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Western Carolinian Volume 70 Number 03

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  • Pte nee a wt oe et a ee eee: Che 2 BO > Bc SE ee OL OR LN Oa NN ROD IN Lt re ttt pins 26 WCnewsmagazine 21-7 win over Mars Hill By Andy Gambill WGnewsmagazine The Catamounts looked a bit rusty on Thursday night but still got the job done in a 21-7 win over an outmanned but upstart Mars Hill team. The offense never seemed to get in a rhythm until the fourth quarter, and as a result, the defense had to spend much of the game on the field. The defense played well, even though they seemed more than a little fatigued from all of the face- time. : As the game started and the Pride of the Mountains marching band performed, the Catamount fans were excited and eager to get the season started the right way. With a 46-yard kickoff return to the Mars Hill 48-yard line, Mike Malone excited the crowd even more. If not for the kicker tripping Malone up, then the Cats would have returned the kickoff for a touchdown and blown the stadium decibel level off the charts. Mars Hill settled down, though, and Three and out would be a common theme for both teams throughout the night as the offensive games of both WCU and Mars Hill were relatively inept for much of the evening. After a three and out by Mars Hill, the Cats got the ball back on their own 46-yard line following a punt. For much of the game, the Catamounts tried a power running attack that never really took off except on this drive. After using a spread-passing attack the last three years, the Cats are looking to use their four talented tailbacks to pound the rock, but they will need a lot more improvement from the offensive line to succeed at this strategy. For this drive early in the game, the Cats did look effective running the ball. After a 5-yard completion by Justin Clark to Tennessee-transfer Jomo Fagan to start the drive, the Cats ran the ball 6 straight times to find pay-dirt. Senior tail-back Lamont Reid finished the 7-play drive with five carries for 49 yards. Included in Reids five carries were a 36-yard run to put the Cats on the Mars Hill 7-yard line and a 1-yard trot for the touchdown. While Mars Hill quarterback Brandon Sims was extremely mobile and often caused WCUs defense problems with the option and shuttle plays, Sims was also very inconsistent with the pass and ended the game with 4 sgsesesunrancenees n Explosive 4th quarter seals the deal for Catamounts in season-opening | interceptions. Sims used his mobility to drive Mars Hill deep into Western territory on the next two offensive drives but both times threw interceptions to end each drive. Western could never capitalize off the interceptions and ended up punting both times. With Westerns offense struggling to gain yards and the defense staying on the field for an extended amount of time, Mars Hill was finally able to work their way down the field without turning the ball over, and the result was a touchdown. The drive started out with two straight runs by Antoine Jones to get a first down on the Western 36-yard line. After two straight plays for a loss, it was 3% and 17 for the Lions, and after a 5-yard gain by Jones, it was 4" and 12. The Lions called a timeout to think about the situation and then came out for 4" and 12 on the WCU 38-yard line. The timeout worked because Sims ith Ben Pierson for a 14 gain and the first down. After a short [run by Jones, who brought the ball o the Catamount 23-yard line, Sims connected on three straight passes o put the Lions on the board for _ the first and only time in the game. Sims first connected with Demario achery for 10 yards and then ound Jones for an 8-yard gain. Finally, Sims connected with Jones or a 5-yard touchdown pass. Freshman quarterback Michael McQueeney came into the _game for the Cats on the next drive and looked good while completing of 3 passes for 21 yards and leading the Cats to the Mars Hill 4-yard line. But on the next play, McQueeney fumbled the snap and turned the ball over to end the drive. After a punt by each team, Mars Hill had the ball with a minute and six seconds left in the first half. he drive started out good for the Lions with a 7-yard carry by Jones, but on 2 and 3, Sims was sacked or a 1-yard loss. Jones broke loose for seven more yards, though, on 3 down and pushed the ball to the Mars Hill 48-yard line. After an incomplete pass by Sims, Mitchell Dukes rushed the line and picked up a sack to end the first half with a 7-7 tie. After a rousing half-time show by the band, the teams resumed play and proceeded to play even worse in the third quarter. The third quarter involved a combined four punts, two interceptions and two fumbles. Many fans on Westerns side became more focused on some drunken students arguing in the stands than what was happening on the field. Luckily, the fourth quarter finally brought some more excitement and Western touchdowns. After a horrible Mars Hill punt at the 13:26 mark, WCU took the field on the Mars Hill 30-yard line with a mission of winning the game and winning back the fans attention. What better way of accomplishing both feats than to gash the defense for a big gain on the first play of the drive; that's exactly what Western did as they handed the ball off to Darius Fudge for a 14-yard gain. On the next play, quarterback Justin Clark connected with back-up tailback Lamont Reid for a 9 yard gain, and a Mars Hill player roughing-the-passer penalty added three more yards to the play, putting the ball on the 4-yard line. After a
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