Mar 13, 2021
DOVER, Del. – The final Route 13 Rivalry game proved to be a memorable one as the Salisbury University football team pulled out a 32-30 win over the Wesley Wolverines to open the unconventional Spring 2021 season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
- Wesley scored first on its opening possession and capitalized on an early SU fumble to score on a Xavier Drummond 34-yard run to take a 6-0 lead two minutes into the game.
- After Josh Adewumi intercepted a Brady Walters pass put Salisbury on its own 15-yard line, SU manufactured a long 6:34 drive that stretched into the second quarter.
Second Quarter
- The long 13-play drive was capped off with a Jack Lanham touchdown pass to Hunter Cleaver on a 13-yard slant route. Bert Schrecongost added the extra point to give Salisbury the 7-6 lead.
- The two teams traded punts throughout the second quarter before Salisbury went up 14-6 with five and half minutes left in the first half. The drive started with a 42-yard option run by Chad Gleason. Marcus Wilson capped off the drive by steamrolling into the end zone from one-yard out.
- Wesley's quick-strike offense responded on the ensuing possession when Walters connected with Jerrish Halsey for a 63-yard touchdown to tie the game at 14 heading into halftime.
Third Quarter
- Ben Spiess recovered a Walters fumble halfway through the third quarter for Salisbury's second turnover of the day. Salisbury gave the ball right back two plays later on a Lanham interception.
- For the second time of the game, Wesley scored off a Salisbury turnover when Latrell McCants crossed the goal line with a one-yard touchdown run to put Wesley ahead 22-14.
Fourth Quarter
- Salisbury cut into the Wesley lead, 22-17, when Schrecongost converted a 27-yard field goal to open the final frame.
- An inadvertent kneel-down on a punt attempt gave Salisbury the ball on the Wesley eight-yard line. A play later, Wilson took the inside handoff to score a touchdown. Wilson would convert the two-point conversion to allow Salisbury to regain the lead, 25-22, with 13:30 left in the game.
- Salisbury added insurance, 32-22, with just over two minutes left in the game. An 11-play, 92-yard drive that started with back-to-back 20-plus yard runs by Wilson and Gleason was sealed by a 14-yard scamper by Lanham.
- Wesley was able to trim the lead down to one score, 32-30, when Walters and Halsey hooked up again with a 10-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-goal play and McCants ran it in for two.
- Salisbury recovered the onside-kick try from Wesley to cap the series with a Salisbury win.
SALISBURY GAME NOTES
- Marcus Wilson led the Salisbury offense with 101 yards on 17 carries and a pair of touchdowns.
- Jack Lanham went 9-of-16 through the air with 85 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Lanham added a touchdown on the ground.
- Chad Gleason carried the ball seven times for 71 yards.
- Shamar Gray notched 35 yards on the ground and 19 yards receiving.
- Hunter Cleaver caught two passes for 40 yards and a touchdown.
- Jake Schneider led the SU defense with eight tackles.
- Josh Adewumi tallied seven tackles and an interception.
- Sean Carroll, Casey Counts and A.J. Butler all recorded five tackles. Carroll added a tackle for loss and a pass breakup.
- Ben Spiess registered a sack and a fumble recovery.
- Salisbury held onto the ball for 32:57.
WESLEY GAME NOTES
- Brady Walters went 16-of-31 for 278 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
- Jerrish Halsey recorded a game-high 128 receiving yards on five catches and two scores.
- Xavier Drummond (103) and Latrell McCants (63) each recorded a rushing touchdown for Wesley.
- Marcus Gaspard paced the Wesley defense with 11 tackles, an interception and a tackle for loss.
UP NEXT
- Salisbury has a chance to lock up the New Jersey Athletic Conference South Division Championship on Sunday, March 21 when the Sea Gulls welcome CNU to the Eastern Shore of Maryland.
- The game is set to start at 6 p.m.