Pride tops Quakers in Soup Bowl ’09

The Greensboro College Pride defeated Guilford, 12-7, to snap a four -game losing streak in the series.

Randy Hunt won in his first game for The Pride. Brandon Richardson (Charlotte, NC/West Charlotte) (3 catches, 128 yards, TD) was GC’s game MVP.

*****More details coming later.*****
(This is pretty much how we were calling this game earlier today here at the site…….)

“We played hard and hung in there when we needed to,” Hunt said. “Our defense played great and they deserve a lot of credit for the win. But this win is for the entire program and for everyone affiliated with Greensboro College.”

Caparaso converted 8-of-18 passes for 123 yards and one touchdown through the air. He added a one-yard rushing touchdown for the go-ahead score with 14:56 in the fourth.

Greensboro made a late defensive stand with less than 30 seconds remaining in the contest, forcing a pair of incomplete passes by quarterback Billy Watkins. Devon Morrison (Denver, NC/East Lincoln) finished with a game-high 11 tackles, including four solo stops, to pace the defense.

After a scoreless first half for each team, Guilford opened the third quarter with a 12-play, 65-yard drive that chewed up 6:58 from the clock,. The drive was capped off by a Justin Parker two-yard rush into the end zone. After a Brad Scott PAT, Guilford assumed the 7-0 lead.

On the next drive, freshman David Parrish (eight tackles) intercepted a pass by Luke Vandall at The Pride 14-yard line and returned it 60 yards. Two plays later, Caparaso found Richardson on a corner route down the right sideline for a 42-yard touchdown pass that cut the lead to 7-6 in favor of Guilford. The Pride PAT attempt failed.

Following the touchdown The Pride defense forced a fumble by Vandall on the fourth play of the possession. The Quakers defense forced Greensboro to a fourth and 15 from the 27-yard line before Caparaso found Richardson for 16-yard gain and a first down at the two-yard line. After three unsuccessful attempts, along with a false start that move the ball back five yards, Caparaso carried the ball from for a one-yard touchdown.

Greensboro punter Donnie Leopold (Brown Summit, NC/Warwick Valley) punted five times for a 42.2 yard averaged. He had a 50-yarder and placed one kick on the five yard line in the fourth quarter. That boot forced the Quakers to score on a long field and their final drive ended on the 11-yard line with 26 seconds remaining.

Guilford now leads the Soup Bowl series, 7-6. The Pride’s Brandon Richardson (Charlotte, NC/West Charlotte) and Guilford linebacker Richie Paul (nine tackles, 2 for loss and a half sack) were game MVPs.

The Soup Bowl is also about feeding the hungry in the Gate City. This year, the colleges collected 6,147 non-perishable food items. Guilford collected 3855 to Greensboro’s 2292. Since the first game in 1997, 45,259 non-perishable food items have been collected.

The Pride hosts Emory & Henry next Saturday. The Family Weekend game begins at 1 p.m.