BRIDGEWATER, Va. (BC Athletics) – The Bridgewater College football team fell to Roanoke 24-14 on Saturday on Homecoming.
The Eagles opened the game with the football and drove down the field to inside the Roanoke 10 yard-line, but the drive stalled out as BC went for it on fourth down from inside the 10-yard line and were stopped. The Bridgewater defense held serve as Roanoke netted a negative on the drive deep in their territory and punted it away. BC had a short field to work with, but had the drive foiled as a deep shot on third and long to go was broken up in the endzone, and BC was forced to punt.
The teams traded three-and-outs before a 76-yard punt by the Maroons flipped the field momentarily, but a clutch return by Tate Leach got the Eagles possession near midfield. The drive went nowhere, and BC was forced to punt again, and the game reached the end of the first quarter at a scoreless draw.
Roanoke opened the second quarter with a punt after a sack from Aaron Nice stalled the drive. The BC offense responded as it methodically worked down the field before Wyatt Jervis bullied his way into the endzone for a score. Ben Bermudez followed with the PAT to make it 7-0 midway through the first quarter.
The Maroons replied instantly as a pair of 30+ yard completions moved the ball to inside the BC five-yard line. A rush from two yards out by Kam Hill evened the game as the PAT made it 7-7. BC got the ball back on the kickoff that followed and marched down the field after a key fourth-down conversion as Bateman connected with Charlie Bratburd early in the drive. Two penalties stalled the momentum, but a clutch catch-and-run by Jalin Quintanilla cut the second down and 25 in half. BC was unable to convert on the next play, leading to a 42-yard field goal attempt that snuck wide right to give the Maroons the ball back with 2:42 to go in the half.
The Eagles’ defense held serve again, and the offense had a chance to take the lead before the half. BC worked quickly, and a 40-yard connection from Jaicere Bateman to Ian Browne sparked the offense after the senior’s diving grab. The drive started to stall within field goal range, but a misfire from Bateman was picked off and foiled the chance to take the lead. The contest rolled to a 7-7 stalemate after the first half.
Bridgewater forced a Roanoke punt to start the second half, but a poor decision on the return put BC deep in their own end. BC was forced to punt after a delay of game stalled the drive, and Roanoke responded. The Maroons drove down the field after a pass interference call, and a pair of deep completions by the Maroons put them deep in BC territory. The BC defense came up when it mattered as it forced two incompletions to hold the Maroons to a 26-yard field goal to make it 10-7 with five minutes to go in the frame.
A sack spoiled the next series for the Eagles, but the Eagles’ defense responded as a sack by Darryl Dawkins forced a Roanoke punt. The Maroons punt went deep in BC territory as Xavier Edelen fielded it at his own 11 yard-line, but the seas parted for the corner back. Edelen found the hole and took the return to the house for an 89-yard punt return touchdown. The PAT from Bermudez was true to make it 14-10 for the Eagles late in the third stanza.
Roanoke was forced to punt to close the fourth quarter, but BC opened the final period with a fumble deep in its territory. Roanoke replied quickly as a 17-yard scamper made it 17-14 for the visitors with 13:51 to play. BC started to put a drive together, but a fumble handed the ball back to the visitors. Roanoke capitalized as a two-yard punch-in put RC in front 24-14 after the PAT.
The following BC drive was foiled by a sack on first down and a failed fourth-down conversion gave the visiting team the ball back. Bridgewater forced a quick Roanoke punt and still had life left as a short completion to Brandon Anderson moved the chains, and a targeting penalty moved the Eagles into Roanoke territory. The Eagles’ drive stalled as three-straight incompletions resulted in a turnover on downs just north of the two-minute timeout. Roanoke’s offense got a first down to seal the deal and their first victory over BC since 1930.
Bateman fueled the BC offense with 245 yards through the air. Browne was the top target with five catches for 83 yards, but seven different Eagles had multiple catches. Nice led the defense with 10 tackles, but 3.0 TFL from Dawkins came in clutch as all but one of his stops were behind the line. BC’s special teams were a highlight as well as Edelen’s touchdown gave BC the lead, and 82 combined return yards from Brendan Robinson set the Eagles up multiple times.
Hill tossed for 1235 yards for the Maroons on just 9-of-18 passing. Six different Maroons tallied multiple carries, but the real story was the Roanoke defense. Charlie Davis was in on 17 tackles to go along with three forced fumbles and a recovery.
The two sides posted similar numbers offensively, but three caused turnovers by Roanoke was the difference.
Bridgewater is back at home next Saturday as Gallaudet visits for a 2 p.m. kickoff next Saturday. Bridgewater will also induct its newest Hall of Fame class at halftime on Saturday.
— BC Athletics —
