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 Senior quarterback Bennett Swygert led two scoring drives resulting in 10 points for the Gold team in Friday night's annual Spring Game. |
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April 7, 2006
Cullowhee, N.C. - Returning to the turf after a year's absence, senior quarterback Bennett Swygert led two scoring drives as the Gold team, consisting of the number one offense and number two defense, defeated the Purple squad, 10-2 under the lights Friday night in Western Carolina's annual Spring Game. The Catamounts will hold their 15th and final allotted practice of the spring season on Monday in Cullowhee.
Swygert finished the night 4-of-9 for 60 yards and the game's lone touchdown as he found another returning player, classmate Calvin Guinyard, on an 18-yard TD strike in the fourth quarter. Swygert also led a second quarter drive which resulted in a field goal to account for all 10 of the Gold team's points.
"Tonight and spring practice in general are good opportunities to get better and I feel we did a lot of that both tonight and throughout this spring," said Western Carolina head coach Kent Briggs. "I felt like we had good intensity throughout and created a good learning environment tonight and I'm proud of the team's effort.
"Offensively, we've got to protect the quarterback better. Our line is young, but they will learn and this spring has been a great chance for them to improve. On defense, I felt like we lost our composure late in the game and gave up some yardage on penalties that helped the offense move the ball. Without those breakdowns, you're probably looking at a 3-2 game tonight. We've got to learn more discipline on defense because you can't have those miscues if you're going to compete for and win a Southern Conference championship."
The afternoon was especially busy for Briggs, who served as the honorary chairperson for Relay for Life which was ongoing throughout the night. Accompanied by his family, Briggs led the inspirational survivors' lap to open the overnight relay walk at the Hinds University Center before joining his squad at the stadium. Partnered with the Relay for Life event, the WCU Athletics Department held the mock "Ms. Relay Pageant" during halftime of the game which involved male members of participating student groups. All together between the WCU football team, the WCU Athletics Department, and the groups in participation raise $1,032 to be donated to Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society.
"It was a real honor for the athletics department and the Catamount football team to partner with the Relay for Life here tonight with our spring game. It is a great cause and it affects a lot of people. I'm especially proud of our student-athletes and our student body here at Western for participating in the relay representing their individual groups," added Briggs.
Neither offense could muster a drive early against the opposing defense, with the first-team offense going three-and-out on its first two possessions, while the second team offense managed to move the ball 15 yards before an illegal motion penalty set them back five yards and an incomplete pass on third down forced another Tim Mayse punt.
With time dwindling in the first quarter and the second team offense stalled near mid-field, Mayse let loose a 50-yard punt that was downed inside the five-yard line, pinning the first team offense of the Gold squad at the three-yard line. On the next play, junior Randy Birch corralled quarterback Justin Clark in the end zone for the safety, giving the Purple team the early, 2-0, lead.
WCU head football coach Kent Briggs served as the honorary chairperson for the Cullowhee Relay for Life, as well as particiipated in the Survivors' Walk on Friday evening before the spring game. |
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The Gold team would get on the board midway through the second quarter, driving 78 yards in 10 plays. Senior tailback Darius Fudge opened the drive with a 13 yard scamper for a first down, and also added runs of 11- and 15-yards to move the chains. After the defense jumped offsides, moving the ball inside the offense's 25-yard line to the 23, it stiffened and managed to push the offense back two yards before forcing back-to-back Swygert incompletions setting up sophomore Jonathan Parson's 38-yard field goal attempt. Under live simulation, Parsons' offering sailed through the uprights giving the Gold team a lead it would never relinquish at 3-2. All told, the drive encompassed 10 plays and covered 78 yards with Fudge rushing seven times for 46 yards, the bulk of his 58 yards on 15 carries for the game.
After a scoreless third quarter which saw two punts and two turnovers, the Gold team would again light the scoreboard as Swygert connected with Guinyard to culminate a seven-play, 75-yard drive which featured two, 15-yard penalties on the Catamount defense. Following the second dead ball foul, Swygert hooked up with junior Michael Hines for a 33-yard completion which moved the ball to the 16 yard line. Two plays later, after dropping back two yards and misfiring on a pass attempt, Swygert lofted a pass to the south end zone where Guinyard spun around just inside the goal line and made the catch while falling down for the 18-yard score.
Fudge led a trio of running backs on the night with a game-high 58 yards, while junior Mike Malone carried 12 times for 26 yards including a 19-yard romp, the longest rush from scrimmage. Transfer Albert Ashcraft rushed seven times for 21 yards on the night.
Senior J.C. Brown led all receivers with five catches for 51 yards, including a long of 31, while Guinyard hauled in three passes for 49 yards and the TD. Hines recorded two catches for 36 yards, including setting up the touchdown, with juniors Shamar Allen and Chris Jefferson each catching one for a combined 13 yards.
In addition to Birch's sack for a safety, defensive tackle Felipe Foster recorded five tackles, three for loss, with freshman Josh Smith equaling Foster's output with five stops. In the secondary, senior Bruce Lee recorded four tackles, one interception and recovered a fumble.
As drills wind down, the coaching staff at Western also announced its annual spring practice award winners. Earning the most improved offensive player was red-shirt freshman Cedric Hamilton, with senior offensive lineman, Marcus Thomas, garnering the most outstanding player on the offensive side of the ball. On defense, sophomore Jeff Bradley was tabbed the most improved with senior Mitchell Dukes named the most outstanding defensive player from spring workouts, again, which conclude on Monday with the final practice.
Western Carolina will open the 2006 football season on Thursday, August 31 at 7:00 pm hosting Chowan College at E. J. Whitmire Stadium/Bob Waters Field. Season ticket information is available at www.CatamountSports.com, or by calling 800-34-GOWCU.
Final Statistics from the 2006 Spring Football Game:
Score 1 2 3 4 Total Gold 0 3 0 7 - 10 Purple 2 0 0 0 - 21st - 2:12 - PURPLE - Randy Birch, 3-yard sack for a safety 2nd - 6:37 - GOLD - Jonathan Parsons, 38-yd field goal Drive: 10 plays, 78 yards - TOP: 5:23 4th - 5:00 - GOLD - Calvin Guinyard 18-yard reception from Bennett Swygert Parsons PAT Good - Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards - TOP:3:06
Rushing: #7 Darius Fudge - 15 carries, 58 yards, long 15 #42 Mike Malone - 12 carries, 26 yards, 19 long #5 Albert Ashcraft - 7 carries, 21 yards, 7 longReceiving: #11 J.C. Brown - 5 rec., 51 yards, long 31 #82 Calvin Guinyard - 3 rec., 49 yards, 24 long - 1 TD #19 Michael Hines - 2 rec., 36 yards, long 33 #88 Shamar Allen - 1 rec, 7 yards, 7 long #4 Chris Jefferson - 1 rec, 6 yards, 6 long
Passing: #18 Justin Clark - 4-for-10 for 66 yards, 1 INT, 24-yd long #13 Bennett Swygert 4-for-9 for 60 yards, 1 TD, long 33 #16 Michael McQueeney - 5-for-8 31 yards, long 7 #15 Todd Spitzer - 0-for-7, 1 INT, 0 yards
Defensive Leaders: #94 Felipe Foster - 5 tackles, 3 TFL #57 Josh Smith - 5 tackles # 3 Bruce Lee - 4 tackles, 1 INT, 1 pass def, 1 fumble recovery #58 Jacob Wilson - 4 tackles, 1 for loss, two sacks # 6 Mitchell Dukes - 4 tackles # 4 Brandon Breeden - 4 tackles #46 Tim Temple - 3 tackles #48 Drew Walker - 3 taclkes, 1 PBU #41 Jeff Bradley - 2 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack #43 Chaz Jackson - 2 tackles, 1 forced fumble #22 Darrell Gray - 2 tackles #53 John Martin - 2 tackles #52 Jason Stanley - 2 tackles #93 Randy Birch - 1 tackles, 1 sack for a safety #24 Meko Watson - 1 tackle, 1 INT # 5 Carlton Bailey - 1 sack, 1 PBU #14 Shelton Gaffney - 1 tackle, 1 PBU #49 Donald James - 1 tackle, 1 PBU # 1 Mordy Ornguze - 1 tackle, 1 FR #91 Travis Osborne - 1 sack #28 Marcus Nelums - 1 tackle #90 Keanon Orr - 1 tackle
