UWA scores 10 touchdowns in rout of Concordia
The University of West Alabama football team made itself at home at Tiger Stadium in Demopolis Thursday night, pounding Concordia 71-14.
UWA failed to find the end zone on its first offensive possession of the contest, but still managed to hand 17 points on the board in the game’s first three minutes.
The Tigers opened with an 18-yard run by Kedrick Rhodes and a 44-yard scamper by Kyle Caldwell to move the ball all the way to the Concordia 1. But the Tigers fired two incomplete passes and suffered a four-yard loss on a run play. After the drive stalled, Mark Grant notched a 22-yard field goal to put UWA on top 3-0 with 13:10 left in the first quarter.
Only 10 seconds later, Concordia fumbled a kickoff, allowing Stephanio McNair to return the miscue 15 yards for a score and a 10-0 lead.
Concordia showed signs of life when Terrell Edwards-Maye took the ensuing kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown The point-after failed, leaving UWA up 10-6.
The Tigers wasted little time answering, reeling off a two-play, 58-yard drive that led to an eight-yard touchdown pass to Chad Toocheck. The reception was one of two on the night for Toocheck, who scored touchdowns on both of his hauls.
UWA stretched the lead to 24-6 after Kedrick Rhodes capped an eight-play, 50-yard drive with a 12-yard touchdown run.
Concordia answered with a drive of its own when it covered 77 yards in four plays, using a 61-yard pass to Jareth Embry to set up a score. Mason Tillman finished the advance with 10-yard scoring pass from Cameron Mayfield. Concordia added the two-point conversion with a dump off to Matthew Rowser.
The Tigers added two scores in the second quarter with a 44-yard strike to Seth Roberts and a 15-yard run by Rhodes, sending the game to intermission with UWA up 38-14.
Gary Johnston hit Javae Swindle for a 14-yard touchdown pass early in the third quarter before Caldwell found Toocheck on a 19-yard throw late in the period, stretching the Tiger advantage to 51-14.
Johnston carried one in on an electric 13-yard run in the fourth quarter before Reggie Hall scored on a 22-yard run. Reserve defensive lineman Jherron Jones scored the Tigers’ 10th touchdown of the night when he recovered a fumble in the Concordia end zone.
UWA amassed 596 yards of total offense on the night and scored on seven of its nine red zone trips.
Rhodes paced the ground game with 122 yards on 11 carries. Roberts had 94 yards on three catches to lead all receivers. Caldwell threw for 216 yards and three touchdowns.
Brandon Lilly led the defense with nine total tackles and an interception. Mario Gainer added six stops and a sack in the game.
Mayfield proved the offensive standout for his team, completing 26 of his 38 pass attempts for 198 yards and a touchdown. Mayfield rushed for 50 yards on the night, but netted only five yards on the ground after being sacked four times.
West Alabama is scheduled to host Delta State next Thursday night at 6:30 p.m.