NEWBERRY, S.C. – Playing on the road in the 2019 season finale, the Limestone College football team limited home-stranding Newberry College to 255 yards of total offense while forcing a trio of turnovers but it was not enough as the Saints came up short in a 14-7 defensive struggle on Saturday, November 16.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Newberry 14, Limestone 7
Records: Newberry (5-6, 4-4), Limestone (3-8, 2-6)
Location: Historic Setzler Field
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
 

• Sophomore RB Malik Brooks (Saluda, S.C.) rushed for 102 yards on 15 carries
• Junior RB Jerko'ya Patton (Charlotte, N.C.) finished with 101 rushing yards and a touchdown
• Patton broke his own single-season record with his 9^th TD and just missed a 1,000-yard season
• Junior QB DJ Phillips (Fayetteville, N.C.) went 9-of-20 for 66 yards and three turnovers
• Sophomore WR Juwan Scott (North Charleston, S.C.) added four catches for 48 yards
• Senior LB Wesley Robinson (Spartanburg, S.C.) tallied 12 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery
• Senior DB DJ Witherspoon (Moncks Corner, S.C.) added nine tackles
• Sophomore LB Tallon Campbell (Cheraw, S.C.) chipped in eight tackles and recovered a fumble
• Sophomore DB Ken'Darius Frederick (Rock Hill, S.C.) registered five tackles and an interception
• Senior DE Kelvin Atkins (Columbia, S.C.) posted four tackles and a sack
• Junior K Thomas Cook (Moore, S.C.) went 0-for-2 on field goal tries after missing just one all year
• The Saints rushed for 223 yards on 53 carries, but could only gain 66 yards through the air
• The Limestone defense held the Wolves to 81 yards passing and 174 yards rushing

 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
First Quarter
 
Newberry made it look too easy on the opening possession of the day, moving the ball 75 yards on just six plays to take a quick 7-0 lead just over two minutes into the game. The Wolves gashed the Limestone defense early for 59 yards on the ground before a 16-yard TD pass put the home team on top by a TD.
 
The Saints picked up one first down on their first drive, but back-to-back holding calls and a six-yard sack ended that possession before going a quick three-and-out on their next. While the defense stepped it up on Newberry's next two drives, the Limestone offense managed just 22 yards in the first quarter.  
 
Second Quarter
 
The defense limited the Wolves to just 18 yards after the first drive of the game and would set Limestone up with prime real estate at the NBY 48 early in the second. However, similar to last week's loss to Carson-Newman, the Saints coughed up the ball on a QB keeper a few plays later to end the threat.
 
The defense continued to shine late in the opening half and came up with a big play when Robinson jumped on a loose ball at the LC 39. With time winding down in the quarter, the Saints would even things up at 7-all with a touchdown run as time expired to cap an 11-play, 58 yard drive over the final 3:08.  
 
Patton ran for 21 yards before a facemask call by the Wolves moved the ball inside the red zone for Limestone. Following three penalties by Newberry, including a roughing the passer call, the Saints had the ball at the 1 with 16 seconds left when Patton was stopped for a loss with no timeouts left. However, the offense would get the snap off just before time expired and Patton tied the game with a 3-yard leap.
 
Third Quarter
 
Limestone got the ball to start the second half but it would be short-lived, tuning the ball over on a failed pitch on the option and the Wolves recovered at the LC 28. However, the defense again was up for the task as they got the ball back a few later when Robinson stripped the ball from a Newberry receiver.
 
The Wolves finally broke through against the Limestone defense late in the third quarter as the home team used a 10-play, 60-yard drive to move back in front, 14-7, with 3:26 remaining. The Saints finally cracked 100 yards of offense on the next drive, but they would miss a 45-yard field goal attempt.
 
Fourth Quarter
 
After the defense got the Newberry offense off the field, the Blue and Gold had a great looking drive working as it moved the ball into plus territory. Brooks took the ball four straight times for 41 yards before Patton broke off a 12-yard run, but the Saints came up empty as the Wolves intercepted Phillips at the 29.
 
Limestone got the ball back a few plays later as Frederick made a tremendous play for his third pick of the year. The Saints went to the ground, rushing 12 straight times for 52 yards, getting chunk plays from both Brooks and Patton, but the visitors would again come up empty on a missed 36-yard field goal try.
 
The Blue and Gold made one more stop on defense to get the ball back with 2:09 showing on the clock, and Patton immediately broke free for a 20-yard run before Phillips hit Scott for 16 yards to the NBY 45. That would be the closest things would get, however, as the Saints turned the ball over on downs late, and the Wolves were able to take a couple of knees to seal the hotly contested 14-7 decision.    
 
TURNING POINT
 
Limestone had a little momentum going into halftime after the tying the game at 7-all with a touchdown run by Patton with no time left on the clock. However, a turnover on the first play of the second half set the tone as the Saints missed two field goals attempts and added another turnover over the final 30 minutes of the season.
 
NOTABLES
 

• Limestone lost its fourth game of the season by a single touchdown
• The Saints finished with two 100-yard rushers in the same game for the second time this year
• Patton just missed the first 1,000-yard season in team history, finishing with 965 rushing yards
• He broke his own single-season record for touchdown runs with his ninth of the year
• Despite a bad day at the office, Phillips became the first Saint to pass for over 5,000 career yards
• Atkins leaves as the program's career sack leader, registering his 9.5 career sack this afternoon
• Yates wraps up his career in the Blue and Gold second on that list with eight career sacks
• Witherspoon and senior DB Mannie Ogletree (North Augusta, S.C.) wrap up their careers ranked third in team history with six career interceptions
• The 2019 team put a horrible 2018 season in the rearview mirror and won three games despite facing four ranked opponents plus another potential playoff team