NEWBERRY COLLEGE HOLDS
ON FOR 35-32 WIN OVER ECSU
Turner, Strickland Connect for Two Scores in Vikings’ Season Opener
SEPTEMBER 7,
2013
ELIZABETH CITY, NC-The
Newberry College Wolves held on for a 35-32 victory over Elizabeth City State
University in the teams’ season opener on Saturday evening at Roebuck
Stadium.
The Wolves improve to
3-0 in the all-time series with the Vikings having topped ECSU in 2006 and last
year in the first game of the season in Newbery, SC.
In his first start for
the Vikings, senior Casey Turner was impressive, going 25-40 for 374 yards and
two touchdowns. Keith Strickland, who was the recipient of both of Turner’s
touchdown passes, set a new career high with 135 receiving
yards.
The Viking offense
tallied 451 yards on 66 plays from scrimmage.
Five different Wolves
found the end zone on five different occasions with rushing touchdowns. As a
team, Newberry tallied 256 of their 464 total yards and were 5 for 6 in red zone
chances.
At the close of the
opening quarter the Wolves trailed ECSU by three (10-7) until a Dureal Elmore
capped a 7 play, 80 yard drive on an 11-yard score with 6:23 left in the first
half. Newberry then added two more rushing TDs after the intermission; a 1-yard
score courtesy of Wesley Brown and a 14 yard scamper from Raleigh Yeldell; for a
28-10 cushion with 3:58 remaining in the 3rd
quarter.
The Vikings battled
back, scoring two touchdowns over a three minute span to close out the third
quarter. At the 3:38 mark Turner found Keith Strickland with the only play the
drive, a 71-yard scoring strike to make the score 28-17 in favor of the
Wolves.
Newberry’s next drive
halted after 6 plays when Breon Bailey picked off WT Murden at the Wolves’ 25
yard line. Two plays later Turner and Strickland hooked up again, this time for
a 28 yard touchdown, trimming the lead to four (28-24).
With 9:48 left in the
game Newberry (1-0) got their fifth and final rushing score of the game when
Murden called his own number from 6 yards out. Petey Boone, who scored ECSU’s
first TD of the season in the opening quarter, got his second score of the
evening, a 1-yard run, with 2:01to go. The Vikings got within a field goal after
a 2-point conversion but failed to secure the onside kick and the Wolves held on
for the road win.
The Vikings’ Corey Davis
led all defenders with 12 total tackles, an interception, a forced fumble and 3
pass breakups.
ECSU (0-1) will hit the
road next week to take on Tusculum College in Greenville, TN. Kickoff is
scheduled for 1:30pm. Follow updates on Twitter @ECSUVikings and log onto www.ecsuvikings.com for more
information.
April J.
Emory
Elizabeth
City State University
Sports
Information Director
1704
Weeksville Road * Campus Box 900
Elizabeth
City, NC 27909
252.335.3278
(office)
252.335.3627
(fax)
www.ecsuvikings.com
Follow us
on Twitter!!!! http://twitter.com/ECSUVikings
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