Showing posts with label Pioneer Football League. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pioneer Football League. Show all posts

Thursday, December 19, 2024

Davidson Hires Rising Star Saj Thakkar

8:40 PM

DAVIDSON - In a significant move that signals a new era for Davidson College football, the Wildcats have appointed rising coaching star Saj Thakkar as their 29th head coach, bringing his innovative offensive mindset and proven track record of academic excellence to the Pioneer League.


Thakkar, who engineered remarkable success at Bentley University over the past two seasons, arrives in Davidson with an impressive 14-6 overall record that belies his relatively young age of 33. His tenure at Bentley was marked by consistent excellence, with the Falcons finishing among the Northeast-10 Conference's elite under his leadership.


The appointment represents a calculated decision by Davidson Athletic Director Chris Clunie to inject fresh energy into a program seeking to establish itself as a competitive force in FCS football. Thakkar's experience crafting high-powered offenses, coupled with his commitment to academic achievement, made him an ideal fit for Davidson's distinctive blend of athletic and academic aspirations.


During his time at Bentley, Thakkar's teams dominated the statistical categories, leading or placing second in every major offensive and defensive metric in the conference. Perhaps more impressively, his program led the NE-10 in Academic All-District selections, demonstrating his ability to foster success both on the field and in the classroom.


His coaching journey includes valuable experience at prestigious academic institutions, most notably a five-year stint as running backs coach at Harvard under legendary coach Tim Murphy. Murphy, who amassed 232 career wins over 36 years, praised Thakkar's exceptional football acumen and ability to connect with student-athletes.


"Saj is a great American success story," Murphy reflected, highlighting his protégé's remarkable work ethic and football intelligence. "His ability to recruit, coach, and motivate student-athletes sets him apart in our profession."


Thakkar's offensive expertise was particularly evident during his tenure as offensive coordinator at SUNY Maritime, where his units averaged an impressive 37 points per game in 2017, resulting in ten players earning All-ECAC recognition. This offensive prowess, combined with his recent NFL experience as a Bill Walsh Fellow with both the Atlanta Falcons and Tennessee Titans, suggests exciting possibilities for the Wildcats' offensive scheme.


The new head coach's vision for Davidson football extends beyond mere tactical innovations. "We will work to become a top FCS football program while providing the best scholar-athlete experience in the country," Thakkar declared, emphasizing his commitment to holistic player development.


For Davidson, this hiring represents more than just a coaching change – it's a statement of intent. With Thakkar at the helm, the Wildcats are positioning themselves for a future that balances competitive excellence with academic achievement, a combination that has long been the hallmark of Davidson College athletics.

Davidson Hires Rising Star Saj Thakkar
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Saturday, September 25, 2021

Davidson Holds Off San Diego in Pioneer League Opener

2:53 PM

DAVIDSON – It was the opener of the 2021 Pioneer Football League slate for the Davidson. Opposing the Wildcats were the Toreros of San Diego, a traditional league power who desperately wanted to avenge the pandemic-forced spring 2021 season which saw Davidson knock off the four-time defending Pioneer League champs to claim the conference championship for the first time ever. It was Davidson who would take the day, as the Wildcats held off a late rally to defeat the Toreros 28-16 at Richardson Stadium.

Davidson had what seemed to be a great start to the game, forcing a three-and-out and taking over after a punt. The momentum was short-lived, however, and a bad pitch on the Wildcats' second play from scrimmage saw the ball hit the turf, recovered by the San Diego defense. Two plays later, Emilio Martinez ran in from thirteen yards out to give the visitors an early 7-0 lead.

The Wildcats went into full ball control mode later in the quarter, though, marching eighty-three yards on sixteen plays on a drive that ended the first quarter and began the second. By the time junior Dylan Sparks scored on a one-yard run, Davidson had chewed off nearly nine minutes of clock and kept a potent Torero offense on the sidelines.

It was the San Diego special teams that made the biggest play in the second quarter, though. After coming up short on a run, the Toreros chose to punt from midfield. The punt rolled down towards the goal line and was batted out of bounds inside the one-yard line. The San Diego defense stepped up on the next play, tackling the Davidson ball carrier in the end zone for a safety and 9-7 lead. After the ensuing free kick, the Toreros sought to extend their lead with a field goal, but the kick bounced off the right upright.

Davidson started the second half with eight straight rushing plays before Louis Calosimo was able to find Eli Turner, Jr. lurking behind the defense, and the two connected on a thirty-one-yard pass to get the Wildcats inside the five-yard line. Two plays later, Mark McCurdy went around the left side for the Davidson touchdown and the Wildcats had the lead for the first time on the afternoon. Davidson had a chance to extend the lead later in the quarter, but a bad snap on a field goal attempt gave the ball back to the Toreros and saw the score stay at 14-9 going into the final quarter.


Davidson went into its bag of tricks on its next possession and pulled out the halfback pass which Eli Turner, Jr. executed perfectly, tossing a thirty-four-yard throw to Jalen Staples who went down at the five-yard line. Turner finished off the drive two plays later on a toss sweep around the right side of the line, extending the Wildcats lead to twelve points.

San Diego refused to give up and came within five points after an eleven-yard touchdown pass from Mason Randall to Michael Carner. The Toreros had another chance late in the quarter but was stopped on fourth down by the tenacious Davidson defense. Looking to put the game on ice, Louis Colosimo found Eli Turner, Jr. on a twenty-five-yard slant route for a touchdown to cap the scoring, and Jordan Burrell picked off a late pass to seal the deal for Davidson.

Up Next

Both teams are staying in Pioneer League play as Davidson (2-1, 1-0) travels to Florida to take on the Hatters of Stetson University while San Diego (0-4, 0-1) hosts league newcomer St. Thomas.




 




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Saturday, March 13, 2021

Second Half Surge Lifts Davidson Football over Stetson

8:00 PM

DELAND, FL. – Davidson rattled off 20 consecutive second-half points and held off a late Stetson rally to pick up a Pioneer Football League opening win Saturday at Spec Martin Memorial Stadium, 26-20.

With the win, Davidson improves to 1-1 and opens the conference slate at 1-0, while with the loss Stetson begins the season 0-1.

“There’s too really tough things in sports and in football, one is winning on the road, and two is winning your first game of the year … especially after a heartbreaking loss at Elon. Really proud of this win. Really proud of our guys,” said head coach Scott Abell after the victory formation sealed it.  

Trailing 7-6 at the break, the Wildcats got in their groove in the third, scoring touchdowns on three consecutive drives to open the half. 

The ‘Cats first found the end zone when senior quarterback Tyler Phelps hit junior wide receiver Jalen Staples with a fade to the back corner of the end zone just 1:34 into the third. After a defensive stop on Stetson’s ensuing possession, the ‘Cats leaned on Phelps legs for four carries with the final taking him across the goal line, extending the lead, 20-7.

With the game seemingly in hand, Davidson’s defense stepped up big. Freshman Jonathan Hammond sacked Hatter quarterback Alex Piccirilli on fourth down to give the ball back to the offense. Hammond has been a force as a freshman for the ‘Cats, making his first career interception earlier in the game and previously forcing a fumble at Elon back in February.

Back on offense, Davidson needed just two plays to add six to the scoreboard. Junior running back Coy Williams darted off on a 43-yard scamper and classmate Eli Turner Jr. turned on the jets to finish off the final 25 yards with a catch and scamper to put his squad up, 26-7.

Stetson did make things interesting late, scoring touchdowns on back-to-back fourth-quarter possessions, helped along by an onside kick recovery, but the Davidson damage was too great to overcome.

The first half was full of special team highlights. Stetson marched down the field on their opening drive and was in position for a chip shot field goal, but senior Jaylon Bolden had other plans, blocking the kick to keep the Hatters from getting on the board early.

Wildcat sophomore kicker Caden Bonoffski showed off his leg, connecting on a 48-yard field goal try, one yard shy of his career-long. The local product added a 26-yard kick to keep the ‘Cats momentum rolling in the second quarter.

Davidson finished with 297 yards rushing out of 389 yards of total offense. Phelps led the ground game with 120 yards, while Williams chipped in 83. Phelps completed 7-of-10 passes for 92 yards, connecting with Staples four times for 55 yards and the score.

Defensively, junior’s Jalen Jefferson and Jake Alexander led the way with 10 tackles apiece. Alexander forced a fumble in the second quarter, recovered by classmate Cade Vela. 

Davidson makes their home debut Saturday, Mar. 20 against Presbyterian in PFL action at Richardson Stadium. Kick off from Stephen B. Smith Field is slated for 1 p.m.

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Saturday, November 9, 2019

Wesley Dugger Becomes Davidson's All-Time Leading Rusher in Win Over Butler, 52-10

8:49 PM
INDIANAPOLIS – Junior running back Wesley Dugger became the program’s all-time leading rusher as Davidson downed Butler at the Bud and Jackie Sellick Bowl Saturday in Pioneer Football League road action, 52-10.

Entering the day trailing the record by a mere 37 yards, Dugger used a second-quarter, 18-yard scamper to vault himself on top of an impressive historical mark. The Henrico, Va., native moved ahead of John Leverett who last raised the bar to 3,165 yards in 2004.

Adding to the historical significance of Dugger’s first-half production, Davidson scored 33 unanswered in the second quarter, spreading the five touchdowns out between different Wildcats. Davidson outgained the Bulldogs 269-124 including a 255-yard ground assault.

Dugger scored his 17th of the season, while seniors Jorell Story and Keylan Brown and sophomore Eli Turner Jr. rushed for one apiece. Junior quarterback Tyler Phelps also connected with Jackson Sherrard on a 14-yard touchdown toss.

Following a long and productive opening drive from the Butler offense, the Davidson defense held their own. Junior cornerback Jaylon Bolden made a spectacular interception of Bulldog quarterback Nick Orlando and had a shot at another later in the frame. Sophomore’s Jordan Reed and Chibuike Odo made first-half sacks as Davidson pressured well early.

With a healthy scoreboard advantage in the second half, head coach Scott Abell was able to utilize a bunch of young ‘Cats. Freshmen Jayden Waddell hauled in a beautiful ball from junior Louis Colosimo and turned on the jets for a 69-yard touchdown. Classmate Kenny Collins also found the end zone late in the contest, a 13-yard scoring scamper for the California kid.

Dugger finished with 118 yards on 24 carries and the pair of scores. Story had another strong day on the ground, tallying 89 yards to go along with his touchdown.

The Wildcats finished with 549 total yards, 458 of those from the backfield.

Senior cornerback Rayshawn McCall led a balanced defensive effort with seven total stops, four of them solo efforts. Junior safety Sean Holton played strong in a reserve role, recording five tackles including a tackle for loss.

Davidson hits the road for the final time Saturday, Nov. 16 when they travel to DeLand, Fla. For a PFL clash with Stetson. Kick off from Spec Martin Memorial Stadium is slated for 12 p.m.

Other Notables
Dugger finished the day with 3,247 yards … Adding two to his total today, he now sits one touchdown shy of tying the PFL rushing touchdown record.




Story courtesy of Davidson Sports Information
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Saturday, October 12, 2019

PHOTO GALLERY: Davidson vs San Diego

4:02 PM
PHOTO GALLERY: Davidson vs San Diego

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Davidson Falls to San Diego in PFL Home Opener

4:01 PM
DAVIDSON – Coming into Saturday’s game against San Diego, the Davidson Wildcats were third in the nation in rushing offense, averaging 332.8 yards a game and was 1-0 in the Pioneer League for the first time in nine years and looking to go 2-0 for the first time ever. San Diego, on the other hand, was riding a 30-game conference winning streak and had won or shared the last five Pioneer League titles. Something was going to have to give in this rematch of last year’s 56-52 barnburner. In the end, it was the San Diego Toreros who found their thirty-first consecutive conference win in a 37-17 win over Davidson at Richardson Stadium.

Davidson started the game looking to impose its will on the San Diego defense, using punishing runs to wear down the visiting Torero defense. The Wildcats made it all the way inside the ten-yard line, but a fumble on first and goal moved the ball back fifteen yards and the offense was forced to settle for a 43-yard Caden Bonoffski field goal to take an early 3-0 lead. San Diego offered almost a mirror drive to respond, making it to the red zone before eventually settling for a field goal of their own and knotting the score at 3.

Davidson Slot Receiver Eli Turner, Jr.
Photo Credit: Brian Barnes
Davidson’s next drive lasted into the beginning of the second quarter with junior Wesley Dugger putting the exclamation point on the twelve-play, seventy-five-yard drive with an eleven-yard scamper around the left side to give the home team a 10-3 lead. Dugger, coming into the game as one of only two juniors in the FCS Top 10 active career leaders in rushing yards, was held to twenty-six yards on the day.

Just like the first drives of the game, San Diego mirrored the Wildcats on their second drive as well, marching seventy-five yards down the field in seven plays and equalizing the score with a 23-yard touchdown pass from Reid Sinnett to Michael Carner.

For a team that focuses so much on the running game, it was a pass that helped move the Wildcats onto their next score. After Tyler Phelps found a streaking Jalen Staples, who raced down the five-yard line, Davidson was in business again and it was Dugger punching it in from one yard out to give the home team a 17-10 lead late in the half. As was the pattern for the rest of the first half, San Diego got a big pass to help them tie the game up with Michael Bandy weaving through a swath of Davidson defenders on his way to the end zone and setting up the halftime score of 17-17.

San Diego started the second half determined to set the tone for how the rest of the game was going to be played. Moving swiftly down the field, Reid Sinnett guided the Torero offense seventy-five yards in four minutes with Michael Bandy scoring his second touchdown of the day on a four-yard catch in the end zone. Looking to respond, Davidson went back to the ground game, making it all the way to the San Diego 15-yard line before turning it over on downs. Sensing a chance to seize permanent momentum, the visiting Toreros did just that as sophomore tight end Dalton Kincaid went seventy yards down the left sideline to open up a two-score lead for San Diego.

The fourth quarter played out much the way of the third quarter as Davidson drove deep into Torero territory, but was turned back in a turnover on downs. San Diego put the final exclamation point on the game with Reid Sinnett’s fifth touchdown pass of the day and the game final of 37-17.

“Our effort was great; we just have to play cleaner,” Davidson head coach Scott Abell stated after the game. “We had two big momentum shifts where we came up short. Ultimately, we’d like to have at least one of those go our way…hopefully, we’ll learn from this and be that type of team like San Diego is.”

Next Week
Both teams are in Pioneer League action next week as Davidson (4-2, 1-1) travels to Jacksonville while San Diego (3-2, 2-0) hosts Valparaiso.






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Saturday, October 20, 2018

Davidson Falls in Double OT at Marist, 48-41

10:21 PM

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – Despite a four-touchdown day from running back Wesley Dugger, Davidson football fell in a hard-fought double-overtime road Pioneer Football League contest at Marist Saturday at Tenney Stadium, 48-41.

With the loss, Davidson falls to 5-3 overall and 2-3 in PFL play, while with the win Marist improves to 3-4 and 2-2 in conference action.

Unable to settle the game in regulation, Davidson headed to overtime for the first time since 2015.

In the first overtime, the Wildcats gained a pair of first downs and set up Dugger’s fourth score of the day, a new career-high for the Henrico, Va., native.

Marist quickly responded with a strike from quarterback Austin Day to three-time All-PFL wide receiver, Juston Christian, his third of the day. The Red Foxes then scored on the first pass attempt of the second overtime to go up 48-41 and force Davidson to score a touchdown. They could not.

Davidson held a 34-23 advantage after three quarters, but a monster, 74-yard scoring strike to Christian and a Red Fox field goal with 98 ticks remaining forced overtime.

Dugger capped off two long Davidson drives with scores as the ‘Cats held over 11 minutes of possession time in the first frame.

Down 17-13 in the second and following a three-and-out on offense, with momentum swinging back towards Marist, freshman safety Dreylan Hines intercepted Day for his third of the season. The pick set up Dugger’s third of the day and gave the visiting sideline a boost.

On the first play of the next possession, sophomore linebacker TJ Elliott jumped a route and intercepted his second pass of the season with under two minutes to go in the half. The Wildcats quickly went from midfield to the end zone in 5 plays, capped off with a 10-yard scoring run from sophomore quarterback Tyler Phelps to take a 27-17 lead into the break.

Davidson junior James Story stretched the lead out to 17 (34-17) in the third with a 46-yard scoring run, extending his streak of four straight games with a touchdown.

Marist needed big plays and Christian provided the spark, catching a pair of scoring strikes from 74 and 68 yards to bring the Red Foxes within one possession and help force overtime.

Davidson rushed for 400 yards paced by Dugger’s 111 yards on 26 carries. Phelps (80), William Wicks (70) and Story (61) added to the running assault.

Junior linebacker Tony Collins made 7 stops to lead the Wildcat defense, while corner back Rayshawn McCall added 6 - including 5 solo stops. Senior defensive lineman Corey Coppola recovered a fumble to make it 3 gained turnovers on the day.

Davidson returns home Saturday, Oct. 27 when they play host to Stetson University. Kick off from Richardson Stadium is slated for 1 p.m.
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Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Davidson Can Clinch Winning Season With Victory Over Marist

9:06 PM
Davidson heads to Marist for a Pioneer Football League clash with the Red Foxes at Tenney Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 1:05 p.m. from Poughkeepsie, N.Y. The ‘Cats are 31-82 (.274) all-time in PFL play. Davidson’s lone win over Marist came on the road in 2010, 28-21. The two have played every season since 2008, Marist officially joined the PFL in 2009. The Red Foxes have scored 31 points in each of the last three games against Davidson.

A win for Davidson would secure a winning season for the first time since 2007, halt a 7-game losing skid to the Red Foxes dating back to 2011, be the first at Marist since 2010, be the sixth of the season, which hasn’t happened since the ‘Cats went 6-4 in 2007.

The Wildcats broke a pair of single-season rushing records against Morehead State for yards (2,597) and touchdowns (32). The previous highs of 2333 yards and 29 TDs were previously set in 1977 and 1993, respectively. Davidson is outscoring opponents 115-47 in the first quarter this season and 225-104 in the first half. Senior place kicker Michael Matthews is tied for second all-time in PAT’s in a season with 37. Junior defensive tackle Bryce Perry-Martin ranks first in the PFL in tackles for loss (9.5) and second in sacks (3.5). Perry-Martin made a career-high 13 stops against Morehead State including 3.5 TFL and a sack. Perry-Martin has recorded career-high tackles in back-to-back games (11 - Jax, 13 - Morehead) Dugger ranks fourth on the all-time rushing list with 1943 yards. He sits 848 yards behind Eric Ferguson for third. Davidson welcomed 32 members to the Class of 2022 and a sophomore transfer; 17 are listed on defense, 14 on offense and 2 special teamers.

The 2018 ‘Cats reset a pair of single-season rushing records last Saturday against Morehead State. Davidson rushed for 264 yards to break the single-season rushing yards mark, they sit at 2649 and counting. The 1977 had the previous mark at 2333. The 1993 Wildcats squad rushed for 29 TD’s, the 2018 squad have 32 and counting.

Davidson fell for the first time at home last week, dropping a hard-fought game to PFL foe Morehead State, 35-28. Junior running back James Story found the end zone twice, his second consecutive multi TD game and third straight with a score overall. Junior defensive tackle Bryce Perry-Martin had a career day, making 13 stops, 3.5 for loss and 1.0 sack. Junior tight end Hunter Louthan caught his only ball of the game for his fourth TD of the season. Sophomore running back Wesley Dugger rushed 21 times for 93 yards. 
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Saturday, October 13, 2018

Davidson Drops First Home Game the of Season to Morehead State, 35-28

10:16 PM
DAVIDSON, N.C. – Davidson head football coach Scott Abell saw a few encouraging signs immediately following his Wildcats’ 35-28 loss to Morehead State Saturday at Richardson Stadium.

First, he saw the Eagles celebrating the win on the field – a sign that it meant something for the visiting team to win in Davidson – and then he saw the reaction he wanted from his players in the locker room. They were disappointed.

“They expected to win the football game,” said Abell, now seven games into his first season. “And if you expect to win the football game, you probably feel like you just got kicked in the gut. That’s what it feels like.”

Davidson (5-2 overall, 2-2 Pioneer Football League) had its two-game win streak snapped in a game that was tied three times, including 21-all at the half. Morehead State (2-4, 1-2) pulled ahead for good on a Jovan Smith 30-yard touchdown run with 3:22 to play.

“At the end of the day, we didn’t make enough plays,” said Abell. “They made a few more than we did, they got a few more breaks than we did and it was a one-score game.”

Davidson ran for 264 yards on 55 carries, but opened the game’s scoring with a 5-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Phelps to Hunter Louthan at the 8:33 mark of the first quarter. Wildcat James Story ran for two scores in the first half, and his 3-yard score with 50 seconds left in the second quarter tied it at 21-all. William Wicks’ 8-yard scoring run with 7:45 to play in the fourth quarter tied it at 28-28.

“Offensively, we didn’t feel like we could ever get in a rhythm,” said Abell. “We had some good drives and put some points on the board, but offense is rhythm.

Davidson started its final drive on its own 1-yard line and reached the Eagles’ 28 in the closing seconds, but Phelps’ throw into the back left corner of the end zone was deflected as time expired.

Still, there were more signs of the progress that’s been made at Davidson in 2018. 

Davidson set two single-season program rushing records Saturday. With three rushing scores, the 2018 team now has 32, which surpassed the previous high of 29, set in 1993. And with 264 rushing yards, the Wildcats now have 2,597 on the season, passing the 2,439-yard mark of 1977.

Wildcat junior defensive tackle Bryce Perry-Martin posted a career-high in tackles, making 13 total stops, including 3.0 for loss and a sack. Classmate Rayshawn McCall posted his second interception of the season and five tackles.

The Wildcats return to the road next week, when they visit Marist for a 1 p.m. kickoff Saturday.

“Our guys are resilient,” said Abell. “We’ve already shown that this year, so I’m really looking forward to get back to practicing, getting back to game week.”
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Sunday, September 30, 2018

Davidson Snaps 17-Game Pioneer League Skid With 40-35 Win Over Valparaiso

9:30 PM


VALPARAISO, Ind. – Davidson found itself on the winning end of a thrilling Pioneer Football League road game, snapping a 17-game league losing streak at Valparaiso Saturday at Brown Field, 40-35.

The PFL win is the first for the Wildcats since downing Stetson 20-17 in the 2015 season finale. With the win, Davidson improves to 4-1 overall. The last time the ‘Cats won four games in a campaign was in 2011 when they finished 4-7.

Trailing 35-34 late in the fourth, Davidson put together a 9-play, 75-yard drive capped off with a James Story 1-yard, go-ahead scoring run with under a minute to play to help lead the ‘Cats to victory.

Davidson had to overcome a second half Valpo push. Down 34-21 after the break, the Crusaders used lengthy scoring drives of 82 and 70 yards to take the lead.

Senior defensive back Nathan Campbell thwarted another close Crusader chance in the final frame. The Proctorville, Ohio, native jumped a route and intercepted his second pass of the season in front of the nearside pylon to prevent Valpo from adding another score.

The Wildcats rattled off 545 total yards including 379 on the ground. Junior William Wicks rushed 21 times for a career-high 178 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore Wesley Dugger recorded 91 yards on 21 carries and a pair of scoring scampers. Sophomore quarterback Tyler Phelps completed 12 of 15 passes for 166 yards and 2 scores.

The ‘Cats scored on all five drives of the first half, using 40 rushes to amass 263 yards on the ground. Dugger converted a pair of short yard scoring scampers, his seventh and eighth touchdowns of the season.

Phelps completed 9 of 11 passes including a pair of scoring strikes to freshman Eli Turner Jr. (33 yards) and junior Hunter Louthan (15 yards). Wicks broke free for his team-leading ninth touchdown of the season, a 36-yard scoring scamper.

The only stop of the first half, forced by the Wildcat defense, allowed Davidson to march down the field in a two-minute offense and jump out to a 34-21 halftime lead.

The Crusaders matched score for score for most of the half behind a 10 for 14, 2 touchdown half from Jimmy Seewald. Griffin Norberg took Seewald’s first pass of the game 62 yards for the score.

Seewald and backup quarterback Chris Duncan combined to complete 18 of 28 passes for 260 yards and 3 scores. Crusaders Jamari Booker (20) and Drew Snouffer (16)

Davidson junior linebacker George Hatalowich paced the team with 12 total tackles. Classmate Tony Collins registered 7 tackles, including 1.0 for loss.

Davidson returns home Saturday, Oct. 6 for a PFL clash with Jacksonville. Kick off from Richardson Stadium is slated for 1 p.m.

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Saturday, November 11, 2017

Campbell Falls to Drake in Pioneer League Finale

4:29 PM
BUIES CREEK – Drake scored on its first five drives of the second half and defeated Campbell 45-10 Saturday at Barker-Lane Stadium.

Grant Kraemer threw for 369 yards and three touchdowns for the Bulldogs (6-4, 5-2), who broke open 14-3 halftime edge in the season finale for Campbell (6-5, 5-3), which matched school modern era records for overall and conference wins.

Kraemer completed 17-of-20 passes –hitting eight different receivers in the process, and the Bulldogs took over possession of second place in the Pioneer Football League. Drake ran up 547 yards of total offense yards, scoring on three plays of 54 yards or more.

A crowd of 4,261 witnessed Campbell’s final PFL game at Barker-Lane Stadium. Campbell will join the Big South Conference in football beginning with the 2018 season.

For the second-straight year, Campbell set season average (5,546) and total (33,276) attendance records at 5,500-seat Barker-Lane Stadium. Campbell is seventh among all FCS schools in attendance percentage (105.5).

Campbell entered the game as the PFL leader in total offense, averaging nearly 450 yards per game, but Drake held the Camels to 327 yards on the day and just one touchdown.

Darius Barnes hit career highs for rushing attempts (24) and yards (96) for the Camels. Daniel Smith completed 10-of-22 for 147 yards in the air and added 81 on the ground. Aaron Blockmon led CU with four receptions for 66 yards.

Campbell RB Darius Barnes (Photo Credit: Campbell Sports Information)
Smith, who entered the game leading the nation in rushing yards per attempt (9.98) and total yards on the ground, was held to 4.1 per carry. A red-shirt freshman from Leesburg, Va., Smith finished the season with school Division I era (since 2008) records for total offense (3164) and rushing yards (1272).

Junior linebacker Jack Ryan had 15 total tackles Saturday and set a new Campbell school record with 103 stops on the season. Senior safety Carlos Merritt set a new school mark with 50 solo tackles.

Kraemer logged his fourth 300-yard passing performance of the season for Drake. Drew Lauer led the Bulldogs on the ground with 79 yards on 10 carries. Steven Doran had 170 receiving yards on just four catches, two of which went for scores.

Sean Lynch and Kieran Severa led Drake with 11 tackles, while Nathan Clayberg added 10 stops.

Two big plays spurred Drake to a 14-3 halftime lead. Kraemer connected with Cole Neary on a 37-yard completion to give the Bulldogs a first down on the Campbell nine. Brock Reichardt ran in from the two and Danny Donley’s PAT put Drake ahead 7-0 with 4:12 left in the first quarter.

Kraemer’s 68-yard scoring pass to Doran increased the margin to 14-0 with 4:20 to go in the half.

Campbell drove 54 yards to set up Colin Gary’s 30-yard field goal with 1:20 to play in the second quarter.

Lauer burst up the middle for a 54-yard TD run and gave Drake a 21-3 lead with 9:49 left in the third quarter.

Kraemer again hooked up with Doran for a 57-yard catch and run to extend the margin to 28-3 with 7:32 to play in the third. Kraemer’s third TD toss of the game – a 12-yard hook-up with Zach DeLeon – pushed the lead to 35-3 with 4:06 left in the third quarter.

Daniel Smith ran in from three-yards on fourth down to cap an 8-play, 67-yard drive and cut the margin to 31-10 with 0:40 left in the third quarter. Smith’s completion to Blockmon accounted for 41 yards in the march.

Notable North Carolinians

Darius Barnes (So., Hunt) rushed for 96 yards on 24 attempts
Aaron Blockman (R-Jr, Southern Lee) had four receptions for 66 yards
Jack Ryan (R-Jr, Weddington) had 15 tackles on the day, setting the single-season school record for tackles with 103.

Next Week

Drake concludes its season at home next Saturday (Nov. 18) against Jacksonville in a 1:00 p.m. (CST) kick-off.




Campbell Sports Information contributed to this story.
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Saturday, November 4, 2017

Smith's Record Day Lifts Campbell to 42-29 Win over Davidson

8:37 PM
DAVIDSON – Campbell quarterback Daniel Smith was already the Camels' leading rusher this season coming into Saturday's game against Pioneer League opponent Davidson. Knowing he would need another strong offensive performance this week, Campbell head coach Mike Minter turned again to his redshirt freshman signal caller to lead the Camels offense. What Minter did not imagine was his quarterback rushing for 289 yards and four touchdowns, leading Campbell to a 42-29 win over Davidson. Campbell (6-4, 5-2) assured itself of a winning season for the second time while Davidson (2-7, 0-6) is still looking for its first conference win of the season.

After Smith opened the scoring for Campbell with a three-yard keeper on the Camels' first possession, Davidson controlled the game through the rest of the first quarter. Freshman Wesley Dugger ran for the first of his three scores of the game to tie the game at 7, a wild snap on a Campbell punt led to a safety and two Trevor Smith field goals gave the home team a 15-7 lead. Smith became the all-time kicking leader at Davidson with his performance on Saturday.

Campbell QB Daniel Smith ran for 289 yards and 4 TDs (Photo Credit: Campbell Sports Information)


During the rest of the game, both teams' outstanding freshmen, Campbell's Smith and Davidson's Dugger, demonstrated why they are both in the running for FCS freshman of the year consideration. Smith threw for a score to Bryan Bailey and ran for another score on a fourth down to make it 21-15 at the half.

Darius Barnes opened up the scoring in the second half with a touchdown for the visitors and, on the next possession, Daniel Smith hit an open hole on the left side of the line and raced eighty yards for the Campbell touchdown and a seemingly commanding lead. Wesley Dugger and the Davidson offense would have nothing of it and drove down the field on two consecutive possessions that ended with Dugger touchdown runs to pull within six points going into the final quarter.

Daniel Smith would have the last word, though, as his eighteen-yard run finished the scoring for the day and the Camels celebrated their last road victory as members of the Pioneer Football League.

Notable North Carolinians

Aaron Blockmon (RS-Jr., Southern Lee) became Campbell’s all-time leader in receptions with 101, also surpassed 2,000 career receiving yards
Jack Ryan (RS-Jr., Weddington) led Campbell in tackles with 12, including 8 solo
Charles Morris (Jr., Wakefield) boomed 6 punts for Davidson for a total of 228 yards
Bryce Perry-Martin (So., Pine Forest) had five tackles, a sack, and a pass breakup


Next Week

Both teams close out their home schedule next week as Davidson hosts San Diego (7-2) with an away game the following week against Morehead State (3-6) while Campbell closes out its season with a matchup against Drake (5-4).
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Thursday, November 2, 2017

Campbell and Davidson Meet as Conference Foes for Last Time

5:49 PM
In a final farewell as Pioneer League foes, Campbell (5-4, 4-2) and Davidson (2-6, 0-5) will match up this Saturday at Richardson Stadium. It is the tenth meeting all-time between the two dating back to the first contest in 2008. Campbell leads the all-time series 5-4 after last season's 28-0 win at Barker-Lane Stadium. With Campbell transitioning to scholarship football and moving to the Big South in 2018, Saturday's game will be the last time the two teams compete as conference foes.



For the Campbell Camels, redshirt freshman quarterback Daniel Smith has thrown for 1586 yards with 902 yards rushing, leading the Camels in both categories. His 902 yards rushing are the second most ever by a Camel, trailing only De'Shawn Jones' 2015 total of 1079. His 17 touchdown passes on the year has already made him Campbell's all-time leader in career touchdown passes. After a 58-year hiatus, Campbell began playing football again in 2008. A target of many of Smith's passes is former Southern Lee standout Aaron Blockmon. The redshirt junior has a team-high 423 receiving yards and has scored five touchdowns.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Camels are led by linebacker Jack Ryan (Weddington), defensive back Carlos Merritt, and Emmanuel Olenga (Olympic). Ryan leads the team with 76 tackles, Merritt has scored two defensive touchdowns to go along with his five interceptions, and Olenga has been a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks with 8.5 sacks so far this season.

For Davidson to even the series with Campbell, the Wildcats are going to have to get another solid performance from Wesley Duggar. Duggar leads Davidson with 801 rushing yards this season, averaging 100 yards per game with four total touchdowns. Dugger, along with Daniel Smith of Campbell were both named to the initial STATS FCS Jerry Rice Award Watch List. This distinction is handed out to the most outstanding freshman performer in all of the FCS.

To say Davidson is relying on youth for its scoring this year is an understatement. 17 of the Wildcats' 19 touchdowns have been produced by the freshman and sophomore classes. Senior Kahleel Shaw rushed for a touchdown in the opener and classmate Austin Wells returned a blocked punt for a TD against Guilford - the only two upper-class scores of the season. On the defensive side of the ball, youth once again reigns supreme as sophomore George Hatalowich leads the Davidson defense with 53 tackles and an interception.


Kickoff at Richardson Stadium is set for 1:00 pm this Saturday and will be televised by College Football Down South.
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Saturday, October 28, 2017

Campbell Falls in 3OT in Homecoming Classic

11:14 PM
BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Three Jacksonville backs ran for at least 95 yards and the Dolphins spoiled Campbell’s Homecoming with a 54-48 win in three overtimes Saturday.

In front of a Barker-Lane Stadium record crowd of 6691, the Dolphins took the lead on the first play of the third OT on Irvin Riley’s 25-yard run.  Rylan Wells fumbled on the two-point attempt to give Campbell an opportunity to win with a touchdown and two-point conversion.

However, three-straight incompletions and a sack of Daniel Smith by Harrison Rodormer and Emon Smith ended the game.

Jacksonville (5-3, 3-2 PFL) finished with a 506-453 edge in total offense and held the ball for 35:28 to 24:32 for the Camels (5-4, 4-2), who dropped their second-straight game.  The Dolphins entered the game first in the Pioneer League in rushing (281.7 per game) and finished with 396 yards on 77 attempts.

Daniel Smith completed 15-of-31 passes for 185 yards and two scores while adding 191 on 20 rushing attempts, an average of 9.6 per carry. A red-shirt freshman, Smith set the school Division I era (since 2008) single-season and career mark for touchdown passes (17).

Michael Wooten had four receptions for 27 yards and one TD.  Defensive back Carlos Merritt broke the school modern era record for tackles with 20, while Jack Ryan made 16 stops.  Caysaun Wakeley led Jacksonville’s defense with 12 tackles.

Campbell’s Jack Ryan (54) and Carlos Merritt (21) make a stop during
first-half action Saturday (Photo Credit: ScarboroughPhotography.com)


Keenan Simpson led JU with 108 yards on the ground on 17 attempts, while Pernell Rattray and Riley added 95 each.  Wells completed 5-of-15 passes for 110 yards and one score, a 24-yard hook up with Prince Gray that tied the score at 48 after two OT periods.  Gray finished with four catches for 109 yards.

Jacksonville took the lead in the first overtime on Lamar Washington’s four-yard run before Daniel Smith scampered in from five yards out to bring the Camels even at 41.  Smith then ran in from 18 yards to give the Camels a 48-41 advantage before Gray’s TD catch forced a third OT.

Jacksonville had two interceptions and forced a pair of Campbell fumbles to win the turnover battle 4-2.

On the game’s second play from scrimmage, Dante Simmons picked off Wells’ pass and returned it 38 yards to the Jacksonville three. Darius Barnes scored from there to give the Camels the lead just 45 seconds into the game.

After Jacksonville pinned the Camels on their own four-yard line, Smith keyed a 9-play, 82-yard drive with a 62-yard QB keeper.  Mitchell Brown’s 30-yard field goal extended the Campbell lead to 10-0 with 1:48 to play in the first.

The Dolphins had a first and goal at the three when Wells hit Prince Gray on a 30-yard completion, but the Camels held and Javier Arce-Ramirez connected on a 20-yard field goal with 11:27 left in the second.

Campbell responded with a 10-play, 72-yard march capped by Smith’s 17-yard run to extend its lead to 17-3 with 7:49 to play in the opening half.

Keenan Simpson capped a 9-play, 75-yard drive with a 17-yard rush to bring Jacksonville within 17-10 with 4:15 remaining in the second quarter.

The Camels took the second-half kickoff and drove 71 yards on nine plays to extend its lead to 24-10.  Smith connected with Zach Roderick on a 36-yard completion, before hitting his tight end Wooten on a 1-yard jump pass with 11:20 to go in the quarter.

JU answered with a 62-yard, 5-play drive keyed by Wells’ 40-yard run.  Wells snuck in from the one to bring the Dolphins back within one score (24-17) with 9:20 to play in the quarter.

Smith hit Aaron Blockmon on a 26-yard touchdown pass to push the margin to 31-17 with 5:55 left in the third.  However, Jacksonville responded with an 11-play, 67-yard drive ended by Rattray’s 19-yard run with 59 seconds to go in the third to trim the gap to 31-24.

Emon Smith strip-sacked Daniel Smith and Crandall Maines recovered the ball to give Jacksonville the ball on the Campbell 27.  Lamar Washington’s 5-yard run around left end completed an 8-play drive and Arce-Ramirez’ point after tied the game at 31 with 11:53 remaining.

Arce-Ramirez made a 24-yard field goal to give JU a 34-31 lead with 7:27 to play. Mitchell Brown’s 26-yard field goal tied the game at 34 with 2:29 left in regulation.


Campbell returns to action next Saturday (Nov. 4) in a 1:00 p.m. start at Davidson.  Jacksonville hosts Valparaiso next Saturday at noon.
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Comeback Bid Falls Short for Davidson Against Drake

11:08 PM
DES MOINES, Iowa – Davidson found the end zone in the final minute of play, but time ran out on the ‘Cats as Drake hung on for a Pioneer Football League win at Drake Stadium Saturday, 17-12.

With the loss, Davidson falls to 2-6 overall and 0-5 in league play, while with the win Drake improves to 5-3, 4-1 in the PFL.

Falling behind 14-0 in the second quarter, it looked all Bulldogs, but the Wildcats clawed back in the second half. Trailing 17-6 with time winding down in regulation, sophomore quarterback Stockton McGuire orchestrated a 9-play, 76-yard touchdown drive finished off with a William Wicks 27-yard scoring grab, his fourth of the season. Davidson’s two-point conversion attempt failed, making it 17-12 with under a minute to play.



Davidson needed to recover an onside kick to keep the rally alive and Smith had delivered earlier this season before, but Drake was able to punch out the ball from the scrum and recover it, setting up the victory formation.

The Bulldogs strung together one touchdown drive on offense in the first frame, but an Alex Bray pick-six in the second extended the Drake advantage out to 14 midway through the second quarter.

Following another stretch of mishaps, the Wildcats needed something to go their way and sophomore linebacker George Hatalowich delivered. The Hummelstown, Pa., native picked off Sam Hefner and returned it deep into Bulldog territory and set up a 29-yard Trevor Smith field goal to swing momentum towards Davidson heading into the break, 14-3. The pick was the first for the ‘Cats this season.

The stingy Davidson defense delivered again in the third as senior Ryan Samuels recovered a muffed punt, setting up another drive ending in a 27-yard Smith kick.

The Wildcats outgained Drake by a single yard, 236 to 235, and won the possession battle led by a stout defensive charge. Sophomore Stephen Shank led the way with 11 total tackles, 7 solo, 0.5 for loss. The Holly Springs, N.C., native also picked off a pass in the second half.

McGuire completed 15-of-34 passes for 142 yards, a touchdown and one interception. Freshman running back Wesley Dugger carried a heavy load, rushing 27 times for 80 yards, while Hunter Louthan hauled in six catches as a favorite target for McGuire.

Davidson returns to Richardson Stadium for a two-game home stand beginning Saturday, Nov. 4 when the Camels of Campbell University visit Stephen B. Smith Field. The PFL clash kicks off at 1:06 p.m.
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