Tornados fall to Wildcats, 35-6

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, September 26, 2001

Greenville Academy head coach Charles Oswald came in Friday night expecting the Wilcox Academy Wildcats to pass on him. Much to his surprise, however, the Wildcats racked up 483 yards on the ground and only one pass was completed for 42 yards.

Wilcox struck fast against the Tornados when Whit Lovinggood made a 17-yard run into the endzone ending the initial drive. Sam Mosley kicked the extra point and with only 2:24 off the clock, Wilcox was up 7-0.

Later, with 4:44 left in the first quarter, Wilcox's Jesse Garrick capped another Wilcox drive with a 24-yard run. Mosley added the PAT and the Tornados were down 14-0. But Wilcox was not yet done with the first quarter. When GA gave the ball back on downs, QB David Brenning threw his only complete pass of the night for 42 yards to Whit Lovinggood who ran it in for another Wildcat score. Mosley's PAT was good and the first quarter ended with Wilcox up 21-0.

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Receiving the ball, GA's defense stalled on about their own 20 yard-line. A bad snap on the punt forced Andy Beck to haul it down and run with the ball. He got five yards before the Wildcats stopped him. Wilcox took over and Josh Vick made a 34 yard run to paydirt. Mosley added the extra point and the score stood 28-0.

GA started with good field possition after Andy Beck returned the kickoff to the Wilcox 48 yard-line. The Tornado offense mounted a drive from there only to be turned back on the Wilcox two yard-line when they lost a fumble. Wilcox then drove 98 yards for their final score of the game. Phillip Merryman scored for the Wildcats with 0:18 left in the half on a 25-yard run. The Tornados went into the locker room down 35-0.

Greenville Academy received the kick to start the second half. Pinned deep, the offense was forced to punt the ball back to Wilcox. Another bad snap and Beck had to run the ball for whatever yardage he could get. Wilcox stopped him on the GA 30 yard-line and took over from there.

This drive went 18 yards before the ball was returned to GA from a fumble recovered by Jim Kilpatrick. GA started to move the ball again when Adam Moore found Thomas Strickland on a 36-yard pass. Two plays later, however, and Moore was intercepted on the Wilcox 25 yard-line.

The Tornados only score of the night came from Beck who capped a long GA drive with a four-yard run into the endzone with only 6:31 left in the game. The extra point attempt failed and the final score stood 35-6.

Tornado quarterback Adam Moore completed eight of 11 pass for 129 yards and one interception. Andy Beck carried the ball nine times for 22 yards. Leading the offense on the ground Friday night was Randy Faulk with 26 yards in 13 carries. Emory Winters added 21 yards in seven carries and Adam Moore had 16 yards in three carries.

Thomas Strickland caught three passes from Moore for 79 yards. Justin Beeson had two receptions for 23 yards. Andy Beck had one reception for four yards and Blakely Ward made one catch for 14 yards.

Blakely Ward led the defense with eight tackles. Colt Brantley had six tackles followed by Emory Winters, Jim Kilpatrick and Ryan Conway with five tackles.

GA had ten first-downs and 219 yards in total offense. Wilcox crossed the firstdown line 23 times and had 505 total offensive yards.

Next week, the Tornados will host Ashford for their homecoming.