BETHANY - The Southern Nazarene football team struggled to slow down the Arkansas-Monticello offensive attack on a wet Saturday afternoon as they fell to the Boll Weevils, 35-12, on Saturday afternoon at the SNU Football Field.
UAM totaled 425 yards of offense including 289 on the ground while SNU went for 201 yards including 202 on the ground as a team. Penalties were back breakers for the Crimson Storm all game as they finished with 12 for 104 yards with numerous big plays being called back.
The Boll Weevils took the opening kickoff and went 74 yards down the field in 12 plays to move ahead 7-0 on a Cole Sears rushing score. Arkansas-Monticello kept the drive alive thanks to a pass interference call on third down.
SNU had a response as they went on a nine-play, 75-yard drive including a huge 34 yard run by sophomore
Nate Walker to set up shop inside the 10. Senior
Jacob Spady ran it in from one yard out to make it a 7-6 game as a bad snap kept UAM ahead on the PAT.
Spady's touchdown set the all-time record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback with 18 and moved him into sole possession of fourth place overall in touchdown runs, passing Brady Wardlaw (2008-11).
The Boll Weevils proceeded to march down the field again, going on an eight-play, 76-yard drive as Sears connected with C.J. Parham for a 44 yard score to move the lead out to 14-6.
Going into the second quarter, each team put together drives, but had nothing to show for on the scoreboard. Arkansas-Monticello took over at the SNU 46 after the Crimson Storm were buried in their own territory. The Boll Weevils went on an eight-play, 46-yard drive as Deontae Haynes ran it in from three yards out to make it a 21-6 game.
The Crimson Storm looked to add points on the board before half as they started in UAM, but a bad exchange on a hand off resulted in a fumble and a turnover and closed the half with UAM leading 21-6. SNU thought they had a touchdown pass from
Gage Porter to
Trey Hills, but it was negated by a penalty.
SNU thought they had a breakthrough to start the second half as freshman
Alfred Grear broke open a 92 yard kick for a touchdown, but was called back due to a holding penalty.
Both teams were quiet throughout the early parts of the third quarter. The Boll Weevils took over midway through the third quarter and when facing third down, Sears' pass was tipped in the air by junior
Josh Jordan and intercepted by freshman
Trenton Smith, his second of the year. Smith made an unreal play, keeping both feet in bounds on the sideline and coming away with the takeover.
SNU would turn that into points as Porter took a third and four and made a house call, going 41 yards for six thanks in part to some excellent down field blocking by
Daniel Ramos III and Walker. SNU would go for two, but would fail on the conversion as UAM stayed ahead by two possessions, 21-12.
The Boll Weevils moved into SNU territory in the fourth and faced a fourth and two from the 25. UAM elected to go for it and SNU stuffed it at the line while
Dylan Meador coming through the A gap and stopping Haynes in the backfield for the turnover on downs.
SNU had no answer though as a pair of big plays, including a 56 yard run by Porter, were negated by penalties. The Storm would eventually punt and UAM would answer with a back breaking 57 yard drive in seven plays as Alex Day ran it in from three yards out to make it a 28-12 game.
Arkansas-Monticello added one more score with less that two minutes to play as Ivan King found Parham for his second touchdown catch and UAM left Bethany with a 35-12 win.
Porter carried 12 times for 87 yards and a score while Walker carried 10 times for 56 yards. Spady added seven carries for 18 yards and a score while Hills added a 17 yards run.
Sears was 8 of 14 for 133 yards and a touchdown for the Boll Weevils while Imani Riley rushed 22 times for 147 yards. Day added 11 carries for 75 yards and a touchdown while Parham had two touchdown catches.
Defensively, Smith had 13 tackles, an interception, and a forced fumble while
Dylan Meador added 10 tackles and a tackle for loss. Jordan had eight tackles while
Daniel Flynn and
Myles Roll added seven each. Gabe Brace had six tackles to lead UAM while Ja'lon Watts had four tackles, a TFL, and a fumble recovery.
SNU moves to 1-6 overall and 1-6 in the GAC. They will have a quick turnaround as they head to Arkadelphia on Thursday to battle No. 5 Ouachita at 6 PM.
