Game recaps and notes from around the South Atlantic Conference:

CARSON-NEWMAN –The Carson-Newman Eagles completed their 2005 season with a 47-14 win at Wingate on Saturday. The Eagles compiled 583 yards total offense and had 438 rushing yards on the afternoon. Five different Eagle student-athletes ran for a touchdown. Carson-Newman got the scoring started with 8:23 remaining in the first quarter on a one-yard touchdown run by freshman quarterback Alex Rouse (Maryville, Tenn.) The Maryville High School product rushed for 88 yards and passed for 109 additional yards. Eagle senior running back Ray Hightower (Belfast, Tenn.) scored C-N’s second TD with 4:31 left in the first quarter, giving the visitors a 14-0 lead. One of two Eagles to gain 100 yards rushing on the day, Hightower picked up 143 yards on 10 carries ... After Wingate fumbled the ensuing kickoff, Carson-Newman scored less than a minute later on a 33-yard pass from Rouse to junior wide receiver Willie Stewart (Mauldin, S.C.). Carson-Newman senior tailback Kiel Angry (Smithville, Ga.) added to the scoring midway through the second quarter on a 25-yard touchdown run. Angry had 10 carries for 113 yards on the afternoon ... Right before the intermission, C-N’s junior running back Jeremy Arrington (Lewisburg, N.C.) would score the first of his two rushing touchdowns for the Eagles, giving the visitors a 34-0 halftime lead. J.J. Chatmon scored on a three-yard run and Arrington capped the C-N scoring with an eight-yard run to give C-n a 47-0 lead at the end of three quarters. Brandon Walden (Thomasville, Ga.) had six tackles (five solo) and one forced fumble. Carson-Newman forced three Wingate fumbles Saturday (recovered all three) and compiled three QB sacks and seven QB hurries. The Eagles completed the season averaging 411.5 yards of total offense which includes 314.8 rushing yards. C-N out-scored their opponents 88-13 in the first quarter and 91-14 in the third quarter. Chatmon led the Eagles with 794 rushing yards and Ray Hightower led the team with 10 touchdowns. Freshman quarterback Alex Rouse completed the season with a 4-0 record, was 21-of-30 for 295 yards and scored four touchdowns. He had a quarterback rating of 167.93 and completed 70% of his passes. Willie McRae was the top receiver on the team as he caught 15 passes for 330 yards and two scores. Deonte Bolden had 261 punt return yards, 68 interception return yards and 352 kick return yards in 2005. Anthony Robinson led the Eagles with 75 tackles, eight tackles for loss, three sacks, three pass break-ups, two quarterback hurries and two forced fumbles. The Eagles’ defense as strong all season long, limiting their opponents to 16.3 points per game and 290.5 yards per game.

CATAWBA - The Indians closed out its season with a 17-13 loss to Lenoir-Rhyne … Catawba finishes the season with a 6-5 record, marking its 11th-straight winning season, but the three league wins was the fewest since a 2-5 record in 1994 … Of the Tribe’s five losses two came in overtime and a third by four points to LR … Catawba held Lenoir-Rhyne to just 284 total yards and shutout the Bears in the final half … The Indians were held to a field goal after a 19-play, 93-yard drive midway through the fourth quarter which took 10:32 off the clock … Catawba’s final chance ended at the Bear four when Trevan Davis was tackled on the final play … Brad Roach threw for 261 yards in the loss, completing 26-of-47 passes … For the season, the sophomore threw for 2302 yards, which ranks fourth all-time, and tossed 16 touchdowns, equaling the fifth best total … He set a record with 384 attempts and was five completions short of the record mark of 211 … Kory Fisher finished the season with a record 1,079 yards rushing and scored 11 touchdowns … He now ranks 21st on the career rushing list with 1,383 yards … Mario Crowe, who played through injuries all season finishes 11th in career rushing yards with 1,,561 yards … Corey Ready made seven catches on Saturday and became the school’s all-time leading receiving with 190 receptions … Rod Tenor caught six balls against LR and finishes sixth all-time with 116 catches … Rush Rollins kicked 15 field goals on the year, just three shy of the school record and led the team with 77 points … On defense, Lester Sconyers led the way with 91 tackles this year, while SaMario Houston was second with 75 … Houston finishes with 319 career tackles … The Indians recorded 39 sacks in 2005 with Ron Ellington leading the way with 10 … Catawba defensive coordinator Jim Tomsula has been named the head coach for the Rhine Fire of NFL Europe … At 38, he becomes the youngest head coach in the league’s history … Catawba is set to open the 2006 season at home against Winston-Salem State on Sept. 2.

LENOIR-RHYNE - The Lenoir-Rhyne College football team (5-5, 3-4) ended its season on high note with back-to-back wins and their first non-losing season since 1994 with a 17-13 win over SAC-rival Catawba College Saturday afternoon at Shuford Stadium … The victory over the Indians were Lenoir-Rhyne’s first against Catawba since 1994 as well and snapped 10-game Indian win streak in the series … Lenoir-Rhyne also won first game in a year for the first team since 1999 … The Bears finished 4-2 on the road but 1-3 at home during 2005 also … Lenoir-Rhyne took control early in the contest after scoring on its first two possessions in building a 14-3 advantage early in the second quarter … Junior tailback Andrew Tudor ran it in from one yard out and junior fullback Patrick Capers caught a six-yard scoring pass from senior quarterback Kurtis Koester for the Bears’ two touchdowns of the game … From there, it was mostly a defensive struggle as Lenoir-Rhyne stopped on its final two possessions (an interception by junior defensive back Rian Jefferson at the L-R 15 and a tackle by senior defensive back Tore’ Girty of Catawba wideout Trevan Davis at the Bear four-yard line that ended the contest) … The Bears defense limited Catawba to just 60 yards rushing and was led by senior Jamal Jackson, who tallied seven tackles including five for a loss, two pass break-ups and a sack … Tudor lead all rushers with a 91 yards on 27 carries and the Powell, Tenn., finished just seven yards shy of back-to-back 1,000-yard season … Tudor finished second in the league in rushing with 99.3 yards per outing and now has 2,485 for his collegiate career … Winford, with a game-highs of eight catches for 92 yards, finished his L-R career ranked second in receptions (141), ninth in receiving yards (1,732), tenth in touchdown in receptions (10), sixth in punt return yards (496) and third in kickoff return yards (1,285) … Koester leaves L-R as ranked eighth in touchdown passes (25), fifth in completions (259) and sixth in passing yards (3,175) … Senior linebacker Tim Clarke finished his Lenoir-Rhyne career with 345 tackles … The Bears say goodbye to 18 seniors as it enters the offseason.

MARS HILL - Tusculum College’s football team obtained a 43-28 win over visiting Mars Hill College Saturday afternoon at Pioneer Field … Mars Hill ends the 2005 season with a 4-6 overall record and a 3-4 record in the SAC … The two teams combined in an offensive shoot-out combining for 71 points and 887 yards offensively … Tusculum edged Mars Hill in total offensive yardage 444-443, but it was two critical turnovers by the Lions, including a fumble on the goal in the second quarter that halted a MHC drive … Mars Hill quarterback Brandon Sims had an outstanding game as he passed for 328 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for 20 yards and a TD on the ground … Senior Antione Jones led the Lions in rushing with his 93 yards, giving him 1,091 yards on the season … Mars Hill had two receivers with over 100 yards ... Tyrea Allen made five catches for 158 yards and a touchdown, while Demario Zachery had five grabs and 121 yards and two scores … The defenses had plenty of chances to make tackles as the two teams combined for 142 offensive plays ... Mars Hill had four players with over 10 tackles each … The Pioneers drove down the field on the opening possession of the game as Phillip McGee capped off a seven-play, 84-yard drive with his two-yard plunge ... Glen Black’s extra point made it 7-0 ... Mars Hill tied the score later in the period as Zachery hauled in a 42-yard strike from Sims at the 7:19 mark … Craig Williams’ kick evened the contest at 7-7 … On the ensuing kickoff, Jamichael Caldwell caught the ball at the TC five and went 90 yards to the MHC 5 … On the next play, Randy Williams dived in from two yards away to send TC ahead 14-7 … Tusculum added to its lead early in the second quarter when Corey Russell found Gilbert Martinez on a 26-yard pass to move up 21-7 … The Lions took its next possession and drove methodically down the field utilizing Sims’ arm and the running of Jones … MHC got to the shadow of the Tusculum end zone, but Sims was hit by Jeremy Thompson at the TC 1 and fumbled … Antrez McDaniel recovered the fumble for Tusculum in the end zone to stop the MHC threat … Neither team could mount an offensive attack until just before halftime as Mars Hill got the ball after a punt at its own 47 with 1:04 remaining till intermission … Sims converted a critical third down with an 18-yard completion to Allen and followed that with a 19-yard strike to Jarrett Simmons to the TC 11 … On fourth down and 16 with 15 seconds left, Sims scrambled and found Zachery in the left corner of the end zone with 8.1 second remaining to trailed 21-14 heading into halftime … The offensive fireworks were unleashed in the second half as the two teams scored on the first four possessions of the period … The Lions built on the momentum it carried into the locker room and drove 80 yards in eight plays to tie the game at 21-21 on Sims’ one-yard run across the goal line at the 11:39 mark of the third quarter … It was Tusculum’s turn as the Pioneers went 62 yards on its next possession with McGee giving TC the lead again at 28-21 following his four-yard carry at the 9:46 mark … Mars Hill answered with another 80-yard march, including Sims’ 66-yard completion to Allen to even the score at 28-28 two minutes later … Tusculum broke the deadlock for good on its next possession as Tusculum converted on third down twice and Russell completed an eight-yard pass to Caldwell in the back of the end zone as TC led 35-28 with 4:37 left in the frame … Tusculum found pay-dirt again when Williams scored his second TD of the day on a three-yard dash with 12:46 left in the contest ... Black’s extra point kick hit the left upright as TC led 41-28 … Mars Hill mounted another drive into Tusculum territory, but Sims’ pass was deflected into the air by Kenny Wells and hauled in by senior Josh Hubbard at the TC 22 … Tusculum would add a safety later in the game to round out the scoring … Mars Hill’s Rontate Martin led all players with 13 tackles, while Ryan Douglas and Jeremy Stewart accounted for a dozen hits each … Chris Dowdell also has 11 tackles, including four for loss and a sack.

NEWBERRY - Presbyterian College scored 14 points in the game’s first six minutes, then scored 24 unanswered in the second half to defeat Newberry, 38-7, in the South Atlantic Conference finale for both teams ... The Blue Hose completed the perfect 7-0 finish in conference play and a 10-1 overall record. Newberry’s season ends with a 5-4 overall record and a 4-3 record in the conference, good for third place ... This is the best finish in SAC play since Newberry has competed on the Division II level ... PC receiver Justin Durant caught Ellis’ first touchdown toss from 19 yards out to open the scoring. Less than three minutes later, the Blue Hose blocked Newberry’s punt attempt from its own endzone, where James Mitchell fell on the ball for a 14-0 lead ... With PC threatening again, Newberry defensive end Antoine Morgan recovered an Ellis fumble and brought it back to PC’s 20 yard line. Five plays later, fullback Titus Davis motored in from three yards out to close the gap to 14-7, where the score stood at halftime ... On the first Presbyterian drive after intermission, Ellis went deep to Brett Wilhoit for the 44-yard completion and the score. After stopping Newberry on fourth-and-one, the Blue Hose moved 45 yards in seven plays, capping the drive with Durant’s second receiving touchdown to put the visitors on top 28-7 after three quarters ... PC scored twice in the final frame as well, getting a 29-yard field goal from Andy Schlimmer and a three-yard touchdown run from freshman Chetyuane Reeder ... Statistically, the Blue Hose won out in every category. First downs favored Presbyterian 24 to 13, and PC had more than double the total yardage as Newberry (400 to 183). The anticipated battle between the SAC’s two best quarterbacks was anticlimactic, with Ellis topping Josh Stepp 292 to 103 in passing yards, and winning both the touchdown (3:0) and interception (0:1) competitions ... Chris Pope led all receivers with eight catches for 93 yards, while Tymere Zimmerman paced the Indians with five receptions totaling 37 yards. Alex Haynes was tops for Newberry in rushing with 31 yards, while PC’s Reeder had 96 ... Newberry’s Terrance Leverett ended his career with another great performance, totaling 13 tackles. Freshman sensation and last week’s SAC defensive player of the week Will Newell recorded 13 stops and a sack. Antwan Thomas led the Presbyterian defense with eight tackles and an interception.

PRESBYTERIAN - The ninth-ranked Presbyterian College Blue Hose improved to 10-1 overall and finished the 2005 South Atlantic Conference regular season with an undefeated 7-0 mark after defeating Newberry College 38-7 on the road Saturday. The Blue Hose regained the Bronze Derby and avenged last year’s 28-25 setback to the Indians ... Presbyterian College has been selected as the top seed in the Southeast region of the 2005 NCAA Division II Football Championship, announced today by the NCAA Division II Football Committee. The Blue Hose (10-1) earned their first NCAA Division II playoff appearance in program history and the top spot in the Southeast Region ... PC will receive a bye in the first round and will open the playoffs on Saturday, November 19 at home versus the winner of the University of Central Arkansas (9-2)/Albany State University (8-1) game which takes place next Saturday, November 12. Kickoff is set for 12 noon in PC’s first playoff game ... The Blue Hose are the 2005 South Atlantic Conference champions after compiling a perfect 7-0 mark in league play. PC, ranked No. 9 in last week’s AFCA NCAA Division II Top 25, has won seven straight this season and are tied with the 1979 team for the best start in program history ... The victory over Newberry improved PC’s all-time series lead to 57-32-5 as the Blue Hose have now won seven of the last eight in the series. The Bronze Derby match-up is the second longest series in the state of South Carolina behind South Carolina-Clemson. PC and Newberry met for the 94th time Saturday night and the 58th time for the Bronze Derby which started going to the victory back in 1947 ... The Blue Hose defense held the Indians to 283 yards of total offense including 103 yards passing and only seven points. Newberry entered Saturday’s game averaging 406.2 yards of total offense including 234.1yards passing and 33.1 points per game. PC also held Wingate to six-of-13 on third down conversions and held Newberry to an average starting field position to their own 25-yard line ... Redshirt freshman linebacker Antwan Thomas (Hawkinsville, Ga.) had another big game this past Saturday. Thomas tallied a team-best eight total stops including six solo tackles and 2.0 tackles for loss (-3), one interception, and one pass defense. He leads the team in total stops (93), tackles for loss 20.0 (-50), tied for first in sacks (4.5 for –32 yds.), two interceptions, and recovered fumbles (3) ... PC senior quarterback Zack Ellis (Tifton, Ga.) completed 27-of-39 passes for 292 yards and three touchdowns versus the Indians. Ellis completed passes to five different receiver, but was sacked three times. Ellis posted a 157.51 pass efficiency rating versus the Indians. For the season, Ellis has completed 227-of-364 passes for 2,478 yards and 27 TD’s and only seven interceptions. He has a pass efficiency rating of 140.18 ... Ellis won the duel with Newberry’s Josh Stepp for the top quarterback in the SAC. Stepp was held to 12-of-27 for 103 yards and one interception and was sacked twice. He also ran for 21 yards on 14 carries ... Defensively, the Blue Hose are allowing only 11.1 points per game this season. PC is allowing 4.9 points per game in the first half this season and the team is outscoring their opponents 164-44 in the first half. PC has allowed only 17 points in the first quarter, 27 points in the second quarter, and 23 points in the third quarter this season ... PC’s scoring defense (10.7 ppg) is one of the lowest in program history. The last time the Blue Hose held opponents to 10.0 ppg or less for a season was the 1960 season. That year, PC allowed 9.0 ppg over nine games and compiled a 6-3 overall record. In comparison, the 1979 Blue Hose squad (11-2) allowed only 11.4 ppg during the regular season and 12.2 ppg for the entire season including the playoffs. The Blue Hose currently hold a +9 turnover margin including forcing 10 interceptions and recovering 17 fumbles. For the season, PC holds a +0.82 turnover margin per game average ... PC’s ground attack amassed a season-high 108 yards rushing on 36 carries versus Newberry. Freshman Chetyuane Reeder (Clinton, SC) led the way with a career-best 96 yards and one TD on 20 carries. Redshirt junior Corey Fidler (Savannah, Ga.) added 40 yards on 10 carries ... Sophomore wideout Justin Durant (Florence, S.C.) caught seven passes for 70 yards and a pair of scores. Durant leads the team in scoring (60 pts), receptions (54), receiving yards (625), and TD’s (10) on the season. Fellow wideout, redshirt junior Bret Wilhoit (Johnson City, Tenn.) added two receptions for 58 yards one TD. Junior wideout Chris Pope (Ninety-Six, S.C.) came up big with a game-high eight receptions for 93 yards.

TUSCULUM - The Tusculum College football team ended a six-game losing streak, defeating Mars Hill 43-28 in the season-finale for both teams… The Pioneers end the season at 3-7 overall and 1-6 in South Atlantic Conference play… Tusculum enjoyed its best offensive output of the season posting 43 points and 444 yards… Freshman quarterback Corey Russell passed for 294 yards and two touchdowns, while the rookie running back duo of Randy Williams and Phillip McGee each scored two rushing scores… Gilbert Martinez had a career day as he recorded nine catches for 119 yards and a touchdown. Jamichael Caldwell capped off a solid season with three grabs for 57 yards and a TD… Caldwell posted 618 receiving yards on the year, which is third-best in a single-season at Tusculum… Senior Austin Hunter averaged 41.4 yards per punt, including four inside the 20-yard line… Hunter ends the year establishing new single-season records with 75 punting attempts for 2,923 yards… Octavius Love ended the season averaging 20.2 yards per punt return… Coming into the game, Love was leading the nation in that category, but his average took a hit when he gained zero yards on his only return of the day… The defense forced a pair of critical turnovers, including a fumble at the TC 1 in the second quarter… TC’s Eric McIntyre recorded 10 tackles, while Rodney Peebles added eight stops, including two for loss and a sack… The Pioneers suffer their first losing season since 1999, halting a run over five consecutive winning campaigns... Tusculum is 18-29-6 all-time in its season finales, including 7-1 during the Coach Frankie DeBusk era. TC hasn’t lost in its home finale in five years... The last time TC lost on Senior Day was Nov. 4, 2000 when Tusculum dropped a 27-24 decision to nationally-ranked Presbyterian… TC leads the all-time series with Mars Hill 12-8-2 and has won the last three meetings and five of the last six… Coach DeBusk has 47 career victories at Tusculum and needs three more wins to surpass former Elon mentor Jerry Tolley seventh place in all-time wins by a South Atlantic Conference coach.

WINGATE - The Carson-Newman College Eagles defeated Wingate University 47-14 in South Atlantic Conference football action at Irwin Belk Stadium and John R. Martin Field on the Wingate campus Saturday afternoon. The Eagles are the number 21 team in this week’s American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) NCAA Division II poll ... With the victory, Carson-Newman finishes the 2005 campaign 8-2 overall and 5-2 in the SAC. Wingate’s season ends at 5-5 overall and 2-5 in the SAC ... Wingate got on the board to begin the fourth quarter when redshirt junior quarterback Anthony Metzelaars (Charlotte, N.C.) found sophomore tight end Chris Conklin (Snow Camp, N.C.) in the end zone for the Bulldogs’ first touchdown ... Metzelaars would find redshirt sophomore wide receiver Bobo Thompson (Rock Hill, S.C.) seven minutes later on a 12-yard hook-up to make the final score 47-14. A Charlotte Christian School product, Metzelaars completed 16-of-31 passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns ... Bulldog junior wide receiver Dan Brooks (Monroe, N.C.) led the Bulldogs in receiving with three catches totaling 36 yards. On the season, Brooks caught 41 passes for 633 yards and 10 touchdowns ... Wingate linebacker Travis Knight (Rockingham, N.C.) was one of 10 seniors honored in pre-game ceremonies. Knight finished his career with a flourish, leading both teams with 17 tackles. The Richmond Senior High product had 10 solo tackles and one quarterback sack. Six Bulldogs had 10 or more tackles ... Wingate’s 10 seniors have written a new page in the Bulldog history books. They will graduate with the best four-year record in the school’s senior college history. Wingate was 23-20 overall during the past four seasons, including an 8-3 mark in 2004. The eight victories tied the school’s senior college record for wins in a season ... Bulldog head coach Joe Reich has 27 wins in five seasons at the Wingate helm. Wingate’s senior college record for coaching wins is 35, held by Steve Wilt (1986-93).