CLINTON, S.C. – Down by two points with 4:19 to go in its Saturday Homecoming game against Monmouth, quarterback Heys McMath (Savannah, Ga.) and the Presbyterian College football team mounted a game-winning touchdown drive to knock off the Monmouth Hawks for a dramatic Big South Conference victory, 18-12.
McMath led PC (5-3, 2-1 Big South) 68 yards down the field against Monmouth (5-2, 0-1 Big South), throwing three times and rushing three times, including a 15-yard draw into the end zone for the deciding score with 53 seconds to play. Going for the two point conversion, McMath found Tobi Antigha (Tampa, Fla.) for a successful 18-12 lead.
DaRon Dickey (Greenville, S.C.) intercepted Monmouth quarterback Brandon Hill's first pass on the next series but the Blue Hose could not pick up a first down on offense to run out the clock. The PC defense held strong, however, allowing only three yards on Monmouth's final comeback attempt and sealed the win for the Blue Hose.
The victory marks the fifth of the season for the Blue Hose, the most in a Division I campaign (since 2007). PC will put its 4-1 home record on the line in the home finale against Liberty next Saturday at 2 p.m. Monmouth will aim for its first Big South Conference win when the Hawks host Charleston Southern at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
The Blue Hose defense held Monmouth to 51 yards rushing—a new Division I best for PC—and held the ball for 37:56 of game time. PC survived committing a season-high nine penalties for 82 yards, several of which wiped out first down plays.
Monmouth started the contest hot, scoring an 81-yard touchdown on the game's first play from scrimmage—but missed the extra point—and led until Blake Roberts (Cumming, Ga.) rushed for a touchdown with one minute left before halftime. Both teams traded field goals in the fourth quarter after Monmouth went in front 9-7 on a Lucas Santangelo's field goal in the third quarter.
Trailing 12-10 with 4:19 to go on the PC 32-yard line, McMath rushed for seven yards and hit Jordan Hallums (Greenville, S.C.) for a first down. PC soon faced a third-and-four and converted with a 16-yard pass to Jeremiah McKie (Simpsonville, S.C.), who scampered to the Monmouth 30. McMath took a sack but Monmouth committed a facemask penalty on the play, moving PC just 15 yards away from the end zone. The Blue Hose then called for a draw and McMath saw nothing but daylight, streaking down the middle for the touchdown.
Roberts rushed for a game-high 73 yards on 21 carries while McMath went 24-for-35 through the air for 233 yards. He also rushed for 50 yards on 12 carries. Nine of McMath's passes connected with Antigha, who racked up 78 yards and set a new career-high in receptions.
Monmouth quarterback Brandon Hill went 18-for-33 passing for 236 yards and a touchdown. Hawks receiver Neal Sterling enjoyed a big day, catching seven passes for 136 yards and the team's lone touchdown. Monmouth's Lavon Chaney rushed 19 times for 62 yards.
Defensively, Donelle Williams (Starke, Fla.) led PC with eight tackles. Isaiah Lynn (Fort Lawn, S.C.) checked in with seven tackles and a sack while Dickey posted four tackles and the crucial interception. Monmouth's John Sieczkowski tallied a game-high nine tackles and Patrick O'Hara delivered Monmouth's only sack.
Monmouth scored on the first play from scrimmage with an 81-yard play-action touchdown pass to Sterling, who took advantage of a fallen defensive back for the score. The Hawks missed the point after and led 6-0 just 18 seconds into the game.
PC broke through shortly before halftime. The Blue Hose engineered a 10-play, 83-yard drive that ended with a six-yard Roberts touchdown up the gut. Antigha caught three passes during the series, including a 23-yard reception that set up Robert's run two plays later. The score gave PC a 7-6 lead with one minute before the break.
The Blue Hose defense bounced back from its early stumble, holding Monmouth to 50 yards on 22 plays after the Hawks' opening touchdown pass. Khari Rosier (Lithonia, Ga.) picked up a key sack on third down to force a punt and Lynn also posted a sack of his own in the half.
After halftime, Monmouth took advantage of a short PC punt to take the lead late in the third quarter. The visitors set up shop on the PC 28 but the Blue Hose held the Hawks to a three-and-out, forcing a successful 41-yard field goal from Lucas Santangelo that gave the visitors a 9-7 edge with 3:10 left in the third quarter.
The Blue Hose took back the lead early in the fourth quarter thanks to a Monmouth fumble on the PC 13 that Mitchell Anderson (Tucker, Ga.) forced and recovered. PC marched 74 yards on 13 plays during 6:26 and Brandon Morrow (Snellville, Ga.) nailed a 28-yard field goal to put the Blue Hose in front, 10-9, with 9:24 to go. Jordan Hallums (Greenville, S.C.) made a difficult catch over a Monmouth defender for a 28-yard grab that moved PC into Hawks territory.
Monmouth answered with a 27-yard field goal of its own on the next series thanks to a 13-play, 76-yard drive. Hill connected with Neal Sterling for a 30-yard gain and Thaddeus Richards for 23 yards en route to the go-ahead score.
PC then put together its game-winning touchdown drive for the victory.
The Blue Hose debuted new gray jerseys on Saturday. PC also held its Homecoming celebration at halftime and Zada Hyatt of the Presbyterian Student Organization took home Homecoming Queen honors.
