DAVIDSON, N.C. – In the inaugural Carolina Border Clash on Saturday night, the Presbyterian College football team was unable to contain the Davidson ground attack that totaled five rushing scores en route to a 70-35 victory at Richardson Stadium. Ren Hefley totaled 300 passing yards and a pair of passing scores in the contest. Jalyn Witcher recorded his fourth 100+ yard performance of the season with his ninth receiving score of the season. Witcher set a PC DI single-season record with his ninth score of the year.
Final Score: Davidson 70, Presbyterian 35
Location: Richardson Stadium (Davidson, N.C.)
Records: Presbyterian (2-4, 0-3) | Davidson (4-1, 2-0)
COACH KELLEY THOUGHTS
"There aren't any moral victories but there are some really good things to take out of this defeat. Our offensive line played its best game tonight and our running backs were awesome blocking and running. Our defense scored a defensive touchdown. Our linebackers had to cover more ground tonight than any game this season and they truly laid it all out there."
"I am really proud of our football team, as we have only seven seniors out of our 130 total kids and these seniors have done a great job of leading these young guys. More than half of our guys have never played in a college football game and our coaches have had to revert back and teach more fundamental things. We have been together as a team for two months and we are getting better and better. We just have to piece together longer timelines of great football which we are capable of."
"Football is hard. It's physically and mentally demanding. You have to think while getting hit and enduring the weather factors. These players have all my respect because they do it hard and then show up again the next day to do it again. We will continue to improve and we will be proud of the end result. These first six games do not define who we will be as a team. I am proud of them and the coaching staff. Presbyterian College is a great place and we will continue to work our butts off for this school."
OPENING KICK
- Freshman Jalyn Witcher recorded his fourth game with at least 100+ yards as he had eight catches for 106 yards and his ninth receiving score of the season.
- Witcher passed Terrance Butler in the Blue Hose DI record book for most receiving touchdowns in a season as he had eight in 2007.
- Redshirt sophomore quarterback Ren Hefley had 32 completions for 298 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
- Delvecchio Powell totaled 85 rushing yards and a score in the contest.
- Kiaran Turner recorded his third touchdown in the second quarter.
- In a homecoming game for senior Jarrett Nagy, the Cornelius, N.C. native totaled nine tackles including six solo stops to pace the defense. Nagy went to nearby Hough High School which is just three miles away from the Davidson campus.
- Freshman Tyriek Johnson totaled a career-high with eight tackles including six solo tackles for the Blue Hose defense.
- Freshman Jalyn Dubose recorded a 20-yard interception return for a touchdown as his first career interception. Dubose became the first Blue Hose defensive player with a pick six since April 3, 2021 when Jeffrey Smyth had two against Stetson.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- After each team fumbled on its opening possessions, the hosts got on the board first with a one-yard rushing score to take a 7-0 lead.
- PC responded with a six-yard rush and added the two-pointer to take an 8-7 lead late in the first. Powell accounted for both the score and two-pointer.
- Davidson opened the second quarter with a two-yard rushing score to take a 14-8 lead. The Wildcats pushed the lead out to 21-8 on a 72-yard receiving score early in the second quarter. The lead was pushed to 28-8 with a 71-yard scramble play.
- Hefley and Witcher connected for a 56-yard scoring to make it 28-16 with 4:50 to play in the opening half.
- Davidson had a quick answer with a 29-yard score to take a 35-16 advantage.
- Hefley and Kiaran Turner connected on a six yard score in the final minute of the first half to cut the halftime deficit to 13, 35-22.
- Davidson scored on the opening offensive play of the second half to extend the lead to 20, 42-22. The Wildcats punched it in on an 21-yard touchdown play to push the lead to 49-22.
- The hosts pushed across a 27-yard receiving score to take it to 56-22.
- On the opening play of the fourth, Dubose recorded a 20-yard pick six to make it 56-28.
- The Wildcats responded with a 12-yard score to push it out to a 63-28 in the opening minute of the fourth quarter.
- The hosts added a pick six in the fourth to push it to 70-28.
- Tim Newman added an eight-yard rushing score in the fourth to give it a 70-35 final margin.
UP NEXT
- Presbyterian returns home on Saturday for homecoming as the Blue Hose welcome in San Diego to Bailey Memorial Stadium for a 1 p.m. kickoff on ESPN+.
