Cullowhee, N.C. – Three different quarterbacks combined to orchestrate four first-half scoring drives as Western Carolina football's Purple Team took a 28-10 lead just before halftime of Saturday's annual Spring Game. But a late score by the White Squad before halftime ignited a 28-point rally by the squad dressed in white that led to a 10-point edge late in the going.
 
Despite the rally, it wasn't until C.J. Williams intercepted a pass on what proved to be the final play of the scrimmage and returned it 100 yards for a second pick-six touchdown that the White Team could celebrate its come-from-behind victory, winning 45-35 in WCU's annual Spring Game at E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field.
 
Drafted into two teams earlier in the week with both offensive and defensive players making up the Purple/Gold and White/Purple uniformed squads, Saturday's scrimmage saw 23 combined drives between the two sides. Ten of the drives ended with points including nine touchdowns and a field goal with seven combined drives going three-and-out – four by the White team and three by the Purple squad. Five drives ended with interceptions – four picked off by the White squad defense and one by the Purple – with the White squad failing to convert one fourth-down opportunity.
 
For the Purple Team, three quarterbacks split the reps, finishing a combined 25-of-41 for 400 yards through the air with four touchdowns and four interceptions. Seeing action in just a couple of early series, returning starter Cole Gonzales finished 4-of-5 for 79 yards with a 64-yard touchdown pass to AJ Colombo. Freshman Bennett Judy completed 67 percent of his passes including a string of eight-straight completions at one point, going 18-for-27 for 285 yards with three touchdowns but was intercepted twice, with redshirt sophomore Brody Palhegyi completing 3-of-9 passes for 36 yards.
 
Colombo led nine receivers who caught passes for the Purple team, finishing with five catches for 96 yards and a score. Tight end Jake Young matched with five receptions and a TD while Jai Boyd finished with five receptions for 56 yards. One of Santana Fleming's two receptions went for a score with Branson Adams also tallying a receiving touchdown out of the backfield. Receivers Eric Rasheed (1, 50 yds) and Ca'lique Cunningham (2, 51 yds) boasted the game's best average per reception.
 
On the offensive side for the White Squad, Charlie Dean and Taron Dickens split reps, finishing 13-of-28 for 162 yards. Dickens was intercepted once with Jordy Lowery halting a would-be scoring drive with an interception in the end zone.
 
Eight different players for the White squad recorded receptions with tight end David Hulbert credited with a team-best three catches for 27 yards. WR Malik Knight hauled in two passes for a team-high 50 receiving yards, just ahead of Matthew Keener whose one reception went for 48 yards on the pitch-and-catch.
 
On the ground, the White squad rushed a scrimmage-high 27 times for 181 yards as five different players posted rushes. Boone, N.C., product Jaiden Bond toted the ball a scrimmage-high eight times for 63 yards with two touchdowns. Markel Townsend(5, 28 yds) and Marlin Cochran (6, 26 yds) also crossed the goal line with scores.
Branson Adams led the way rushing for the Purple team with five rushes for 27 yards with tailbacks Corey Reddick Jr. and Camury Reid combining for five attempts. QB Brody Palhegyi added the Purple team's lone rushing score on the day.
 
On Saturday, 31 different defenders between the two teams recorded stats that included a combined six interceptions and two defensive touchdowns. For the White squad, Jeno Junius Jr. was credited with a scrimmage-best 4.5 tackles including a sack with teammate Christian Murphy listed on 3.5 tackles including a tackle for loss. On the Purple side, three defenders finished with four tackles apiece as Bo Simpson, Justin Wallace, and Ed Jones IV were each among the team leaders. Simpson tallied a TFL while Wallace charted a pair of quarterback hurries – tied with Curtis Fann Jr. on the White squad with both players trailing Caleb Fisher who rushed the QB four times.
 
WCU's five interceptions were scattered between five players with two directly resulting in points. For the second straight season, Canton, N.C., defensive lineman Caleb Bradford recorded an interception and a touchdown in WCU's Spring Game. The 6-1, 270-lbs., lineman jumped an underneath route and then followed a caravan of blockers to rumble 80 yards for a score. CJ Williams capped the scrimmage with his 100-yard interception return. Also recording interceptions for the White team were Trevaughn Martinez and Darian Anderson Jr., with Jordy Lowery posting the Purple squad's lone takeaway.
 
On special teams, Paxton Robertson was successful on all five of his point-after attempts while also handling kickoff duties, though those segments were not live. Catamount football legacy Corbin Shirley finished 4-for-4 on PATs, while transfer PK Christian Lowery finished 2-for-2 PAT tries and split the uprights on the lone field goal of the scrimmage on a 35-yard boot.
 
In addition to handling the placekick holding duties for both squads, freshman punter Stephen Brantley punted seven times between the two teams on Saturday with an average of 42 yards per boot including a long of nearly 60 yards.
 
Gonzales opened Saturday's scrimmage with a two-play drive, finding his favorite target in Colombo for a 64-yard touchdown pass and the early 7-0 lead for the Purple squad. The White team responded with a drive that stalled just outside of the red zone with Lowery punching through a field goal to make it 7-3 early in the first quarter.
 
The two teams traded punts before Dickens had a pass intercepted by Lowery to cut short a would-be scoring drive. Bennett Judy capitalized as he marched the Purple team back down for a score and a 14-3 lead. Dickens and the White squad responded with another march into the red zone, but a fourth-and-goal pass attempt was incomplete as the Purple squad held. Judy then led the Purple team back to the end zone with Branson Adams shouldering much of the workload and punctuating the drive with a two-yard TD catch from Judy.
 
Down by 18, Jaiden Bond found pay-dirt from two yards out for the White squad to trim the deficit back to 11, 21-10 before Brody Palhegyi marched the Purple team to a score with the protected red-clad QB capping the drive with an 11-yard scamper and a 28-10 lead just before intermission. Marlin Cochran then finished off the final drive of the opening half with a three-yard TD that made it 28-17 at halftime – and unbeknownst sparked the White team's rally to the win.
 
Spurred by a long rush by Dickens on a scramble, the quarterback guided the White team to a score with Jaiden Bond collecting his second rushing TD on a 16-yard gallop that made it a four-point game, 28-24. Then, the defense took over.
 
Caleb Bradford gave the White squad the lead for what proved to be for good on his 80-yard romp on the interception return. Trevaughn Martinez then gave his squad perfect field position with an interception that Markel Townsend finished off with a 13-yard scoring run and a 10-point lead for Team White.
 
The early leader on the day, the Purple squad would not go away, though, as Judy marched his squad back into scoring position before connecting with heralded wideout Santana Fleming for a 25-yard score to again claw back to within three. After getting a stop, the Purple squad was poised to exhaust the running second-half clock with a game-ending and game-winning scoring drive – but veteran cornerback CJ Williams delighted much of the crowd with his athletic interception and return behind a convoy of teammates for the 100-yard return for a score providing the final tally, 45-35, in favor of Team White.
 
Saturday's scrimmage concludes WCU's NCAA-regulated 15 spring practice dates. The squad will conclude the semester with strength & conditioning work before breaking ahead of the summer before some return for summer school with fall camp slated for August 2024.
 
Coming off last year's seven-win season – the most victories for WCU since 2017 – season tickets and season-long parking passes for Catamount Club members are on sale now both online, by phone at (828) 227-2401, and through the WCU Athletics Ticket Office located on the first floor of the Ramsey Center. Ticket options include general admission, reserved bleacher bench, and chairback seats, with a Family Zone four-pack in Section FF. A $10 transaction fee will be charged for all season ticket orders including credit card, cash, and check.
 
 The renewal deadline for returning Catamount football season ticket holders is Saturday, June 1, 2024. Everyone is encouraged to join the Catamount Club and current Catamount Club members are also reminded to renew their memberships before the end of June.
 
WCU opens the 2024 season on a Thursday night (Aug. 29), visiting the state capital to face the NC State Wolfpack at Carter-Finley Stadium. The five-game home schedule opens with the first-ever meeting with instate foe Campbell on Sat., Sept. 7, in #CatamountCountry.
 
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