Smith Scores Twice, Football Falls To Roanoke In Homecoming Clash
Long & Reid also star, but Maroons create separation in second half to claim ODAC opener
from Bryce Johnson, Director of Athletic Communications
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Lucas Smith (Staley, N.C.) found the endzone twice, once in the air and once on the ground for the Guilford College football team (1-3, 0-1 ODAC), but Roanoke College (4-0, 1-0 ODAC) opened things up in the second half on Homecoming weekend, taking the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) opening bout, 52-24, on Saturday afternoon at Appenzeller Field at the Armfield Athletic Center.
Competitive throughout the opening half, the Maroons created distance late, outgaining their hosts, 523 to 357, although the Quakers out-threw their guests, 307 to 281, but were bested on the ground, 242 to 50. RC also won the turnover battle, 3-2, and got significantly better special teams play, particularly in the return game, averaging 36.7 yards per kick return and 14.5 yards on punt returns against GC’s 19.0 yards per kick return.
Tristan Gabrels’ (Buford, Ga.) day finished sourly, but still had arguably his top outing as a Quaker, throwing for 307 yards and a touchdown after completing 26-of-47 and converting a two-point conversion on a scramble. Alex Wilson (Four Oaks, N.C.) finished as Gabrels’ most-frequent target for the first time, matching the game-high and setting career-bests with six catches for 70 yards. Josh Long (Elon, N.C.) was the most-productive GC receiver, though, hauling in five grabs for 112 yards, becoming the first Quaker to crack the century mark as a receiver since Shane Shapiro’s (Jacksonville, N.C.) historic showing against Methodist last season. Maurice Andrews (Baltimore, Md.) finished as the top rusher for the hosts, netting 20 yards on eight totes.
Linwood Johnson was good under-center for RC, completing 16-of-26 for 281 yards and four scores. He connected with nine separate receivers, the most frequent being Cole Chizuk with six grabs for 82 yards and a TD. Jerrett Shepherd dominated on the ground taking a dozen carries for 166 yards and three scores.
Simeon Reid (Morganton, N.C.) was super-disruptive for Guilford defensively, matching his career-high with eight tackles, adding Guilford’s lone sack and compiling 2.0 of the team’s 3.0 TFLs, also getting credited with three QB hurries and two pass break-ups for good measure. Owen Whelan (Asheboro, N.C.) matched him with eight takedowns, Garrett Wilson (Winston-Salem, N.C.) had six tackles and forced a fumble, recovered by Jordan Thomas (Spartanburg, S.C.) and Anthony Williams (Mount Airy, N.C.) came down with an interception.
JaePharoah Carpenter finished with a game-high 10 tackles, and broke up two passes to lead the Roanoke defense that also got interceptions from Connor Cox, Lane Shoemaker, and Briggs Smithson.
Guilford built momentum on their opening drive, marching into Roanoke territory, although they stalled out beyond field goal range and had to punt. RC countered, using a 40-yard rush, a four-yard tote, and then a 33-yard pass connection from Johnson to KJ Bratton to open the scoring early. Things settled, though, as after a three-and-out, the defense forced a long field goal try, one that Ethan Cyr missed from 50 yards. The offense found their footing again, with a Gabrels 15-yard scramble and then a 39-yard connection with Long serving as the chunk plays that set up the opening Quaker score by Drew Winkler (North Wilkesboro, N.C.) on a tush push although the PAT was blocked. Roanoke needed six plays to open their lead again, with Shepherd taking it in from nine away, bringing the score to 14-6 at the end of one.
After a short Quaker drive straddling the break, Wilson jarred the ball out of the hands of Shepherd with Thomas pouncing on it at virtually midfield, and GC cashed in on the sudden change. A big strike of 45 yards from Gabrels to Long set the stage again, but the offense could not finish in the lower redzone, getting halted inside the five, forcing a Colby Tucker (Winterville, N.C.) field goal try from 20 yards away that he nailed, snapping the team’s 16-game streak without a made field goal, dating back to October 26, 2024. They were not done, as a rushing Reid forced a throw through contact and an errand one by Johnson, settling into the waiting arms of Williams on the fourth play of RC’s ensuing drive. A 20-yard Gabrels to Wilson connection and some good fortune when Andrews fumbled trying to pick up a first down in the lower redzone but the loose ball found Long set up the first collegiate touchdown for Smith on a swing pass from four yards out, seizing a 16-14 lead. Roanoke countered with a 44-yard shot play to Grey Deal and a 25-yard TD pass from Johnson to Chizuk. However, a Cyr missed field goal from 43 at the horn kept the score at 21-16 at the end of a crazy opening half of play.
Unfortunately, the guests ruled the second half. After a potential 85-yard kick return touchdown on the halves’ opening kickoff was called back by the first-ever successful coaches challenge at Appenzeller Field, courtesy of Head Coach Brad Davis, deeming Bratton called for a fair catch before the runback, the Maroons ended up just getting their long score on their first offensive play instead when Shepherd broke loose for a 75-yard score. A three-and-out preceded a Cyr made field goal from 45 yards then a couple minimal drives, one from each side. Gabrels’ first mistake, followed as Shoemaker came down with a pick on a tip-drill and RC immediately cashed in on a 32-yard score from Johnson to Deal, making the score 38-16 at the end of three.
Guilford got a Smith score to open the fourth, capping their drive that straddled the quarter break by punching it in from a yard out, then converting the two-point tehy. However, a long kick return then a couple of Shepherd runs added a score, then an interception followed by Johnson hitting Jackson Swanson brought the score to the 52-24 final.
The final home game of their long homestand awaits the Quakers next Saturday, October 10, hosting Bridgewater College at 1:00 PM for Harold Moag Day.
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