‘I feel like we can go all the way.

’
Anthony Mahoney, MC offensive lineman

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2018 THE DAILY TIMES 7C

MARYVILLE COLLEGE SCOTS 31,

VICTORY: MC
NC WESLEYAN BATTLING BISHOPS 14 shifts focus
NC
MC
7
7
0
17
7
0
0
7
— 14
— 31
to playoffs
FIRST QUARTER FROM 1C

NC 7:52 — Donielle Totten 11 run (Caleb Mann kick) receiver Mac Seagle on
12 plays, 65 yds, 7:08 Maryville’s first play from
North Carolina Wesleyan received the opening kickoff scrimmage in response.
and orchestrated a long, methodical drive to strike first. A turnover on downs,
Junior quarterback Donielle Totten completed all five a forced fumble, a three-
of his pass attempts during the drive, including a pair and-out and an intercep-
of third-down conversions deep in Maryville College tion over the Bishops’
territory. He showed off his legs to cap the drive, next four possessions
scrambling out of the pocket before beating a few allowed the Scots to build
defenders to the pylon. | BISHOPS, 7-0 a 24-7 lead heading into
halftime.
MC 7:41 — Mac Seagle 65 pass from Nelson Smith Turnovers and missed
(Ian Hubbs kick) opportunities plagued
1 play, 65 yds, 0:11 the Maryville offense for
Maryville College wasted little time responding. The the majority of the sec-
Scots have struggled with vertical passes all season, ond half, but the defense
but last week against Greensboro, they completed a returned the favor from
few to provide some confidence. Freshman quarterback earlier, coming up with
Nelson Smith opened the offense for Maryville will a SCOTT KELLER | THE DAILY TIMES a pair of stops to pre-
perfect pass to senior wide receiver Mac Seagle to get MARYVILLE COLLEGE’S MAC SEAGLE (6) brings in a deep pass for a 65-yard scoring strike in the vent N.C. Wesleyan from
in the end zone.| TIED, 7-7 Scots’ win over visiting NC Wesleyan. making things interest-

Upper class men

ing.
SECOND QUARTER An interception in the
MC 13:42 — Mac Seagle 2 run (Hubbs kick) red zone by sophomore
12 plays, 85 yds, 6:01 linebacker Bo Hering with
This was an efficient march down the field, as Maryville one minute, 25 seconds
College only faced one third down on the drive. A N.C. remaining prevented the
Wesleyan player suffered an injury on the play before Bishops from making it
that caused a break in action. While trying to figure out a one-possession game.
what to do out of the break, Seagle walked up to head
coach Shaun Hayes and told him to run a jet sweep
they had been practicing. It worked, and the Scots never
Senior leadership sparks MC to victory Senior wide receiver Jor-
dan Ligon fumbled on the
ensuing possession after
relinquished the lead after they got it. | SCOTS, 14-7 making a tough fourth-
BY TAYLOR VORTHERMS undefeated in the conference early in the down catch, but the Scots
MC 10:39 — Elijah Rachell 3 run (Hubbs kick) taylorv@thedailytimes.com season. The Scots got off to a rocky start, forced a three-and-out to
4 plays, 49 yds, 1:18 falling to Berry 38-3 and to Centre 40-6 in stifle any shifting momen-
A Blake Henderson forced fumble was recovered by The first play of the Maryville College its first two games. tum.
Brady Jernigan to set up a short field for the Scots. football team’s opening drive against North The difference-maker, Seagle said, was Maryville finally put the
Sophomore running back Marcus Pierce broke a 38 run Carolina Wesleyan went exactly as the Scots that players didn’t get down on each other. game away 13 plays lat-
and senior running back Elijah Rachell found pay dirt had planned Saturday afternoon. “Instead of everyone complaining and get- er when Elijah Chenier
on the next play. | SCOTS, 21-7 From 65 yards out, Maryville quarterback ting on each other, it was like, ‘Let’s figure found the end zone from
Nelson Smith launched a pass downfield to out what we’ve got to do and fix it,’” Seagle five yards out.
MC 3:45 — Hubbs 38 kick Mac Seagle, who caught it for a touchdown said. “The difference between this year and Earlier in the drive,
4 plays, 3 yds, 0:59 11 seconds after the Scots’ offense stepped last year is now, when we’re down, we’re the senior running back
Senior defensive back Pierre Chadwick continued the onto the field. picking each other up and we know that, b ro ke t h e p ro g ra m’s
Senior Day festivities by intercepting Totten and giving “We had that on the script,” said Seagle, ‘I’ve got your back, you’ve got my back.’” career rushing record,
the Scots great field position. Maryville College, however, a senior wide receiver. “All week, we were A wide receiver, Seagle said one of his previously held by Rom-
was unable to do anything with it, resulting in Hubbs’ saying, ‘We’re going to score on the first primary roles as a senior is to keep the mel Hightower.
eighth made field goal of the season. | SCOTS, 24-7 play, we’re going to score on the first play.’” spirits of the freshman quarterback duo “This is the ultimate
In similar fashion, the Scots (7-2) couldn’t high. Those two quarterbacks, Smith and team game, and if those
have scripted a better Senior Day. Their Trevor Thomas, have played in all nine sides don’t complement
31-14 victory over the Bishops (5-4) made games. Smith has completed 91 of 142 passes each other, you’ll never
program history as Maryville won the USA for 1,018 yards, and Thomas is 28-for-63 for win a championship,”
South title outright for the first time — a 352 yards. Hayes said. “Both sides
feat Maryville coach Shaun Hayes cred- “Both of them are two great quarterbacks have picked each other up
ited to the senior leadership. — they’ll be great,” Seagle said. “Kind of all season and they did it
“If it wasn’t for these guys just being keeping them level-headed and letting them again today.”
consistent with it and just plugging away know, ‘Hey, it’s alright. You’re a freshman, One historic feat lends
after the first two weeks, we wouldn’t be you’ll get it. You’re on the right path.’” itself to the beginning of
here,” Hayes said. “I credit the senior class. Senior defensive back Pierre Chadwick what could be another
It has everything to do with them.” said leadership also involves account- momentous journey.
Hayes said the foundation for such suc- ability. Chadwick helped spark the Scots’ Maryville will learn its
cess was laid in January when he held defense on Saturday, intercepting N.C. destination for the first
SCOTT KELLER | THE DAILY TIMES a meeting with the seniors-to-be after Wesleyan to set Maryville up for a field round of the NCAA Divi-
MARYVILLE COLLEGE’S ELIJAH RACHELL (27) rushes to the Christmas break. The Scots were coming goal and a 24-7 lead late in the first half. sion III Football Cham-
sideline and head coach Shaun Hayes as time expires in off a disappointing 5-5 season in which “One big thing is we’ve got to hold every- pionship at 5:30 p.m.
the Scots’ win over NC Wesleyan Saturday at Honaker Field. Maryville lost more than three games for body accountable,” Chadwick said. “We today.
the first time in five years. had a meeting after that Centre game. We The Scots have never
“I looked around and I said, ‘However already knew what we had to do, and we won a playoff game in
this next year goes will be dictated by just enforced it.” program history, and see-
THIRD QUARTER how you all go,’” Hayes said. “Every suc- Some of the seniors who play significant ing all they have already
NC 9:46 — Adrian Minondo 6 run (Mann kick) cessful collegiate football team is senior- roles on the team don’t always show up on accomplished, they are
5 plays, 25 yds, 2:10 led, and there’s different roles that each the stat line. Hayes said senior quarterback looking to change that as
Freshman quarterback Trevor Thomas fired an errant of them play.” Adam Diggs is one of them. well.
pass to N.C. Wesleyan safety Christian Shaw, who Fittingly, the seniors shined for Maryville “He has taken on the (role of) dad,” Hayes “We aren’t talking about
returned the interception 52 yds. Totten linked up with on Saturday. They accounted for all four said. “You don’t want to let Adam down. showing up in the first
Quintavian Cullars to put the Battling Bishops inside of the Scots’ touchdowns between Seagle, You want to do the right thing, and he sets round and going home,”
the 10-yard line, and Minondo punched it in on the next who scored twice, and running backs Eli- that example on a regular basis. He has senior offensive lineman
play. | SCOTS, 24-14 jah Rachell and Elijah Chenier. been special for our senior class.” Anthony Mahoney said.
Chenier’s 5-yard rushing touchdown in While all of the seniors play different “I feel like we can go
FOURTH QUARTER the fourth quarter put the game away while roles, Hayes said it’s the way those roles all the way. As much as
MC 2:22 — Elijah Chenier 5 run (Ian Hubbs kick) setting a new Maryville record for career align that makes this season’s group spe- this team has gelled and
13 plays, 63 yds, 8:29 rushing yards (3,256) during that drive. The cial. stuck together, I feel like
N.C. Wesleyan threatened to make it interesting down previous record was 3,243 held by Rommel “There’s not one of them that has done we can go as far as we
the stretch numerous times, but the defense came up Hightower. anything as great as all of them together, want to go.”
with big stops time and time again. Senior running back “Leading by example — I felt like that was and that has been the most important piece
Elijah Chenier has been the workhorse for an offense my biggest part on the team,” Chenier said. of this,” Hayes said. “They all lead in their FOLLOW @TROY_PROVOST on
that has turned it around during this historic run, so it “We had to start off with the little things. Just own different ways, but this group all leads Twitter for more from sports
was fitting that he put the bow on the program’s first not arguing, and being together and being in one line. reporter Troy Provost-Heron.
outright conference championship. | SCOTS, 31-14 as one. That was a big part of us winning.” “That’s something every coach prays for, Write to him at troyp@the
Chenier said it was hard to envision going and it takes a lot of great kids to have it.” dailytimes.com.
TEAM STATISTICS

10:
Stats NC MC
First Downs 13 23
Rushes-Yards 25-48 51-244
Passing 155 166
C-A-I 18-37-2 9-16-2 Maryville College has won the time of possession battle in all
Total Plays-Yards 62-203 67-410 10 of its games this season. The Scots possessed the ball for
Penalties-Yards 5-47 7-60 34 minutes, 15 seconds against the Battling Bishops, which
Possession 25:45 34:15 actually is below their average time of possession of 35:01.
Third Down Conversions 4-15 4-9

1:
Fourth Down Conversions 1-4 1-2

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING
N.C. Wesleyan: Adrian Minondo 11-40, Jeff Black 7-11,
Nate Gardner 3-6, Donielle Totten 4-(-9) The Scots claimed a share of their fourth USA South champi-
SCOTS: Elijah Chenier 22-142, Elijah Rachell 9-46, Marcus onship last week with a win over Greensboro, but Saturday’s
Pierce 6-43, Nelson Smith 6-12, Trey Pope 1-11, Terry victory over N.C. Wesleyan puts this one above all the rest
Stewart 1-4, Mac Seagle 1-2, Trevor Thomas 3-(-1), because it is the program’s first outright title.
Jordan Ligon 1-(-3), Clayton Ogle 1-(-12)

3,256:
PASSING
N.C. Wesleyan: Donielle Totten 17-30-2 150, Nate Gardner 1-7-0 5
SCOTS: Nelson Smith 8-11-1 156, Trevor Thomas 1-5-1 10
RECEIVING
N.C. Wesleyan: Ben Dorfman 7-64, Trey Lancaster 6-58,
Quintavian Cullars 2-20, Jeff Black 2-8. Dupre Falls 1-5 Senior running back Elijah Chenier pushed his career rushing SCOTT KELLER | THE DAILY TIMES
SCOTS: Mac Seagle 3-102, Clayton Ogle 3-27, Jordan Ligon total to 3,256 yards after a 142-yard performance against N.C. MARYVILLE COLLEGE’S ELIJAH RACHELL (27) runs through the inte-
1-14, Pierre Watkins 1-13, Juwan Hill 1-10 Wesleyan. He now tops the Maryville College record book, sur- rior of N.C. Wesleyan’s defense Saturday at home.
passing Rommel Hightower’s mark of 3,243.