FERRUM, Va. - The Bridgewater College football team picked up a 41-15 victory over Ferrum on Saturday to open ODAC play behind a massive third quarter.
The Panthers received the opening kick and wasted no time hopping on the scoreboard as a screen to Jahylen Lee broke free for a 47-yard score for the Panthers to make it 6-0. FC went for two and failed.
Bridgewater looked to respond and drove down the field into Ferrum territory before an incompletion on third down forced a punt. Alex Solrzano launched a dart as a fair catch trapped the Panthers deep in their own end.
Ferrum drove down the field thanks to some BC penalties, including a pass interference on third down and long. The panthers stalled out in BC territory and were forced to punt. BC replied with an exclamation point as Jaciere Bateman found Ian Browne for a 54 yard completion to flip the field. Bateman kept rolling as completions to Browne and Jamel Johnson got the Eagles to first down and goal to go. The Ferum defensive front stood up a pair of rushes and the Eagles looked for a little trickery as Bateman completed a pass to Glory Nseka, but it was called back due to an illegal forward pass. Jack Hendern tortured on and nailed a 25-yard field goal to make it 6-3 with a minute to play in the opening frame.
The punters continued to show off as the BC defense forced a punt in their own territory and William Hutton launched a dart to pin the Eagles at their own one. The Eagles got nothing going and had to punt. The Panthers once again drove down the field and stalled out in BC territory, but this time elected to go for it on fourth down. Zach Wyatt called his own number on the quarterback keeper, but was brought down by TJ Lowery to give the Eagles the ball back.
The Eagles offense got rolling after the momentum-shifting stop and a pair of Ferrum penalties. BC then chipped its way down the field, capped off by a Bateman sneak up the middle from a yard out for the touchdown. The Hendren PAT made it 10-6 for the Eagles.
FC went three-and-out on its next series and BC capitalized, slowly chipping its way into Ferrum territory. The drive stalled out around the Ferrum 10-yard line and Hendren knocked down the 35-yard field goal to make it 13-6 for the Eagles at the half.
Bridgewater got the ball to start the third quarter and wasted no time driving down the field as a pair of long completions by Bateman got the offense rolling. The Eagles stuck to the air as Bateman connected with Cedric Drumgoole from 17 yards out for the score. Hendren's PAT cleared the uprights and made it 20-6.
Ferrum got nothing going on the opening series of the third frame and BC responded through the air again. Bateman and Drumgoole connected again, this time for 44 yards all the way down to Ferrum nine yard line. BC got down to the two and tried to punch it in, but was backed up by a tackle for loss. A completion to Drumgoole took the Eagles to the one on fourth down and the Eagles went for it and it paid off with six as Bateman dashed in for the rushing touchdown. Hendren's kick made it 27-6.
The Panthers started to move the ball on their next series, but a pair of huge stops in the back field by Jaelan Mathews, Andrew Brown and Demarco Fleming forced a punt. BC went to the air again and Bateman connected long completion to Freddie Watkins and then followed with a 17 yard toss to Jamel Johnson to blow the game open at 34-6 following Hendren's point after.
The special teams clinic wasn't over there as BC went for a surprise onside kick and recovered it with just over 90 seconds to go in the frame. Samuel Dragovich entered the game under center and connected right away with a 20-yard pass to Browne to get the ball rolling. Browne and Dragovich hooked up again to get BC in the red zone before a completion to Drumgoole from 10-yards out made it 41-6 after the point after.
Ferrum was able to eventually get the offense back going with a short field following an interception by Dragovich. The BC defense bent, but did not break as the Panthers were forced to a 29-yard field goal to make it 41-9. FC added to the fourth-quarter tally as a scoop and score late made it 41-15 after Tucker Harris made a big play on special teams as he blocked the point after attempt.
The Eagles were led offensively by an air attack from Bateman. The starter tossed for 345 yards on 25/31 passing and a pair of scores. The sophomore also tallied two rushes on the ground for a pair of scores as well for four total touchdowns.
Drumgoole was the top target with 144 yards in the air and a pair of scores. Browne was also over the century mark with 115 yards.
Defensively Fleming and Lowery led the charge as Lowery led BC with seven tackles and 1.5 TFL. Fleming's five stops and 2.0 TFL for 11 yards also pushed the BC Darkside to allowing just nine points.
The Eagles are back in action on Saturday as Averett visits on Homecoming for a 2 p.m. kick.
