Cullowhee, N.C. – Jalynn Williams scored three rushing touchdowns and Cole Gonzales threw for nearly 300 yards including an 18-yard score to Zion Booker as Western Carolina claimed its second-straight home win in Southern Conference play as the Catamounts tallied a 30-16 victory over The Citadel as spectators were welcomed back to E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field on Heroes Day.
 
Williams rushed just seven times for 17 total yards but thrice hit paydirt giving him consecutive games with multiple TD rushes after scoring twice on the ground against Wofford on Oct. 2. WCU's defense came away with a pair of takeaways as both C.J. Williams and Samaurie Dukes recorded goal line interceptions to help propel the Catamounts to victory.
 
Gonzales finished 28-of-38 (73.7%) for 294 yards with his 28 completions spread between 12 different receivers. Booker led the Catamount dozen with a career-best six receptions for a career-high 102 yards and the first-quarter score that gave the home squad a lead it would never relinquish. AJ Colombo was second on the squad with four catches for 34 yards with running backs Marlin Cochran and Branson Adams tallying three catches apiece for 22 and 15 yards, respectively.
 
Adams led WCU with 53 yards on the ground on 13 touches with Cochran rushing for 24 yards and Williams earning most of his seven carries inside the 10-yard line, finishing with 17 rushing yards with a reception for six yards.
 
For the Bulldogs, QB Johnathan Bennett rushed for 155 yards on 22 carries with a score for the Bulldogs, adding 155 yards passing to lead The Citadel with 310 total yards and a touchdown. However, he tossed a pair of redzone interceptions that thwarted two potential end of half scoring drives.
 
Cooper Wallace rushed 10 times for just 26 yards but scored on a four-yard plunge to account for the Bulldogs' second touchdown.
 
Western Carolina (3-3, 2-0 SoCon) had just five first-half possessions with three seeing substantial time on the offensive as the fifth possession was a one-play team-rush kneel down. Of the four, though, the Catamounts managed a trio of touchdowns.
 
Gonzales' 18-yard touchdown pass went to Zion Booker to open the scoring in the first quarter on WCU's first possession. Williams then capped two long drives with second-quarter touchdowns to hand WCU a two-score lead. The Catamounts marched 89 yards in 12 plays with Williams capping that drive with a three-yard tally to go ahead 14-0. After Bennett slipped through the defense for a 26-yard TD romp to close the gap back to one score, 14-7, WCU used another 12-play drive with Williams completing the 75-yard possession with a nine-yard score after breaking through several arm tackle attempts to hit the end zone.
 
With The Citadel grinding out a drive late in the first half looking to make it a one-possession game before intermission, C.J. Williams used inside leverage to intercept Bennett at the goal line on the 14th play of the drive to send the teams to the locker room with a 21-7 halftime score.
 
The Catamounts took a three-score lead on the opening possession of the second half with an 11-play drive that covered 65 yards before stalling in the red zone where Kerwin Bell elected for points. Paxton Robertson, who finished with six points scored and touchbacks on five of his seven kickoffs, split the sticks on a 20-yard field goal attempt to put the home squad ahead 24-7.
 
The Citadel answered with another methodical option drive with Cooper Wallace scoring on the ninth-play from scrimmage to trim the deficit back to 10, 24-14, midway through the third quarter.
 
After forcing the Catamounts into a three-and-out, The Citadel threatened to make it a one-score game on its next possession. The Cadets marched to the six-yard line behind back-up quarterback Dustin Fletcher before the drive ultimately stalled and Bulldog kicker Ben Barnes missed a chip-shot field goal from 24 yards out to preserve the two-score game.
 
Fletcher ran for 50 yards on five rushes off the bench and did not attempt a pass during his drive.
 
WCU maintained possession the remainder of the third quarter – but former Catamount in graduate transfer Giovanni Ricciardi posted a tackle for loss of five yards in bringing down Gonzales that forced a Stephen Brantley punt to open the fourth quarter.
 
Micah Nelson helped end The Citadel's first drive of the final frame with a sack of Bennett that forced a punt and set up the Catamounts for what proved to be the decisive blow. Backed up to its own 10-yard line after a penalty on the punt return, WCU marched the 90 yards in 14 plays that included a trio of third-down conversions with Williams bullying his way into the endzone for his career-best third rushing TD and a 30-14 lead.
 
Bennett drove the Bulldogs into scoring position on the ensuing drive, but again finding inside leverage on the receiver, Samaurie Dukes intercepted a pass at the goal line where he was marked down at the 1-yard line. Out of the shadows of its own goal post, the Catamount offense managed a little breathing room for sophomore punter Stephen Brantley.
 
Knowing the 'Dogs were down to their final option – and having already blocked one punt on the day with a couple of near misses – Bell instructed Brantley to take the Colby Cross snap and when pressure got there, step out of the back of the endzone for the safety that ultimately decided the final score after The Citadel moved their final drive back to the redzone before the clock expired.
 
Curtis Fann Jr. led the Catamounts with a career-high eight tackles including three solo stops, while Micah Nelson had six tackles with one solo coming on the sack/TFL. Dukes added five tackles, a quarterback hurry from his safety position, and his first interception of the year with C.J. Williams recorded his third pick in 2024. Nickelback Ken Moore Jr. posted two of his three tackles behind the line of scrimmage with a pair of TFLs.
 
Thomas Wyatt and Cale Williams both posted nine tackles apiece to lead the Bulldogs with Je'Mazin Roberts posting the lone sack.
 
Western Carolina plays its first of consecutive league road games next Saturday, Oct. 19, as the Catamounts travel to chromatic rival Furman for a 2 p.m. kickoff at Paladin Stadium. Saturday's game will be broadcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with live audio from the Catamount Sports Network beginning at 1 p.m. Fans can listen to the game locally on 105.7 FM / 540 AM WRGC in Sylva (wrgc.com), 104.9 FM / 1050 AM WFSC in Franklin (1050wfsc.com), and in Asheville on 1310 AM WISE Sports Radio (wisesportsradio.com), with live streaming audio online at CatamountSports.com.
 
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