HICKORY, N.C. – A 21-point second quarter outburst and a big receiving day by junior Markell Castle propelled Newberry to a 34-6 win over Lenoir-Rhyne and gave the Wolves possession of the Bishops’ Trophy for the third consecutive year.

The win was Newberry’s (4-2, 2-0 SAC) 12th straight South Atlantic Conference victory, tying Presbyterian (1978-80) for the sixth-longest SAC winning streak in conference history. The Wolves last lost a league contest 722 days ago.

Newberry and Lenoir-Rhyne (2-4, 1-3 SAC) battled to a scoreless tie through the first 15 minutes. But the Wolves’ offense exploded for touchdowns on three of its four possessions in the second quarter while limiting the Bears to 65 yards, two punts, and a fumble during the second stanza.

Castle accounted for the majority of Newberry’s receiving production, catching both of the Wolves’ scores through the air in the quarter and adding another late in the game on his way to finishing the game with six catches for 135 yards and three touchdowns.

He moved from a tie for 10th into sole possession of seventh in program history in career receiving touchdowns and passed 2017 graduate Cole Watson on the receiving yardage list to move into 10th. The junior now has 94 catches for 1,441 yards and 14 touchdowns in his career.

His 60-yard touchdown catch with 12:45 to play put Castle over the century mark in the game. The York native now has seven 100-yard receiving games in his career, the third-most in school history.

He caught his first touchdown early in the second quarter sliding to the turf while blanketed in coverage near the pylon on the far sideline. His second went to nearly the same spot on the field as he scampered down the sideline and dove across the goal line to increase the lead.

Greg Ruff added a 10-yard touchdown run in the late stages of the half, bringing a receiver in motion from left to right and rolling slowly to his left at the start of the play before bursting through a hole untouched into the end zone.

Ruff finished 13-for-18 for 196 yards and three touchdowns through the air and was Newberry’s second-leading rusher, carrying 10 times for 55 yards and a score. Austin Barnes led the Wolves for the second consecutive week with a 16-carry, 73-yard performance.

Newberry’s defense did not allow a 200-yard passer or a 100-yard receiver for the 16th consecutive game, a streak that dates back to Week 2 of the 2016 season. By mustering 248 yards of total offense, Lenoir-Rhyne also became the Newberry’s 10th opponent in the last 30 games and third of the 2017 season that failed to reach the 250-yard plateau. The Bears’ only touchdown came on a six-yard pass in the third quarter that cut Newberry’s lead to 21 points.

Anfernee Moffett’s pick-six on the third play of the third quarter represented the senior’s first career interception, Newberry’s first defensive touchdown since Oct. 22, 2016 at Brevard when Rameak Smith recovered a fumble in the end zone, and the Wolves’ first interception returned for a touchdown since Alstevis Squirewell rumbled 32 yards for a score at Tusculum on Sept. 26, 2015.

LaQuan White added his second interception of the season later in the quarter. Will Elm led the Wolves with five tackles, while Keito Jordon was a menace in the backfield with a pair of tackles for loss, a forced fumble, and two quarterback hurries. Twelve Wolves combined to tally 10 tackles behind the line of scrimmage.

The Wolves and Bears were meeting for the 72nd consecutive season and for the 84th time overall in a series that dates back to 1923. The series with Lenoir-Rhyne is Newberry’s longest current uninterrupted series, its longest against an active opponent, and is second only to the Wolves’ 91 meetings with Presbyterian. Newberry has outscored the Bears 139-35 over its three-game winning streak in the series.

Newberry will go for its 13th consecutive conference win Saturday when Tusculum visits Setzler Field. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.

The Wolves bring home a 34-6 win over Lenoir-Rhyne.
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/web1_Football-1000.jpgThe Wolves bring home a 34-6 win over Lenoir-Rhyne. Courtesy photo

Staff Report