Tigerville, S.C.----North Greenville University scored 31 second-half points to rally for a 34-30 NCAA Division II football victory over Wingate University Saturday at Melvin and Dollie Younts Stadium on the NGU campus. Wingate is 7-2 overall, while North Greenville improves to 5-4 overall.
 
NGU redshirt sophomore quarterback Will Hunter (Lexington, S.C.) completed 17-of-32 passes for 343 yards and three touchdowns. Two of his Crusader receivers compiled 100-plus receiving yards as North Greenville won for the sixth consecutive year over Wingate. The Bulldogs won the first seven games of the modern-day series and still lead the overall battle 7-6.
 
For Wingate, redshirt senior quarterback Kyle Johnson (Hickory, N.C.) completed 20-of-37 passes for 224 yards and one touchdown. Bulldog true freshman running back Domineke McNeill (Durham, N.C.) carried the ball nine times for 78 yards and one score. Senior place kicker Caleb Baird (Kinston, N.C.) converted three-of-three field goals, including a season-long 42-yarder in the fourth quarter which gave the Bulldogs a 30-27 lead.
 
On North Greenville's game-winning drive, Hunter led his troops 85 yards on eight plays in 117 seconds. The go-ahead score came on a 14-yard pass from Hunter to junior wide receiver Mason Sanders (Boiling Springs, S.C.) with 1:12 remaining in regulation. NGU freshman place kicker Matt Gravely (Pickens, S.C.) nailed the extra point to settle the final score.
 
Hunter connected on two passes for a total of 43 yards to sophomore wide receiver Demajiay Rooks (Woodruff, S.C.) on the aforementioned drive. Wingate senior wide receiver Jordan Berry (Irmo, S.C.) returned the ensuing kick-off 32 yards. The Bulldogs advanced the ball to the North Greenville 37-yard line until an interception ended Wingate's threat.
 
Wingate led 13-3 at intermission. Johnson found senior wide receiver Joe Wallace (Hope Mills, N.C.) with a nine-yard TD pass to open the scoring with 8:58 left in the first quarter. The Johnson-to-Wallace touchdown connection concluded a game-opening 14-play, 92-yard drive (6:02 consumed). Gravely got the hosts on the board with a 39-yard field goal at the first quarter buzzer.
 
Baird was single-handedly responsible for the second quarter points, as he hit a 21-yard field goal at the 6:12 mark and a 34-yard field goal with 2:06 left. The second triple was facilitated by a fumble recovery by redshirt senior defensive lineman Andre Foulks (York, S.C.).
 
The two teams traded touchdowns in the third quarter, as Hunter had two scoring strikes for the hosts. McNeill (12 yards, 6:47 remaining) and Johnson (seven yards, 55 seconds left) both posted third-quarter scoring runs. Gravely's 26-yard field goal opened the fourth-quarter scoring. His triple was followed by Hunter's six-yard TD run with 8:59 left in the final frame. The extra-point by Gravely tied the score at 27-27 and set the stage for an interesting stretch.
 
NGU junior wide receiver Javon Smith (Blythewood, S.C.) caught the two third-quarter TD passes for seven (10:37) and 79 yards (5:41), respectively. His two scores were sandwiched around McNeill's touchdown jaunt. On the afternoon, Smith caught four passes for 105 yards. Rooks snagged three Hunter's tosses for 103 yards. Rooks was one of three Crusaders to accumulate three receptions Saturday.
 
Berry led the Bulldogs with eight receptions for 79 yards. Redshirt freshman wide receiver BJ Muckelvene (Waxhaw, N.C.) had five catches for 68 yards. The Cuthbertson High School product returned four kick-offs for 82 yards as well. Eight Wingate student-athletes caught passes from Johnson Saturday, including redshirt sophomore Bryan Mitchell (Yorktown, Va.), who posted his first career grab in the fourth quarter.
 
Reigning South Atlantic Conference Defensive Player of the Week Ray Edwards (Sacramento, Calif.) led the Bulldogs with seven tackles, two quarterback sacks (six yards) and two tackles for losses (nine yards). He also recorded one quarterback hurry. Three Wingate players had five tackles each, including redshirt senior linebacker Mackenzie Battle (Simpsonville, S.C.), who added a forced fumble to his Saturday resume.
 
North Greenville senior linebacker Sam Houston (Easley, S.C.) led both teams with 10 tackles. He filled out his statistics sheet with two tackles for losses, 0.5 quarterback sack and one pass break-up. Five Crusader teammates had at least five tackles, including junior defensive lineman Anthony Blair (Georgetown, S.C.), who posted five stops and a game-high four quarterback hurries.
 
Wingate returns home next Saturday, hosting Mars Hill for a 1:30 p.m. Homecoming contest. The Bulldog family will honor the 1986 football team at halftime, along with the usual festivities unique to Homecoming. North Greenville hosts Carson-Newman at 1 p.m. the same day.