WISE, Va. — The Catawba College football team moved the chains 30 times, a season-high mark across the South Atlantic Conference, en route to a thrilling 41-31 win at UVA Wise on Saturday.
The Catawba Indians (5-5, 4-4 SAC) wore down UVA Wise (2-8, 2-6 SAC) with a methodical, balanced offensive attack that went 200-200 in yardage. Time of possession mightily favored the blue and white, who potentially set the program record with a 42:45 mark (available records date back to 2011). Although the Cavaliers averaged over two more yards per play than Catawba, a 39-play deficit helped the visitors lead 453-365 in total offense.
Bennett Galloway took 30 handoffs for 117 yards, the most by a Catawba Indian this season, and two touchdowns. Jayden Jones dashed for 83 yards on 14 touches while catching two passes for 58 yards and a score. Mason Fortune slung the pigskin for 234 yards and two touchdowns on a 19-for-34 clip. Mike Geter led the receiving corps with five catches for 62 yards as Nick Venezia also logged five receptions, gaining 48 yards. JP Gilchrist found the end zone for the second time in his career on two catches.
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Braylon Baker tormented the UVA Wise offense with 2.5 tackles for loss, including a sack. He and Jaylen Hinton had a team-high seven tackles with the latter making five solo stops. RJ Brown rushed the backfield for a nine-yard sack and recorded a QB hurry. Forcing the contest's lone fumble was Aidan Carter; the freshman also logged a career-best two tackles. Luke Raykovicz registered his third career interception as Hinton, Jaylen Houston, Cam Anderson and DeWayne Gissendanner each tallied a pass breakup.
Francisco Garcia Rodriguez had a 5-for-5 day on PATs and went 2-for-2 on field goals, improving to 8-for-11 in his freshman campaign with zero non-blocked misses. Bryson Sims kicked off eight times, logging 52.8 yards per attempt with three touchbacks. Kylan Odean blasted two punts for 87 total yards, highlighted by his fourth 50-plus boot of the season.
Catawba responded to an opening-drive UVA Wise touchdown with a punishing 15-play march, capped by Galloway punching it in at the goal line. On the ensuing kickoff by Sims, Carter stripped the returner and Kyle Perry hopped on the loose ball to snatch possession back at the Cavalier 33. A 17-yard catch by Geter helped set up Garcia Rodriguez for the go-ahead field goal from 39 yards out. On the hosts' next play from scrimmage, Evan Kennedy took a direct snap 65 yards to the house.
Consecutive third-down conversions allowed the Catawba Indians to enter the second quarter within attacking territory. A third breakthrough on third down preceded another Geter reception to set up shop in the red zone. Catawba was rebuffed again, but Garcia Rodriguez split the uprights a second time, this one a 31-yarder. The Cavaliers added a field goal of their own to strengthen their edge to 17-13. The Catawba Indians found pay dirt on their next two drives via Fortune passes to Jones and Gilchrist in a mad dash to a 27-17 advantage.
UVA Wise cut into the deficit with a 25-yard TD right before halftime, but Catawba entered the locker room with a lead for the seventh time this season.
The Cavs overtook Catawba with a quick touchdown drive early in the second half, then picked off the blue and white on the next possession. The defense came up big with a three-and-out, which the offense capitalized on as Galloway retook the lead with four straight red-zone carries culminating in a TD. Kunle Olaniyi and Jymiek Sampson teamed up for a TFL to send the game to the quarter break.
Two deep tosses by UVA Wise fell incomplete, the second being denied by Gissendanner, to force punts on consecutive Cavalier drives. A 35-yard score by Jones, extending the gap to two possessions, was wiped off by a penalty. The Catawba Indians were delayed but not denied as Galloway helped move it to the goal line, where Fortune plowed in, growing the lead to 41-31. On a fourth-and-24 at the Cavs' own 18, Raykovicz put the game on ice with his first interception of the year.
While the 41-31 is not a Catawba Scorigami (unique final score in program history), it has never happened in a Catawba Indian victory. This is Catawba's 11th time scoring exactly 41 points in a win.
For the first time since 2017, the Catawba Indians finish their road slate with three wins and as victors in consecutive out-of-town games.
Catawba wraps up the regular season with Hall of Fame and Senior Day on Saturday, Nov. 14, against Lenoir-Rhyne. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Shuford Stadium with the program's seniors being recognized in pregame.
