Box Score
SALISBURY, NC – The Livingstone football team stepped out of conference play on Saturday to host West Virginia Wesleyan, but the Bobcats got the best of the Blue Bears 58-3.
The Livingstone offense got off to a rough start. After receiving the opening kickoff, quarterback Levon Stanley threw his fifth interception of the season which was returned for a touchdown and a 7-0 Bobcat lead. The ensuing drive for the Blue Bears looked promising as Livingstone was able to move the ball 47 yards on nine plays, but a fourth and 12 attempt failed and the ball was turned over on downs.
West Virginia Wesleyan took over on its own 17 yard line and on its second play Bryan Aycoth forced a fumble and it was recovered by Dorian Edwards. The Blue Bears ran four plays and moved backwards three yards before freshman kicker Logan Haynes connected on a 33-yard field goal to put the Blue Bears on the board at 7-3. The first quarter ended with the score 7-3.
The Bobcats increased their lead to 14-3 early in the second quarter and extended it to 22-3 with just over seven minutes left in the first half. Livingstone's next drive took only four plays and went six yards. On the punt a personal foul penalty on the Blue Bears gave the Bobcats good field position and Wesleyan took four plays to go 26 yards for a touchdown to go up 29-3. The 29-3 scoreline was the halftime score.
Wesleyan received the opening kickoff of the second half and failed to score on its drive after missing a 38-yard field goal attempt. Livingstone's possession ended in a punt and the Bobcats capitalized with another touchdown and a missed extra point to go up 35-3. The ensuing possession for Livingstone took five plays and ended with a blocked punt by the Bobcats. Wesleyan took four plays to move the ball 30 yards for a touchdown and a 42-3 lead.
On the ensuing kickoff Dewayne Smith fumbled the ball after a 15 yard return and the Bobcats recovered the fumble. After four plays Wesleyan had put the ball in the end zone and after a failed extra point, led 48-3.
Early in the fourth quarter the Bobcats had a 14 play drive that went 66 yards and Wesleyan added a 22-yard field goal for a 51-3 lead. Late in the fourth quarter quarterback Curtis Edens fumbled the ball around midfield that was picked up by the Bobcats and returned 40 yards for a touchdown which led to the final score of 58-3.
The Blue Bears gained a total of 81 offensive yards, 18 rushing and 63 passing and 12 first downs. The Bobcats gained 359 offensive yards with 217 coming through the air and 142 on the ground.
Levon Stanley completed nine passes for 63 yards and two interceptions. Terrill Gourdine led the Blue Bears on the ground with 30 rushing yards while Stanley had a total of 15 rushing yards. Omar McFadden finished with six catches for 43 yards. Defensively, Devonta Harmon led the Blue Bears with nine tackles while Tyheim Pitt had seven tackles including three for a loss of yards.
The Blue Bears fell to 0-7 on the season with the loss while the Bobcats improved to 6-0.
The Blue Bears will be on the road next weekend when they head to Winston-Salem, NC to take on Winston-Salem State University for a 6 p.m. kickoff.
