The Bridgewater College football team scored three second half touchdowns and forced 15 negative yardage plays in a 31-7 victory over Gettysburg to open the season.
Da’Sean Davis had 4.5 TFLs, while Nazeer Jordan had 2.0 tackles for loss to go with a fumble recovery and a game-high eight tackles. Elijah Rucker (2.0 TFLs) and Malik Crowe (1.5 TFLs) each recorded a sack and were involved in multiple negative plays for the Bullets.
Matt Lawton completed 21-of-33 passes for 264 yards, 2 TDs and no interceptions. Chad Jones led the offense with five catches for 70 yards and a score, including two big plays to finally spark Bridgewater at the end of the first half.
Jones made a tough third down catch coming back to the ball with BC trailing 7-3 at the end of second quarter. Four straight completions were followed by a Demetreus Jalepes rush down inside the five. Jones caught a slant pass with six seconds on the clock to send Bridgewater into the locker room with a 10-7 lead.
Lawton found Jones streaking down the sideline for 40 yards early in the third quarter, and Ronald Robinson Jr. carried it in on the next play to make it 17-7 Eagles.
Lawton went deep again in the fourth quarter, hitting Freddie Watkins for a 60-yard score down the right sideline.
Jordan recovered a fumbled punt snap on the GC nine yard line, and Jalepes broke several tackles up the middle for the final 31-7 scoreline. The Eagles’ defense would add one more takeaway as Samuel Adkins picked off a deep pass down the middle.
Gettysburg had tried a surprise onside kick to begin the game. After Garrett Graves pinned the Bullets at the three-yard line, the Eagles got great field position and opened the scoring with a Jackson Hendren field goal.
Bridgewater would fumble deep in their own territory twice early in the second quarter. A muffed punt was recovered in the end zone by Mike Vigliano to give Gettysburg the lead. The Eagles then fumbled a handoff at their own 27, but the Bullets missed a field goal.
The Eagle defense made multiple big first half plays, with Preston Turner almost recording a safety on a last-second throwaway, and Davis and Jordan blowing up consecutive runs on a second quarter drive.
It was the first career victory for new head coach Scott Lemn. Bridgewater recognized former mentor Michael Clark, the ODAC’s all-time winningest football coach, at the game and had a large alumni contingent back for the occasion.
Bridgewater (1-0) will play at Southern Virginia next Saturday.
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