Box Score
Wingate, N.C.----North Greenville University scored the final 21 points of the contest, rallying for a 38-34 NCAA Division II football victory over Wingate University Saturday at Irwin Belk Stadium and John R. Martin Field. NGU sophomore quarterback Nelson Hughes (Roebuck, S.C.) completed 37-of-59 passes for 354 yards and two touchdowns for the Crusaders, who improve to 5-4 overall. Wingate is 4-4 overall.

Crusader senior wide receiver Freddie Martino (North, S.C.) caught 18 passes for 192 yards and one score. Wingate junior running back Nestor Lantigua (Wellington, Fla.) set a career-high rushing yardage total for the second week in a row, gaining 158 yards on 21 carries. He scored two Bulldog touchdowns.

The Bulldogs led 34-17 entering the fourth quarter. Wingate's last two plays of the third quarter both resulted in touchdowns. Lantigua blazed 73 yards to paydirt (1:23) to give the hosts a 27-17 advantage. After North Greenville went three-and-out, Wingate redshirt senior quarterback Robbie Nallenweg (Asheville, N.C.) and sophomore wide receiver Tim Nalesnik (Cary, N.C.) made a 58-yard scoring connection (0:38) to give the Bulldogs the 17-point lead.

North Greenville went to work midway through the fourth quarter. Hughes took his team nine plays and 63 yards for the first score. NGU freshman running back Simeon Byrd (Spartanburg, S.C.) sealed the deal with a three-yard touchdown run. Junior place kicker Justin Gravely (Pickens, S.C.) added the PAT at the 7:15 mark.

Wingate went three-and-out and North Greenville moved 65 yards in 53 seconds to cut the deficit to 34-31. Hughes started the drive with two 25-plus-yard passing plays. Freshman wide receiver Tyrecous Garrett (Chesnee, S.C.) found the end zone thanks to a seven-yard scoring strike from Hughes. Gravely's extra point made the score 34-31 Wingate with 3:39 remaining in regulation.

The Crusaders recovered the ensuing on-side kick, but could not convert. The two teams traded punts, with North Greenville starting its game-winning drive on the Wingate 40-yard line. Four plays later, redshirt freshman Trey Walker (Graniteville, S.C.) provided the game-winning points on nine-yard touchdown rush.

Nallenweg took his troops to the NGU 29-yard line in the waning moments, but Crusader freshman defensive back Tony Godbolt (Fort Mill, S.C.) intercepted the Bulldog signal-caller at the North Greenville 11-yard line to end the contest.

Wingate redshirt junior placekicker/punter Patrick Smith (Hickory, N.C.) had two field goals (35 yards, 38 yards) for the hosts. The second three-pointer broke a 17-17 tie and gave Wingate a 20-17 edge with 4:38 remaining the third quarter, setting the stage for a wild final 19 minutes-plus.

Nallenweg completed 25-of-40 passes for 305 yards and two touchdowns. Nalesnik, redshirt junior wide receiver Hunter Haffly (Locust Grove, Ga.) and junior running back Josh Covington (Charlotte, N.C.) caught four passes each for the Bulldogs. Nalesnik had 162 all-purpose yards, second only to Lantigua's 183. The Cardinal Gibbons product returned the opening kick-off 62 yards, giving Wingate the ball on the NGU 36-yard line. Lantigua scored the game's first TD five plays later on a 10-yard scamper.

Wingate redshirt freshman linebacker Mackenzie Battle (Simpsonville, S.C.) had a career-high 13 tackles with a forced fumble and a shared tackle for loss. Bulldog redshirt junior defensive back Jakeem Polk (Lakeland, Fla.) had 11 tackles and three pass break-ups, while redshirt junior defensive back Jon Jimenez (Scottsdale, Ariz.) posted 10 total stops.

NGU senior linebacker Braelen Meredith (Woodruff, S.C.) had 11 tackles and a quarterback sack to the lead the Crusader defense. Sophomore defensive lineman Antonio Barron (Landrum, S.C.) had 10 tackles and 1.5 QB sacks to support Meredith's efforts. Both North Greenville and Wingate recorded three quarterback sacks each.

Wingate returns to South Atlantic Conference play Saturday, Nov. 9, visiting Mars Hill University for a 1 p.m. contest. North Greenville entertains Catawba the same day at the same time.

NCAA Division II Box Score (Final)
North Greenville vs Wingate (Nov 02, 2013 at Wingate, N.C.)

Score by Quarters     1  2  3  4   Score
-----------------    -- -- -- --   -----
North Greenville....  0 10  7 21  - 38       Record: (5-4 overall)
Wingate.............  7 10 17  0  - 34       Record: (4-4 overall)

Scoring Summary:
1st 13:23 WU - Nestor Lantigua 10 run (Patrick Smith kick)
2nd 12:46 WU - Jordan Berry 30 pass from Robbie Nallenweg (Smith kick)
    03:40 NGU - Justin Gravely 45 FG
    01:42 NGU - Trey Walker 38 run (Gravely kick)
    00:00 WU - Smith 35 FG
3rd 07:16 NGU - Blake Bensch 1 pass from Nelson Hughes (Gravely kick)
    04:38 WU - Smith 38 FG
    01:23 WU - Lantigua 73 run (Smith kick)
    00:38 WU - Tim Nalesnik 58 pass from Robbie Nallenweg (Smith kick)
4th 07:15 NGU - Simeon Byrd 3 run (Gravely kick)
    03:39 NGU - Tyrecous Garrett 7 pass from Hughes (Gravely kick)
    01:38 NGU - Trey Walker 9 run (Gravely kick)

                                    NGU       WU
FIRST DOWNS...................       26       21
RUSHES-YARDS (NET)............   33-106   30-182
PASSING YDS (NET).............      354      305
Passes Att-Comp-Int...........  59-37-0  39-25-3
TOTAL OFFENSE PLAYS-YARDS.....   92-460   69-487
Fumble Returns-Yards..........      0-0      0-0
Punt Returns-Yards............     4-26      1-2
Kickoff Returns-Yards.........     5-76    5-114
Interception Returns-Yards....      3-4      0-0
Punts (Number-Avg)............   6-40.0   6-29.7
Fumbles-Lost..................      2-2      2-1
Penalties-Yards...............     7-55    11-88
Possession Time...............    31:59    28:01
Third-Down Conversions........  9 of 18  4 of 15
Fourth-Down Conversions.......   2 of 3   1 of 1
Red-Zone Scores-Chances.......      4-6      3-3
Sacks By: Number-Yards........     3-13     3-22

RUSHING: North Greenville-Trey Walker 16-87; Nelson Hughes 13-13; Simeon Byrd 3-7; TEAM 1-minus 1. Wingate-Nestor Lantigua 21-158; Josh Covington 4-29; Robbie Nallenweg 5-minus 5.

PASSING: North Greenville-Nelson Hughes 37-59-0-354. Wingate-Robbie Nallenweg 25-39-3-305.

RECEIVING: North Greenville-Freddie Martino 17-185; Devontez Rouse 7-32; Robbie Brown 3-43; Blake Bensch 3-13; Trey Walker 2-29; Tyrecous Garrett 2-16; Simeon Byrd 2-10; Tyrell Hillary 1-26. Wingate-Tim Nalesnik 4-100; Josh Covington 4-27; Hunter Haffly 4-23; Patrick Derenda 3-34; Nestor Lantigua 3-29; Jordan Berry 2-37; Cameron Leviner 2-34; Cody Cothren 2-10; Jiwan Funderburk 1-11.