No. 5 Appalachian State Rumbles Past Gardner-Webb, 45-7, Saturday
October 06, 2007 | Football
BOONE, N.C. – Gardner-Webb played its most inconsistent
game at the worst possible time, and No. 5 Appalachian State took
advantage with a 45-7 win at Kidd-Brewer Stadium.
Gardner-Webb (2-3) made a game of it for 20 minutes Saturday, but
saw a combination of special team breakdowns, poor field position
and a few big plays put the game out of reach before halftime.
Appalachian State (5-1) scored on the first play from scrimmage,
with Trey Elder hitting Hans Batichon on a nicely executed
play-action pass for a 67-yard score just 14 seconds into the
game.
GWU – playing without any punters on the roster for Saturday's
game due to injuries – averted disaster on its first kick, and
captured a break on the second series after receiver Nick Melton's
28-yard punt was muffed in ASU territory.
Stan Doolittle and Duvaughn Flagler hooked up twice on the ensuing
Bulldog drive, with Flagler winding into the end zone on a 15-yard
hookup with just under eight minutes to play in the first quarter
to tie the game.
Gardner-Webb drove into Appalachian State territory on a 32-yard
sprint by running back David Montgomery on its next drive, but did
little offensively after that play – as the Mountaineers
caught fire the rest of the afternoon in front of a Homecoming
crowd of more than 27,000.
The game was still tied when a special teams error gave Appalachian
all the momentum it would need. Dobson Collins unwisely fielded a
punt at the goal line after a defensive stop by the ‘Dogs and
was tackled quickly inside the GWU five-yard line.
Appalachian State forced a three-and-out and, without a punter
dressed for the game, Gardner-Webb punted to its own 31-yard line.
A holding penalty pushed Appalachian back to the GWU 41-yard line,
but the Mountaineers would get a 22-yard completion on from Elder
to Batichon inside the GWU five. Kevin Richardson scored from three
yards out for a 14-7 lead.
After another short Bulldog put gave Appalachian possession at the
Gardner-Webb 27, Richardson pushed the lead to 21-7 – and
added a third touchdown with 3:34 remaining before intermission.
Richardson wasn't done, punching in a fourth score with 36 seconds
left before the break for a 35-7 lead.
Appalachian receiver CoCo Hillary entered the game at quarterback
to start the third quarter, and completed a 22-yard touchdown pass
to Josh Johnson to cap the Mountaineers' first offensive drive of
the second half – and put the hosts up 42-7.
Gardner-Webb could not get in rhythm offensively at all in the
final stanza, registering just 13 first downs on the afternoon
(three by penalty). Quarterbacks Doolittle and Devin Campbell
combined to complete just six of their final 24 passes in the game
(25.0 percent).
David Montgomery finished with nine carries for 66 yards to pace
Gardner-Webb's offense, which gained a season-low 211 yards
overall. Flagler had four catches for 59 yards and a score to pace
a receiving corps that dropped eight passes on the day.
Appalachian State was most effective through the air, posting 302
of its 466 offensive yards through the air – with Elder going
an efficient 14-of-18 for 229 yards and a score to pace that
effort.
Jeffrey Williams led Gardner-Webb with 12 tackles, his fourth
double-figures tackling game in five starts. Brian Johnston
finished with five tackles (three solo), 2.0 tackles for loss and a
sack.
The Runnin' Bulldogs will have little time to worry about its most
recent game, as No. 8 Wofford (5-1, 3-0 Southern Conference) lies
in wait for next Saturday's 1:30 pm ET kickoff in Spartanburg.
Wofford pounded The Citadel, 28-7, in Charleston on Saturday.
| BOX SCORE: #5 Appalachian State 45, GWU 7 |
| Updated Season Stats |
