LAGRANGE, Ga. - The Brevard College football team (4-3, 4-1 USAS) used 229 yards of rushing and stifling defense to help propel itself to its third consecutive victory in a 20-10 triumph over LaGrange College (1-5, 1-3 USAS) on Saturday evening in LaGrange, Georgia.
Freddie Aiken III, a junior fullback from Hardeeville, South Carolina, turned in the top rushing performance for a Brevard College Tornado in the Fall 2021 season thus far, carrying the ball eight times for 124 yards - including a game-long 50-yard scamper - for an average of 15.5 yards-per-carry. Sophomore back Deshontae Kirkland logged 11 carries for 56 yards while also hauling down a receiving touchdown, while Khaliyl Mattison and Richedi Tshitoko each logged the first rushing touchdowns of their Tornado careers to help cap off BC's big day on the ground.
Brevard's defense stifled the Panther offense all day, as the Tornados held LaGrange to just 32 total yards rushing in the game. Senior defensive back Dante Anderson led all Tornados with nine tackles, while defensive lineman Wyatt Lankford put together a breakout performance that included five tackles, one sack, four tackles-for-loss, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.
Defensive backs Tyler Harrison and Wesley Ross added eight tackles each, while Jerome Bass totaled three tackles with 1 1/2 sacks and a forced fumble, in addition to three carries on the offensive side of the ball for 17 yards. Junior defensive back Joc Pledger led all Tornados with two pass breakups.
LaGrange used a dual-quarterback attack that led to 277 yards of passing, while Ajani Williams led all Panthers with 80 receiving yards on nine catches. Cameron Grady led the LaGrange defense, picking off a pair of Brevard passes.
The Tornados came out of the gate firing, putting together a four-play, 39-yard scoring drive that was set up by a 46-yard Brandon Norris kickoff return and capped off with Mattison's 18-yard touchdown run that handed the Tornados a 6-0 advantage.
Both teams would trade punts on their next two possessions before Lankford was able to stall a LaGrange drive and force the first turnover of the contest with 54 seconds left in the first quarter. Grady returned the favor as the Tornados were driving in the red zone, picking off a Taylor Jackson III pass attempt with 12:26 left in the second quarter.
After a Panther punt on the ensuing drive, the Tornados found pay dirt once again, as Tshitoko gashed LaGrange for a 29-yard score, capping a seven-play, 92-yard drive with 4:48 left in the first half.
A pair of punts, a LaGrange turnover on downs, and a Brevard interception set the Panthers up with 41 seconds left at their own six-yard line. However, a costly penalty, a big rush, and two long completions set the Panthers up for a 44-yard field goal make, putting the score at 13-3 during intermission.
Both sides traded punts on their three possessions in the third quarter, as the stanza ended with Brevard still on top, 13-3. The punting barrage in the third period added to an impressive day for Nick Acus, who punted six times for 240 yards and a 40-yard average, with a long of 52 and three pinned inside the 20-yard line.
LaGrange started the fourth quarter with an 11-play, 38-yard drive that ended with a missed 45-yard field goal, keeping the score at 13-3. Jackson and the Tornado offense were able to take advantage, stringing together an eight-play, 75-yard drive that was capped by Kirkland's six-yard TD catch that pushed the Tornado lead to a 20-3 margin.
LaGrange strung a game-long 18-play, 80-yard drive that ate up 5:39 of clock, making the score 20-10 in favor of Brevard. However, an onside kick attempt by the Panthers was recovered, effectively sealing the victory for the Tornados.
Brevard will return home on Saturday, October 23 for a 1 p.m. kickoff against Southern Virginia University at Ives-Lemel Family Field.
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-BC-