GAFFNEY, S.C. – Limestone University senior running back Jerko'ya Patton (Charlotte, N.C.) rushed for a program-record 180 yards and a score against one of the league's premiere defenses, helping the home team jump out to a quick 14-0 lead, but a strong second quarter by No. 8 Wingate University prevented the upset as the visiting Bulldogs held off the Saints, 35-17, on Saturday at The Reservation.  
 
GAME INFORMATION
Score: No. 8 Wingate 35, Limestone 17
Records: No. 8 Wingate (5-0, 3-0), Limestone (0-4, 0-2)
Location: The Reservation
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
 

• Patton posted his 13^th career 100-yard game and the program's single-game rushing record
• Sophomore QB Dustin Noller (Rock Hill, S.C.) went 18-of-27 for 174 yards and a touchdown
• Junior WR Caden Peeler (Boiling Springs, S.C.) hauled in three catches for 49 yards and a score
• Patton finished with 200 all-purpose yards while Peeler tallied 75 all-purpose yards on the day
• Junior WR Jadarius Hector (Stapleton, Ga.) finished with 55 yards on a pair of receptions
• Senior WR DeMond Ellison (Canton, Ga.) added five catches for 27 yards
• Junior DB Kris Williams (Clinton, N.C.) paced the defense with seven tackles and three breakups
• Graduate LB Jaiden Clayton (Gaffney, S.C.) also registered seven tackles on the afternoon
• Junior LB Lamech Wilder (Norcross, Ga.) added six tackles, including four solo stops
• Senior DB Ken'Darius Frederick (Rock Hill, S.C.) and sophomore LB Chandler Matthews (Dillion, S.C.) both finished with five tackles apiece
• Junior K Austin Kemp (Liberty, S.C.) tacked on a 38-yard field goal
• Kemp also recorded 34.8 yards per punt on four attempts and had two touchbacks on kickoffs
• Limestone put up 347 yards of total offense while Wingate recorded 465 yards of offense

 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
First Quarter
 
Limestone won the toss and elected to receive before promptly taking the ball 78 yards on eight plays to record its first opening-drive touchdown of the year. Following a personal foul on Wingate, Patton broke off a 47-yard run before Noller found Peeler wide open in the endzone for a 20-yard TD pass on 3^rd down.
 
The Saints defense then forced the Bulldogs to go three-and-out on the visitors first possession before using a long 16-play drive to move in front 14-0. Noller picked up 10 yards with his legs and then hit Peller for 20 yards to keep the drive moving before Patton took a draw right up the gut for a 17-yard touchdown.
 
Second Quarter
 
The Bulldogs responded with a long scoring drive of their own, spanning the first and second quarters, to cut the margin in half, 14-7, with 12:35 remaining in the period. Wingate was then able to stop Limestone for the first time before driving quickly down the gridiron, 70-yards in six-plays, to even things up at 14-all.
 
Following the initial shock, Wingate managed to slow down the Saints on offense, forcing a three-and-out, and took the momentum with a quick four-play, 60-yard drive to grab its first lead of the day, 21-14, with 6:24 remaining in the period. Limestone tallied one first down on its ensuing possession before punting.
 
Starting at its own 12, Wingate methodically moved the ball, picking up a pair of third down conversions along the way. On 2^nd-and-10 at the LU 14, it appeared that junior LB Richard Jenkins (Bluffton, S.C.) made a tremendous play for the Saints as it looked like he came up a toe-tap interception in the endzone. However, the ruling on the field was he was out of bounds before the officials ruled a touchdown on the very next play with an almost identical situation as the Bulldogs moved in front, 28-14, at the intermission.
 
Third Quarter
 
After forcing Wingate to punt on its first possession of the second half, the Saints followed up with a promising drive, highlight by a 15-yard catch by Ellison, but it came to a sudden halt as a strip sack gave Wingate the ball at midfield. The Bulldogs used the short field to drive inside the LU15 a few plays later.
 
With the visitors knocking on the door, the Limestone defense stiffened up against the goal line as Frederick and junior LB Dedric Lewis (Evans. Ga.) stonewalled Wingate on 4^th-and-1. The Blue and Gold then went to work as Patton accounted for 65 yards, including a 54-yard run over the right end, to get into the redzone. The drive would stall but the Saints cut the margin to 28-17 on a 38-yard field goal by Kemp.
 
Fourth Quarter
 
Limestone went 3-and-out early in the fourth, deep in its own territory, and would give Wingate excellent starting field position with a short 22-yard punt. The Bulldogs took advantage of the short field this time, going 32 yards on six plays to comfortably extend its lead to 35-17 with 7:52 remaining in the regulation.
 
The Saints responded with another great drive as Noller hit Hector for 47 yards before Patton busted loose for another long run to the Wingate 26. Noller then found freshman Joshua Gary (Lugoff, S.C.) for 13-yards down to the 2-yard line, but a controversial offensive pass interference call negated the play.
 
Noeller was picked off on the very next play, and the Bulldogs were able to rush for a pair of first downs over the final 4:45 to run out the clock and hold off the Saints by a final of 35-17.     
 
TURNING POINT
 
Limestone jumped all over the Bulldogs in the first quarter, grabbing a 14-0 lead at the end of one, but Wingate was able to rebound from the initial shock and put up 28 second-quarter points. That would prove to be the difference as the Saints limited Wingate to just one touchdown in the second half.
 
NOTABLES
 

• Head Coach Brian Turk tied a program record with his 21^st career game coach at Limestone
• Turk ties both Mike Furrey and Bobby James for most games coached
• Patton registered his 22^nd career rushing touchdown, and the team's second of the year
• He rushed for 12.9 yards per carry on 14 rushes on the afternoon, ripping off three long runs
• Patton surpassed Malik Brook's 169-yard effort, also against Wingate in 2018
• Peeler recorded his first career receiving touchdown
• Limestone drops to 0-7 all-time against Wingate and is now 0-10 all-time against ranked teams

 
UP NEXT
 
The Saints are back at home next week as they host Mars Hill University in a rematch from the spring season's overtime thriller. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 16 at The Reservation.