GREENWOOD — Redshirt sophomore Mario Anderson led the Wolves offense with 167 yards and two scores as a balanced rushing attack led the Newberry College (7-2) football team to a 48-10 win over the Erskine College Flying Fleet (3-6) at J.W. Babb Stadium on Saturday, October 30.
Anderson averaged nearly first-down yardage on each of his 17 touches on the afternoon while senior ZeBrandon Gant scampered for two touchdowns of his own as he ran for 64 yards on six rushes in the contest. Redshirt senior Dre Harris posted another impressive day through the air as he went 11-for-13 for 178 yards and a score while also staying balanced with a rushing touchdown as well.
Graduate student Bobby Irby led the receiving corps with 73 yards and the lone receiving touchdown on just two catches. Redshirt senior Bryson Woodruff wrangled in four tosses for 48 yards. The defense was again led by graduate student Anthony Blue with five tackles while redshirt sophomore Andre Amaker was able to record the game’s lone interception.
Sophomore Trey Irby was a menace on the defensive line as he was able to record a sack in the contest for a loss of eight yards. Redshirt junior AJ Valentine was able to force the only fumble for the Bulldogs on the evening.
The Fleet won the opening coin toss and deferred to the second half giving the Wolves the ball to open the contest. Though the Wolves were only able to post a 32-yard field goal from redshirt junior Ray Cotton, the drive started the day for Anderson as he highlighted the drive with a 50-yard run on the third play from scrimmage.
Erskine drove deep into Newberry territory on their first possession, but a rush for a loss and a combo sack from sophomore Juwan Moye and graduate student Tyran Dixon brought the drive to a halt and forced them to punt.
Newberry got the ball after a short Fleet drive and would use two big-chunk plays, both from Harris to Irby through the air, one for 43-yards and the other for 30-yards, which turned out to be the scoring play for the Wolves as they would got their first touchdown of the afternoon and took the 13-0 lead.
Another methodical drive for the Wolves, this time with two running back splitting the load, Anderson and Gant taking turns in the backfield. Gant who found pay dirt for Newberry as he was able to punch it in from just two yards out and give the Wolves the 20-0 lead.
Erskine would then put together their best drive of the first half as they drove down the field and were able to convert a field goal as the clock expired with Newberry taking the 20-3 lead into the locker room.
Erskine started the second half with a fumble on just the third play from scrimmage and the Wolves quickly turned that into points as Anderson took it to the house from 27 yards to extend the Newberry lead to 27-3.
The Scarlet and Gray continued their scoring ways as Anderson took the bulk of the carries on the next drive, including a 21-yard rush that put the Wolves in the red zone. He took it in from a yard out, giving Newberry the 34-3 advantage.
After the Wolves grabbed an interception, Harris took the ball himself from nine yards out and give the Wolves another score on the board, extending the lead to 41-3.
On the last Wolves scoring drive of the game, they would keep the ball on the ground and capped off a 13 play, 81-yard drive with a one-yard rush by Gant.
Erskine scored a touchdown in the late minutes of the fourth quarter before Newberry set up in the victory formation for the final drive, leaving Greenwood with the 48-10 win.
The Wolves return home next week as they take on the Bulldogs of Wingate University in a game that will have major South Atlantic Conference and regional implications. Kick-off is set for 1 p.m. with senior day festivities to take place during pregame.
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