Box Score PHOTO GALLERY

Wingate, N.C.----The Lenoir-Rhyne University football team compiled 413 yards total offense as the Bears earned a 44-13 South Atlantic Conference victory over Wingate University Saturday at Irwin Belk Stadium and John R. Martin Field. The opportunistic Bears (6-2 overall, 4-1 SAC) converted two interceptions into touchdowns and returned a fumble for another score against the Bulldogs (5-4 overall, 4-2 SAC).
 
The top rushing team in NCAA Division II, Lenoir-Rhyne compiled 390 rushing yards Saturday. L-R sophomore running back Jarrod Spears (Bunnlevel, N.C.) rushed nine times for 150 yards and one touchdown. Sophomore fullback Isaiah Whitaker (Salisbury, N.C.) carried 20 times for 98 yards. Bear sophomore linebacker Tanner Botts (Lawrenceville, Ga.) had a career day, grabbing two interceptions and posting a team-best 15 tackles (four solo, 11 assists).
 
For Wingate, redshirt junior quarterback Robbie Nallenweg (Asheville, N.C.) completed 40-of-53 passes for 325 yards and one touchdown. Senior wide receiver Chris Bowden (Forsyth, Ga.) caught 12 passes for 108 yards. Bulldog redshirt senior linebacker Jared Seate (Charlotte, N.C.) recorded a game-high 16 tackles (two solo, 14 assists).
 
The Bears never trailed en route to their first win in Wingate since 2000. Lenoir-Rhyne started the scoring when senior quarterback Reuben Haynes (Commerce, Ga.) crossed the goal line on a sneak from one yard out with 3:26 remaining in the first quarter. The touchdown capped a nine-play, 72-yard drive.

Three field goals in the second quarter made the score 10-6 Lenoir-Rhyne at intermission. Wingate redshirt senior place kicker Matthew Sierk (Saluda, N.C.) hit from 33 and 32 yards, while L-R senior place kicker Zach Neumann (Mechanicsville, Md.) nailed a 23-yarder with 19 seconds left in the second stanza.

Lenoir-Rhyne tallied 34 points in the second half to break open the close game. The teams traded touchdowns to start the third quarter. The Bears turned an interception into six points when junior running back Graham Duncan (Gainesville, Ga.) scored on a one-yard plunge at the 9:31 mark. Wingate redshirt junior quarterback Robbie Nallenweg (Asheville, N.C.) hit redshirt sophomore wide receiver Bryan Caffrey (Bayside, N.Y.) for an eight-yard touchdown pass with 4:58 remaining in the frame to cut the Bulldog deficit to 17-13.

Lenoir-Rhyne scored the final 27 points of the game. A 64-yard touchdown run by Spears and a 27-yard fumble return by senior linebacker Cle-Artiss Davis (Miramar, Fla.) on Wingate’s ensuing possession were key scores in the run. Six different Bears scored touchdowns Saturday.

Wingate steps out of league play to visit North Greenville next Saturday. Kick-off is slated for 1:30 p.m. Lenoir-Rhyne hits the road as well, visiting Newberry for the annual Bishops’ Trophy game next Saturday at 2 p.m.

NCAA Division II Box Score (Final)

Lenoir-Rhyne vs Wingate (at Wingate, N.C.)

 

Score by Quarters     1  2  3  4   Score

-----------------    -- -- -- --   -----

Lenoir-Rhyne........  7  3 14 20  - 44 

Wingate.............  0  6  7  0  - 13 

 

Scoring Summary:

1st 03:26 L-R - Reuben Haynes 1 run (Zach Neumann kick)

2nd 13:21 WU - Matthew Sierk 33 FG

    07:16 WU - Sierk 32 FG

    00:19 L-R - Zach Neumann 23 FG

3rd 09:31 L-R - Graham Duncan 1 run (Neumann kick)

    04:58 WU - Bryan Caffrey 8 pass from Robbie Nallenweg (Sierk kick)

    01:48 L-R - Austin Beaty 2 run (Neumann kick)

4th 13:59 L-R - Jarrod Spears 64 run (pass failed)

    13:14 L-R - Cle-Artiss Davis 27 fumble recovery (Neumann kick)

    00:33 L-R - Teverrius Jones 45 run (Neumann kick)

 

                                    L-R       WU

FIRST DOWNS...................       20       21

RUSHES-YARDS (NET)............   60-390    18-33

PASSING YDS (NET).............       23      325

Passes Att-Comp-Int...........    2-1-0  53-40-4

TOTAL OFFENSE PLAYS-YARDS.....   62-413   71-358

Fumble Returns-Yards..........     2-32      0-0

Punt Returns-Yards............      1-0     1-13

Kickoff Returns-Yards.........     1-26      0-0

Interception Returns-Yards....     4-31      0-0

Punts (Number-Avg)............   5-29.6   3-29.0

Fumbles-Lost..................      3-1      2-2

Penalties-Yards...............     5-57     7-76

Possession Time...............    32:39    27:21

Third-Down Conversions........  4 of 12  7 of 14

Fourth-Down Conversions.......   1 of 1   0 of 0

Red-Zone Scores-Chances.......      4-4      3-5

Sacks By: Number-Yards........     3-10      1-7

 

RUSHING: Lenoir-Rhyne-Jarrod Spears 9-150; Isaiah Whitaker 20-98; Graham Duncan 8-41; Teverrius Jones 2-40; Austin Beaty 5-26; Reuben Haynes 7-21; Chris Robinson 5-15; L. McCorkle 2-7; Corron Boston 1-minus 4; Artis Gilmore 1-minus 4. Wingate-Andrew Nallenweg 5-23; Nestor Lantigua 8-17; Mycah Gaylord 2-3; Robbie Nallenweg 3-minus 10.

 

PASSING: Lenoir-Rhyne-Reuben Haynes 1-2-0-23. Wingate-Robbie Nallenweg 40-53-4-325.

 

RECEIVING: Lenoir-Rhyne-Graham Duncan 1-23. Wingate-Chris Bowden 12-108; Bryan Caffrey 9-61; Andrew Nallenweg 6-71; Nick Reddy 5-38; Nestor Lantigua 4-24; Patrick Derenda 3-14; Josh Clawson 1-9.