Allen opens football rebirth with big win. Benedict drops opener

Benedict’s season opener at Charlie W. Johnson Stadium was one of pickoffs, fumbles, and missed assignments.

Florida Tech made the most of every Tigers mistake and closed out a 33-14 victory Saturday night.

Quarterback Dominique Harris threw three interceptions and passed for just 168 yards. Florida Tech held the Tigers’ rushing offense to minus-17 yards in the first half and 61 yards on the night.

“It’s kind of hard to put in words. I thought we’d show up better than we did tonight,” fourth-year Benedict coach Mike White said. “Too many turnovers, too many penalties, too many blown assignments, and that means we’ve got to do a better job of coaching these guys.”

The first quarter was almost forgettable for the Tigers, as the Panthers built a 16-point lead in the first 10 minutes of the game.

Starting off at its own 22-yard line, Benedict’s first play from scrimmage was a pick-6. A Harris pass fell into the hands of John McClure, who ran it back 48 yards for the opening score.

Two possessions later, a low snap on a punt had punter Mario Trejo fall on the ball in the end zone for a safety.

D.J. Brooks then closed out a 7-play, 64-yard scoring drive with a one-yard dive into the end zone at the 5:46 mark to give the Panthers a 16-0 lead.

Benedict finally got on the scoreboard with 1:51 to go in the first. Running under pressure on third down at the Panthers 29-yard line, Harris launched the ball to Dreion Freeman at the back of the end zone.

“That was a real small flash,” White said about the only offensive highlight in the first half. “I don’t even remember the flash.”

Trey Schaneville’s 24-yard field goal with 4:11 left in the second quarter gave Florida Tech a 19- 7 halftime lead.

The Panthers kept going, knocking out a 7-play, 70-yard scoring drive on their first third-quarter possession. Brooks capped it with a 1-yard TD run.

Florida Tech Antwuan Brown got sprung on a 40-yard TD run early in the fourth quarter to give the Panthers a 33-7 lead.

Phillip Brown’s 80-yard touchdown pass play to Dreion Freeman with 5:43 to go enlivened the crowd, but came too late in the game to make a difference.

“We gave up too many points to start the game, and really never got into any rhythm,” White said. “I thought we would’ve played a lot better.”

ALLEN 47, COLUMBUS STATE 3

Allen University, playing its first college football game since 2005, ended that long drought in style Saturday, routing a club team from Columbus (Ga.) State before several hundred fans at Irmo High School’s W.C. Hawkins Stadium.

Defensive back Johntavius Hill broke open a close game in the second quarter with an interception and 80-yard touchdown return, breaking a tackle and then sprinting down the right sideline to score. That gave the Yellow Jackets a 17-0 lead, and they added another touchdown by Charleston back Jermaine Alston before halftime.

First-year coach Teddy Keaton’s team scored first when De’Juan Sease, a defensive end from Bamberg, blocked a Columbus State punt attempt that the Cougars covered in their end zone for a safety. The Yellow Jackets then drove 52 yards on the ensuing kickoff, scoring on Adrian Ladson’s 1-yard run and converting a bobbled PAT attempt for two points and a 10-0 lead.

The Yellow Jackets defense turned two CSU miscues into second-half scores. Linebacker Anthony Menchaca scooped up a fumble and ran 30 yards for a touchdown, and defensive back Ricky Carter picked off a James Whitman pass and returned it 25 yards down the left sideline.

GEORGIA SOUTHERN 37, SCSU 6

At Statesboro, Ga., Shai Wertz had 163 yards and three touchdowns on 22 carries to lead Georgia Southern. The Bulldogs’ only score came on a 2-yard Tyrece Nick touchdown run early in the third quarter, which cut the lead to 16-6. Georgia Southern finished out the third with 2 Wertz scores.

WESTERN CAROLINA 33, NEWBERRY 26

At Cullowhee, N.C., Newberry put a scare in Western Carolina, but in the end the Catamounts got two late touchdowns to come back from a 26-19 deficit to win. Greg Ruff was 13-for21 passing for 163 yards and two touchdowns. Dre Harris was 6-for-8 passing with a TD. Austin Barnes had 141 yards on 20 carries.

WOFFORD 28, THE CITADEL 21

Wofford coach Josh Conklin got his first win with the school as the Terriers held off The Citadel.

This story was originally published September 1, 2018 at 10:00 PM.