WINGATE – The Wingate Bulldogs captured their first South Atlantic Conference championship since 2017, stifling 19th-ranked Carson-Newman's potent rushing attack in a 28-13 victory Saturday afternoon at Irwin Belk Stadium.
The Bulldogs' defense, which entered the game as one of the nation's best units, held Carson-Newman to just 84 total yards - including a mere 54 yards rushing. The Eagles had been averaging 295 yards on the ground and 386 total yards per game before meeting Wingate's defensive wall.
Place-kicker Caleb Bonesteel earned MVP honors, connecting on all five of his field goal attempts from distances of 43, 38, 48, 36, and 36 yards. His consistent performance kept the Bulldogs in control throughout a game that remained close into the fourth quarter.
Wingate (9-1) took command in the third quarter after leading just 9-6 at halftime. Jake Snapp's 49-yard kickoff return to open the second half set up the Bulldogs at the Carson-Newman 44-yard line. The drive culminated in Noah Bell's one-yard touchdown plunge on fourth down, extending the lead to 16-6.
The Eagles (9-2) showed life early in the fourth quarter when Zane Whitson scored on a one-yard run to cut the deficit to 19-13. But Wingate responded immediately with an explosive four-play, 81-yard drive, highlighted by quarterback Brooks Bentley's 26-yard run and capped by Corey Siemer's 38-yard touchdown burst.
Siemer finished with 86 yards on 13 carries to lead all rushers, while O'Brien Barnett added 70 yards on 13 attempts for the Bulldogs. The Wingate ground game accumulated 165 yards overall, complemented by Bentley's 91 passing yards.
The Bulldogs' defense, which has now held Carson-Newman under 180 rushing yards in both meetings this season, was led by Kai Russell's 10 tackles, including 1.5 for loss. Daniel Morrison and Dontorian Best each contributed seven tackles, while Joseph Reddish sealed the victory with two fourth-quarter interceptions.
Carson-Newman's offensive struggles were particularly evident in the second half, when they managed just 10 yards of total offense. The Eagles' passing game never found rhythm, completing only 2 of 6 attempts for 30 yards with two interceptions.
The game's tone was set early when Wingate capitalized on field position and Carson-Newman miscues. After a methodical 12-play drive resulted in Bonesteel's first field goal, the Bulldogs quickly added another three points following a fumble recovery by Darius Randolph at the Carson-Newman 25-yard line.
The Eagles briefly showed life in the second quarter with two field goals from Bennett Smith, including a 45-yarder that tied the game at 6-6. However, Wingate reclaimed the lead just before halftime on Bonesteel's 48-yard kick and never trailed again.
The Bulldogs' defense took over in the fourth quarter, with Russell and Morrison recording consecutive sacks that pushed Carson-Newman into a fourth-and-28 situation. The defensive effort helped Wingate control the clock, holding possession for nearly 34 minutes in the contest.
Wingate now awaits Sunday's NCAA Division II playoff selection show to learn its postseason fate. The Bulldogs entered the game ranked second in Super Region 2, positioning themselves for a potential home playoff game when the bracket is announced.
The victory marks Wingate's third conference championship in program history, achieved through a suffocating defensive performance that limited one of the conference's most productive offenses to its lowest output of the season by more than 150 yards.
.png)
