Tornados Dominate on Senior Day with 40-3 Triumph over Averett

Junior linebacker Toby Naylor led all Tornados with 11 tackles and 2 1/2 tackles-for-loss (Photo courtesy of Victoria Brayman '22)
Junior linebacker Toby Naylor led all Tornados with 11 tackles and 2 1/2 tackles-for-loss (Photo courtesy of Victoria Brayman '22)

BREVARD, N.C. – The Brevard College football team (6-4, 6-2 USAS) closed out its season in an emphatic fashion, dominating Averett University (5-5, 4-4 USAS) by a final score of 40-3 on Senior Day at Ives-Lemel Family Field.

Brevard honored 19 seniors - Dante Anderson, Zion Barjolo, Jerome Bass, Jordan Beal, Aaron Bennett, Steffon Canady, Dalton Cole, Stamati Damalos, Ari Drake, Evan Francois, Derek Frazier, Thomas Kramer, Chason Lowery, Brandon Norris, Jaden O'Leary, Justin Parker, Wesley Ross, Brandon Unangst, and Jordy Wilkinson Jr. – alongside BC cheerleading's senior class of Anna Burnette and Emma Harris.

Senior placekicker Stamati Damalos accounted for 16 of BC's 40 points, drilling a school-record 47-yard field goal as part of a perfect performance, as the Tarpon Springs, Florida native hit all four of his field goal and extra-point attempts.

Senior wide receiver Dalton Cole registered a pair of touchdowns in the final game of his Tornado career, punching in a one-yard touchdown run and throwing a three-yard touchdown score to fellow senior Chason Lowery.

Eli Carr, a sophomore quarterback from Asheville, North Carolina, registered 190 yards passing and connected with senior Derek Frazier for a 35-yard touchdown score. Deshontae Kirkland led the ground game for the Tornados with 47 yards, while freshman wideout Marcus Lane caught three passes for a career-best 58 yards.

Junior linebacker Toby Naylor led the defense with 11 tackles, one sack, and 2 1/2 tackles-for-loss. Steffon Canady added seven tackles and two TFL's in his final game as a Tornado, while senior Jerome Bass logged four tackles.

Tyler Harrison returned an interception 35 yards for a touchdown score, while Joc Pledger and Wesley Ross also picked off passes. Elijah Everhart and Zach Taylor recovered fumbles as the Tornados forced a season-high five turnovers.

BC totaled 357 yards of offense while holding the Cougars to just 106 yards and three points. BC allowed just eight yards rushing and totaled 19 first downs offensively compared to Averett's eight.

After BC's first drive and Averett's first two ended in punts, the Tornado offense put together an 11-play, 65-yard drive that ended with Cole's one-yard touchdown score. Pledger picked off Bryce Jackson on AU's ensuing possession.

BC forced another Averett punt before Damalos split the uprights with a 27-yard field goal to make the score 10-0 in favor of the Tornados, a lead Brevard would take to the intermission.

Both sides would trade punts to begin the second half before Carr connected with Frazier to make the score 17-0. Damalos drilled a 42-yarder on Brevard's next possession, extending the Tornado lead to a 20-0 margin.

Damalos' third field goal came at the beginning of the fourth quarter, as a 40-yard attempt connected. Taylor would recover his first career fumble on the ensuing kickoff, setting up Cole's TD pass to Lowery that put the Cougars in a 30-0 hole.

Harrison totaled his second-career pick-six on the very next drive, making it a 37-0 affair. Averett broke up Brevard's shutout bid with a 34-yard field goal, but the Tornados were not deterred. Damalos drilled a record-breaking 47-yard field goal, pushing the Tornado lead to a 40-3 margin that Brevard would take to the final whistle.

The Tornados finish the Fall 2021 season with a 6-4 overall record that includes a 6-2 mark in conference play. Brevard's six conference wins are the program's most in conference play.

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-BC-