Catawba Bested by Limestone on Homecoming, 48-23

SALISBURY, N.C. – The Catawba College football team fell in a shootout against the Limestone Saints, 48-23, in South Atlantic Conference action on Saturday night. Both teams combined for 999 yards of total offense in the contest. 

Catawba won the toss and deferred to the second half giving Limestone the opening possession. Catawba's defense was able to force a punt after the Saints had to begin the drive from their own 1-yard line. The Indians were able to into the red zone before their drove stalled, and Clayton Crile came out to convert on a 32-yard field goal attempt for the first points of the game.

Limestone came back on their next drive and went 75 yards in eight plays to take a 7-3 lead with 5:42 left in the opening quarter.

Catawba was forced to punt on their next possession, and Jordan Gregg punched the ball out on a catch by the Saints to change possessions back to the home team. Zy Brown recovered the loose ball and returned it to near mid-field.

Crile once again converted on a field goal, this time a 44-yard try, to make it a one-point game, 7-6 with 12:59 left in the second stanza.

This was as close as Catawba came to regaining the lead as Limestone's Jelani Baker returned the ensuing kickoff 95 yards for a score to give the Saints a 14-6 advantage.

Six minutes later, that lead grew after a short-yardage run by Limestone capped off a 97-yard drive to give the visitors a 21-6 lead with 3:50 before halftime.

Catawba crept back in it before the break behind a 1-yard punch in by LJ Turner and another field goal of 40+ yards by Crile made the score 21-16 going into the half.

On the final drive of the first half, quarterback Kamron Hill took a hard sack on third and long. He was forced out from the game, and Kujuan Pryor took over the signal-calling duties for the second half.

The Indians were a much different team offensively in the second half with Pryor being thrust into the quarterback role. Catawba had 19 pass attempts in the opening half with Hill under center, but that number shrunk to nine attempts in the third and fourth quarters.

Limestone took advantage and notched back-to-back touchdowns in the first seven minutes of the third quarter. With 8:16 left in the third, the Saints led 35-16.

In the fourth quarter, Pryor scored Catawba's lone touchdown of the second half on a 5-yard rush to the outside, but Limestone put the ball in the end zone two more times late to make it 48-23.

Limestone gained 601 yards of offense on 64 plays while Catawba ran 73 plays and picked up 398 yards.

LJ Turner led Catawba on the ground with 79 yards on 11 carries, and Connor McCarthy caught six passes for 103 yards.

On defense, Izaiah Taylor had 11 tackles while Jordan Gregg added eight stops with a forced fumble.

The football team will hit the road next Saturday to take on Barton.