PC-Coastal Carolina Box Score
CLINTON, S.C. ? Antwan Thomas concluded his efforts with nine tackles to become Presbyterian College's all-time leader in total tackles in PC's 21-13 loss to Coastal Carolina before 6,241 fans on Senior Day on Saturday afternoon at Bailey Memorial Stadium.
Thomas (Hawkinsville, Ga./Hawkinsville) now has 360 tackles in his career. He entered the Coastal Carolina game three behind Steve Stalvey (354) for the most tackles in PC history.
The redshirt-senior linebacker finished just outside of double digits for total tackles, but PC had two defensive players accomplish the feat in the game. Fellow senior Anthony McKnight (Sumter, S.C./Crestwood) finished with a career-best 15 total tackles against Coastal Carolina to mark the second time in the last three weeks that he has finished a contest with 14 or more tackles. McKnight also ended the win over nationally-ranked Liberty on Nov. 1 at Bailey Memorial Stadium with 14 tackles.
McKnight finished with a career-high two sacks against Coastal Carolina, pushing the Chantticleers back for 24 yards. He tallied most of his tackles by himself, acquiring a career-high tying 11 solo stops en route to the 15 total tackles. A defensive back, McKnight also accumulated 11 solo tackles against Liberty.
Sophomore Bo Tribble (Clinton, S.C./Clinton) was the other Blue Hose to record double-digit tackles. The defensive back recorded a career-best 11 tackles in the loss to Coastal Carolina, which included five solo stops and six assists.
Tribble's fellow Clinton High product Chetyuane Reeder led the Blue Hose offense in the contest. The senior ended his final outing at Bailey Memorial Stadium by racking up 141 all-purpose yards. Reeder rushed for 21 yards, caught three passes for 78 yards and returned kicks for 42 yards. Reeder ended the day with two touchdowns, catching one and rushing for the other. He also blocked a Coastal Carolina field goal attempt.
PCs' Brandon Clark (Duluth, Ga./Buford) led all receivers in the contest with five catches for 72 yards. He was one of eight Blue Hose to tally a catch. PC has now had five or more receivers haul in a pass in every game in 2008.
Brandon Miley (Wilmington, N.C./JT Hoggard) passed for 283 yards in the loss to the Chanticleers. PC's starting signal caller was 23-for-44 overall with one touchdown.
Redshirt-freshman running back Mario Carter (Columbia, S.C./Irmo) rushed the football a career-high 15 times in his first real significant time at running back in 2008 for PC. Carter picked up 57 yards on the 15 carries, averaging 3.8 yards per carry.
Coastal Carolina was led in its victory over the Blue Hose by running backs Jamie Fordham and Arthur Sitton, who combined for 160 yards on the ground. Fordham rushed for 91, while Sitton finished with 69 yards rushing.
Chanticleers quarterback Zach MacDowall passed for 128 yards and one touchdown. He completed 14 of his 22 pass attempts.
The Chanticleers barely outpaced PC in total yardage, tabulating 374 yards overall compared to PC's 328. Coastal Carolina ended the game with 23 first downs, while the Blue Hose finished with 19.
PC held the advantage in passing yards at 283-128, but Coastal Carolina held the advantage in rushing yards at 246-45.
The Blue Hose opened the game by scoring the first points in a contest for the sixth time in 2008 against Coastal Carolina. Reeder obtained the points for the Blue Hose when he picked up his third rushing touchdown of the year on a 16-yard dash up the middle with 14:55 left in the second quarter.
The Chanticleers (6-5) would respond quickly with MacDowall scoring on a quarterback keeper from 38 yards away with 12:46 left in the first half. Coastal Carolina would push its lead to 14 points over the next few minutes. Freshman Keith Graham earned Coastal Carolina its first lead of the game with 5:46 left in the first half when he caught an eight-yard touchdown pass from MacDowall.
Just under three minutes later, Racheed Gause would net the eventual game-winning touchdown when he rushed in from 12 yards out to give Coastal Carolina a 21-7 lead going into halftime.
Gause's touchdown in the final minutes of the first half would prove to be all that the Chanticleers would be able to muster with PC holding Coastal Carolina scoreless in the second half.
PC would score once more to make the game interesting. Reeder caught PC's final touchdown of the game from Miley. The 67-yard touchdown reception was made possible when Miley caught Coastal Carolina napping and then caught Reeder in stride for the score.
The Blue Hose (4-7) will close out their season next weekend at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 22 against VMI in Lexington, Va.
