Homecoming Blue-Gold game gives fans taste of playing in the elements as Blue team wins 34-7

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Nov. 1, 2014) – Having played indoors at the ETSU/MSHA Athletic Center for much of its history, a great deal has been made of the fact that the Buccaneers will play outdoors in the future. Well, Homecoming 2014 certainly welcomed the Bucs to the elements.

On the CPA practice fields Saturday afternoon – which resembled the Green Bay Packers’ “Frozen Tundra” – the Buccaneers went through the final Blue-Gold scrimmage of the fall season as the gathered crowd braved the elements to tailgate and show their support of the new ETSU program.

Those fans were witness to a 34-7 win for the Blue squad which began with an impressive 65-yard scoring pass from freshman Nick Sexton (Seymour) to freshman wide receiver Hayden Welch (Lancaster, Ohio).

“It was good to get outside and play in these conditions,” said ETSU head coach Carl Torbush. “I thought for the most part we held onto the ball pretty good despite the snow and weather. Again, I saw some good things out there, but there’s still a lot of work to do as we prepare for next fall and our first game.”

The Blue team built its lead to 13-0 thanks to field goals of 27 and 30 yards by freshman Ryan Nuss (Fairfield, Ohio) before the Gold team finally responded with its only score of the night on a 5-yard run by freshman quarterback Jared Drake (Westerville, Ohio). Drake put himself in position for the score after hitting wide out Dalton Ponchillia (Nashville) for a 54-yard pass.

Tailback Tony Drew (Nashville) then wrapped up the first half scoring with a 3-yard run on the final play of the half. In the second half, the Blue squad scored twice on a 1-yard run by tailback Jajuan Stinson (Knoxville) and a final 4-yard run by Cory Colder (Ashburn, Md.).

Sexton posted the most impressive numbers for the quarterbacks, going 6-of-9 through the air for 141 yards, while rushing for another 25 yards on five carries. On the ground, Colder had a team-best 42 yards on eight carries, while runningback Jajuan Lankford (South Pittsburg) had 38 yards on six carries.

On the defensive side of the ball, defensive back Cole West (Oneida) had a fantastic game, leading the team with eight tackles, recovering a fumble, and then forcing another fumble that was recovered by linebacker River Boruff (Sparta) and returned 45 yards for a defensive score.

While the Bucs’ scrimmage/practice schedule comes to a close with Saturday’s game, the team will begin winter workouts on Monday in preparation for spring practice in March. For more on ETSU football throughout the 2014-15 school year, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the football link.

Blue-Gold Game Statistics

(Nov. 1, 2014)

Scoring

Blue – Welch 65-yard pass from Sexton

Blue – Nuss 27-yard FG

Blue – Nuss 30-yard FG

Gold – Drake 5-yard run

Blue – Drew 3-yard run

Blue – Stinson 1-yard run

Blue – Colder 4-yard run

Passing

Sexton 6-9-0 141, Drake 3-4-0-69, Anthony 3-8-0 60, Owenby 3-6-0 21, Wallace 1-6-0 16

Rushing

Colder 8-42, Lankford 6-38, Anthony 7-28, Sexton 5-25, Drake 6-17, Casey 4-15, Stinson 6-14, Wallace 4-9, Notgrass 5-4, Drew 4-3, Owenby 1-(-2)

Receiving

Welch 4-96, Ponchillia 1-54, Powell 2-41, Moore 2-28, Mitchell 1-25, Wilke 1-22, Brock 2-16, York 2-16, Jones 1-9