CULLOWHEE, N.C. – The Presbyterian College football team returned from their first BYE on Saturday afternoon against a second straight Southern Conference contender, pulling to within 10 points at Western Carolina before the half but ending with a 58-14 defeat.
PC has now finished their non-conference schedule, signifying only Pioneer Football League games from here on out. WCU was able to distance themselves by shutting out the Scotsmen in the second half 34-0.
Both
Caleb Johnson and
Damion Moate scored their second touchdowns of the season within three-and-a-half minutes of each other in the 2
nd quarter from short range.
Ultimately, PC's 243 yards of total offense could not match the pace of Western Carolina who closed the contest with 659 yards and five rushing touchdowns.
The Blue Hose will now turn their attention to the PFL gauntlet which begins next Saturday in New York, visiting Marist on September 26 for a noon kickoff. That matchup will be streamed live on ESPN+.
FINAL SCORE: Western Carolina, 58 – Presbyterian, 14
RECORDS: Presbyterian (1-2)…Western Carolina (2-2)
LOCATION: E.J. Whitmire Stadium (Cullowhee, N.C.)
COACH RAHL'S COMMENTS
"I was extremely proud of the effort by our football team tonight against a quality opponent on the road. We certainly showed at times that we are capable of playing really solid football."
"Our next challenge is continuing to improve in our execution with each week, sharpening up the three phases, and focusing on the start of Pioneer League play."
HOW IT HAPPENED – FIRST HALF
- Both sides were forced to wait over 90 minutes to get started thanks to a lightning delay, an issue that also popped up near the end of the first quarter but was a much quicker reprieve then.
- Presbyterian was able to bleed six minutes off the clock after electing to receive the ball, advancing up to the Western 21 on 11 plays but missing a field goal after
Landon Sharpe's third-down end zone pass was incomplete.
- The Catamounts put the ball past the pylon on their only two drives of the first quarter, a 36-yard pass and a three-yard dive up the middle.
- PC faked a punt at the end of their second series on 4
th-and-10, falling just a yard short of the line to gain on a designed pass from
Thatcher Hutton to senior
Jalen Patrick.
- WCU added to their lead with a 39-yard field goal at the 9:26 stamp of the second period, but coach Rahl's bunch mounted a comeback by forcing a fumble with 6:12 remaining until intermission.
- Two true freshman synced up to cause that turnover on Catamount quarterback Lex Thomas, with
Tymaries Durant jarring the ball loose from behind and
Levi Hoss falling on the ball.
- Presby capitalized on the generous field position with a six-play 46-yard touchdown drive, ending with the five-yard slant to Johnson. It was Sharpe's fourth touchdown pass of the year, going 19-of-27 overall for 162 yards and an extra 24 when rushing.
- The home side answered PC's first score with a 62-yard touchdown on the ground, but the Blue Hose kept fighting with another TD from Moate soon after. It happened with 59 seconds until the first-half horn, set up by a 58-yard completion to
Jackson Burleson earlier in the drive.
- WCU put up three more points before the half was complete, hitting a 45-yard field goal to take a 27-14 cushion going into the locker room.
HOW IT HAPPENED – SECOND HALF
- The final 30 minutes were controlled mostly by the Catamounts, creating four touchdowns from distances of 14, five, one, and 36 yards along with another medium-range field goal.
- Presbyterian could not achieve a first down in the third frame, forced to punt five times after the break.
- Junior safety
Ryan Largin accomplished a career-high in Cullowhee with nine solo tackles, while Durant added seven more himself.
-
Debo Hall deflected two passes in the loss, one of seven PC defenders who posted at least five tackles. Hutton averaged 38 yards on his seven punts, the longest of which sailed 46.
