100-yard games against Tusculum;

- Pittman now has 15 career touchdown receptions to tie him for sixth on the WCU career receiving TD chart - he is three shy of matching former Catamount great, Jerry Gaines (1970-74) with 18 ... Pittman now has 1,792 career receiving yards, just 454 yards shy of 10th on the career receiving yardage charts and Wayne Tolleson (1974-77) and he is just 12 catches away from the top 10 on that career ledger;

- Western Carolina wore white jerseys over purple pants for just the third time under head coach Dennis Wagner ... the first occasion came in 2008 at Florida State when the team wore their old white jerseys with new purple pants in a road loss ... in 2009, WCU wore white over purple at Georgia Southern in a road loss prior to Saturday night's success in the ensemble;

- Defensive coordinator Matt Pawlowski returned to the sideline after spending the first two games coaching from the press box coaches' booth.

Miscellaneous Notes:
Team captains for Saturday evening's game: #20 Nate Harris; #58 Zak Warner; #93 Charles Johnson ... Western Carolina received the opening kickoff.