Bridgewater closes out with big win over Catholic

The Bridgewater College football team ended 2016 on a high note, running out to a 36-0 halftime lead in a 50-13 victory at Catholic.

Sophomore Jay Scroggins completed 18-of-26 passes for 272 yards and four touchdowns, with tight end Keith Jennings accumulating 135 yards and two TDs on six receptions.

Muhammad Kahn led the defense with 2.5 sacks, six total tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Eight different Eagles were involved in a tackle for loss on the day.

The Eagles went up 22-0 in the first quarter, including a pair of 50+ yard touchdown passes by Scroggins.

Jennings broke a screen pass for 51 yards and the score on the Eagles’ first possession of the contest. With 3:02 left in the quarter, Scroggins went over the top to Rayvon Johnson for a 50-yard TD.

Josh Brooks had broken up a pass to force a 3-and-out on the opening possession of the game, Chance Morris‘ sack ended the next drive, and a Sammie Harper fumble recovery stopped the Cardinals for a third time in the opening period.

With 1:49 left in the first quarter, freshman Brady Barefoot picked up a blocked punt and returned it for a touchdown. Josh Cretaro carried in a fake on the conversion to make it 22-0 Eagles.

The BC defense kept forcing turnovers in the second quarter. After Malivai Barker‘s two-yard plunge capped an 11-play, 80-yard scoring drive, the Cardinals muffed the ensuing kickoff and Luke Barnum recovered.

That led to a Zane Grudzinski TD catch and a 36-0 first half lead. Kahn added a strip sack at the end of the second quarter to keep the hosts off the board heading into the break.

It only took 2:16 for BC to score again in the third quarter, with Scroggins buying time and then hitting Jennings in the corner of the end zone for a 43-0 scoreline.

Bridgewater’s final touchdown came on a scramble from quarterback Jeremy Robson, after freshman Brandon Pitt had intercepted a pass on the previous Catholic possession.

Bridgewater (5-5, 4-3 ODAC) ends the season on a three-game winning streak and with a winning record in conference play.

It was Catholic’s final game as an associate football member of the ODAC, with the Cardinals (3-7, 0-7) set to join the NEWMAC beginning next fall.