 "Photo: N/A")
The West Georgia Wolves, minus junior quarterback Sean Gray and junior defensive end Brendan Nestor, played their season opener against Wingate University, losing 38-17.
The game was close through the first half, with the Wolves offense grabbing an early touchdown and taking an early 14-point lead. The second half was tougher, with Wingate giving up only a field goal. The Wolves defense made a strong showing against the Wingate offensive line, averting disaster at many stages of the game and making the Bulldogs fight hard to score.
After the game, Wolves’ head coach Darryl Dickey commented that the Wolves are currently in the process of re-learning what it’s like to win.
“Unfortunately, today, we ran into a very good football team that was well-coached and very physical,” said Dickey.
The game started out offbeat with an off sides call during the opening kick. When the Wolves re-kicked, Wingate fumbled and the Wolves capitalized with Dontavius Smith taking it in for a touchdown only 6 seconds into the game.
Holding tough, the Wolves defense prevented Wingate from scoring on a long drive following the touchdown, and the Wolves’ Malcolm Johnson was able to widen the lead with another touchdown.
Before the end of the first quarter, Wingate managed to drive it in to take it to 14-7 and then managed to tie it up in the second quarter at 14-14. With only a second of time left in the first half, Wingate squeezed out a field goal to lead 17-14 into halftime.
The Wolves suffered an interception at the Wingate two yard line on the first drive of the third quarter, enabling Wingate to make an 83-yard touchdown run in the snap that followed, taking it to 24-14.
After sophomore quarterback Kyle Padgett and the Wolves offensive line delivered an impressive drive in response, junior kicker Adi Brkic kicked it in for a field goal to tighten the game back up, 24-17, with six minutes left in the third quarter.
The Wolves managed to hold the Wingate Bulldogs off defensively once more, but an interception thwarted the Wolves’ attempt to capitalize and allowed Wingate another touchdown, taking it to 31-17 with a little under four minutes left in the third quarter.
Wingate started with the ball in the fourth quarter on their 17 yard line, but the Wolves defense kept them on lockdown, forcing a punt. The Wolves took it deep into Wingate territory, but missed the field goal attempt after Wingate made a strong defensive effort.
An ugly Wingate drive concluded with a bad snap on third down and a bad punt that put the Wolves on their own 37. The Wolves offense pushed hard but got stripped. Wingate could not capitalize with the Wolves’ defense keeping them back.
A Wingate fumble on a third and three play with under two minutes in the game was recovered by Brandon McEachern on the Wingate 44 yard line. The Wolves managed to drive it deep into Wingate territory, but Padgett’s throw was picked off and turned into a 98-yard touchdown to bring it to 38-17.
Be the first to comment on this article!