GAFFNEY, S.C. – Senior running back
Jerko'ya Patton (Charlotte, N.C.) posted career highs with 31 carries and 151 yards to go with a pair of touchdowns, including the game-winner with four seconds left in regulation, to lead Limestone University to a thrilling 30-24 win over UVA Wise on Saturday, March 21.
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Limestone 30, UVA Wise 24
Records: Limestone (1-1, 1-0), UVA Wise (0-2, 0-2)
Location: The Reservation
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- Patton finished with 208 yards from scrimmage after adding two catches for 57 yards
- Freshman QB Dustin Noller (Rock Hill, S.C.) went 15-of-33 for 246 yards and a touchdown
- Noller added seven rushes for 43 yards, including a 25-yard scamper
- Junior WR Juwan Scott (North Charleston, S.C.) hauled in four catches for 59 yards and a TD
- Scott added three kickoff returns for 72 yards
- Junior WR Demond Ellison (Canton, Ga.) pulled down three receptions for 51 yards
- Sophomore kicker Nathan Baker (Easley, S.C.) went 3-for-4 on field goal attempts
- Graduate DB Jeremiah Bogan (Duncan, S.C.) led the defense with seven tackles
- Sophomore DB Kris Williams (Clinton, N.C.) also registered seven tackles on the night
- Sophomore DL Zane Boozer (Liberty, S.C.) tallied 1.5 tackles for loss and three overall
- Limestone posted 452 yards of total offense and 26 first downs
- The defense held UVA Wise to 368 yards of offense
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
After both teams went 3-and-out on their opening possessions, Limestone put together an 11-play, 60-yard drive to the UVA Wise 6-yard line. Noller connected with Scott for 10 yards on 3
rd-and-7 early in the drive before finding freshman TE
Terrence Walker (Commerce, Ga.) for a 21-yard gain inside the 20.
The drive would stall inside the 10-yard line, however, and the Saints would come away empty as the resulting chip-shot field goal attempt bounced off the left upright. The Cavaliers capitalized on the missed opportunity by Limestone, taking the ball 80 yards on 15 plays to move in front, 7-0, at the end of the first.
Second Quarter
The Saints responded with another drive deep into UVA Wise territory early in the second quarter, taking advantage of a pair of pass interference calls and a 25-yard scramble by Noller. Limestone drove to the 1-yard line before a botched snap on 3
rd down forced the Blue and Gold to settle for a 26-yard field goal.
The Cavaliers did not take long to answer on their next drive, needing just 2:32 to go 72 yards to extend their lead to 14-3 on a 16-yard touchdown pass with 9:28 remaining. Limestone again moved the ball as Noller hit Patton on a 47-yard screen pass, but once again the Saints were limited to a 26-yard field goal.
After the offense was flagged for two dead ball penalties for a total of 30 yards on one play, the Saints came up with a huge stop on defense to get the ball back with 3:09 left. Patton started the drive with 27 yards on three straight carries before Noller found Ellison on the home sideline for a 23-yard gain. A few moments later, Scott was hit in stride before racing to the house for a 30-yard touchdown on 4
th-and-10.
Limestone tied the game at 14-all with 1:31 left in the first half after sophomore RB
Kyleik Middleton (Beaufort, S.C.) rushed up the middle for a two-point conversion. UVA Wise made one final push in the closing minute of the second quarter, but the Limestone defense held firm and forced a field goal miss.
Third Quarter
The defense forced a three-and-out on the Cavs first drive of the third before a short punt set the Blue and Gold up at the UVA Wise 43. Patton rushed for 14 yards and junior
Jadarius Hector (Stapleton, Ga.) hauled in a 19-yard pass before Baker drilled a 28-yard field goal to give Limestone its first lead, 17-14.
The Saints defense came through again their next time out on the field before the offense followed up by moving the ball down the field. Noller completed a pass to junior
Cedric Smith (Columbia, S.C.) for 11 yards before a roughing the passer call was added on to put Limestone inside the UVA Wise 20-yard line.
Four plays later, Patton took the ball up the middle from four yards out, the first rushing touchdown of the season, to give Limestone a 24-14 lead with 5:48 remaining. UVA Wise would get an interception on a tipped ball deep inside Limestone territory and would cut the margin to 24-17 behind a 37-yard field goal.
Fourth Quarter
UVA Wise pinned the Saints on the 1-inch line early in the fourth quarter, but Patton got the Blue and Gold out of the shadow of its own endzone with a 50-yard run. Limestone would have to punt, however, and the Cavaliers capped an 80-yard drive with a 34-yard TD catch on 4
th-and-4 to tie the game at 24-all.
With time becoming a factor, a penalty on UVA Wise helped the defense get off the field and set the Limestone offense up at the Cavaliers 44-yard line with 1:55 remaining. Noller took off for 13 yards on a QB keeper before he found Scott for 13 yards on 2
nd-and-12. The Saints did not call a time out with the clock running, but they did not need to as Patton scored from 12 yards out with four seconds remaining.
TURNING POINT
In a back-and-forth game in which Limestone overcome a 14-3 deficit and then gave up a 24-14 lead, it came down to the final two minutes of the contest. The Saints worked their way down deep inside UVA Wise territory and appeared to be setting up for a field goal attempt, but Patton broke free and scored the game-winner from 12 yards away with four ticks on the clock, sealing the 30-24 decision for the Saints.
NOTABLES
- It was Patton's second walk-off touchdown of his career, the first coming during his freshman year in an overtime win over Tusculum – he set a single-game record with 31 rushes
- Scott has caught a touchdown pass in each of Limestone's two spring games
- The Saints won a conference opener for the second time in team history and the first since 2017
- Sophomore punter Austin Kemp (Liberty, S.C.) averaged 44.3 yards per punt
UP NEXT
Limestone hits the road for its next two games, starting with a trip to take on Carson-Newman University on Saturday, March 27 at 1 p.m.
