GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Emory & Henry's Shawn Collins blocked the potential game-winning field goal on the final play of the game as the Wasps held on for a thrilling 23-21 South Atlantic Conference win at Tusculum Saturday afternoon at Pioneer Field.
Emory & Henry (5-1, 3-1) captures its SAC Mountain Divisional opener, while the Pioneers (0-5, 0-4 SAC) remain winless on the season. The Wasps forced three turnovers and blocked two kicks including senior John Aiden Pittman's 37-yard field goal on the game's final play.
The 19th meeting in the series between the Pioneers and Wasps was an exciting as the lead exchanged hands on four occasions in the second half with the final one coming on Trace Butcher's 42-yard field goal with 5:27 remaining to give the visitors a 23-21 advantage.
On the ensuing possession, the Wasps' Ean Rhea took advantage of misplaced hand-off in the TU back field and caught the ball in mid-air as Emory & Henry took over at the TU 22 with 4:34 left in the game.
The Tusculum defense held as sophomore linebacker Rashad Watson recorded a sack on the first play for a loss of eight yards. The Wasps were whistled for a holding penalty on the next play putting E&H behind the chains. Butcher would miss a 45-yard field goal as TU got the ball back at the 28 with 2:47 left.
Tusculum marched down the field as TU quarterback Matthew Palazzo completed a 35-yard pass from to Kemani Brown at the E&H 42. After the two-minute timeout. Palazzo ran for seven yards and Dominic Vance rushed for a yard to the 34 as TU called a timeout with 1:23 left. Sophomore running back Otasowie Dion converted on third down with his 11-yard run to the 23. After a run for no gain, sophomore running back John Celestin ran to the left side for eight yards to the E&H 15. Palazzo ran to the right side on third down, but was stopped for a five-yard loss at the 20. On the play, TU was called for an illegal shift penalty which was declined as the clock ran down to two seconds before TU called its final timeout.
Aiden Pittman's first 37-yard field goal try was blocked and was short. But prior to the kick, the Wasps' coaching staff called a timeout in attempt to ice the play so Tusculum would get another chance. Pittman's second kick was tipped at the line by Collins and recovered by Emory & Henry to end the game.
The Wasps out-gained the Pioneers in total offense by a 354-305 margin as E&H quarterback Charles Mutter, III went 19-for-30 for 256 yards with no interceptions and a touchdown. Mutter's two favorite targets were Cam Peoples (8 receptions, 76 yards) and Cam Abshire (6 receptions, 138 yards). Running back Jordan Jackson rushed for 111 yards on 24 carries including his five-yard touchdown in the first quarter to put the Wasps on the scoreboard.
Ten (10) different Pioneers recorded a rush attempt on the afternoon as Tusculum finished with 157 rushing yards, led by Celstin's 47-yard day. Palazzo went the distance under center as he passed for 148 yards going 9-of-15 with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Defensively, Watson recorded a career-high 10 tackles including four for loss which are tied for the sixth-most by a Pioneer. Senior linebacker Earnest Johnson had a 10-tackle performance including three for loss while sophomore cornerback Marcel Bowes and sophomore linebacker TJ Jingozian added seven tackles a piece. Junior defensive end Aidan Dark tallied five stops including two for loss with a sack and a QB hurry.
Emory & Henry's Jacob Robinson led the Wasps with 10 tackles including his second pick-six of the year, this one going for 29 yards to the end zone to extend the visitors lead to 13-0 in the first quarter. It was his third interception of the season.
Tusculum answered on its next possession as the Pioneers marched 91 yards on seven plays, culminating on Palazzo's 42-yard touchdown pass to senior Taivonn Ervin. Pittman's kick made it 13-0 with 14:50 left in the second quarter.
Later in the period, Emory & Henry got deep into Tusculum territory thanks to a Jackson 17-yard run and a 17-yard completion to Peoples. A defensive pass interference penalty spotted the ball at the TU 5 as the Wasps had it first and goal with two minutes left before halftime. But the Tusculum defense held and Butler's 21-yard field goal try sailed wide right as TU took over with 1:50 left.
The Pioneers would turn it over as Palazzo was intercepted for a second time as Collins came up with his third pick of the year and returned it 41 yards to the TU 34 with 38 seconds left in the period.
The Wasps would get to the TU 22, but the defense would hold once again as the Wasps were stopped at the TU 19 as time expired as the visitors led 13-7 at the intermission.
The teams would exchange punts before Tusculum got good field position and started at the TU 48. Dion would open with a 10-yard run and Vance followed with a seven-yarder as TU got the E&H 31. Palazzo connected with Reginald Hunter on a 10-yard pass before Palazzo hit Kemani Brown on a 22-yard touchdown. Pittman's kick would give TU its first lead in the second half this year as the Pioneers led 14-13 with 2:36 left in the third quarter.
But the Wasps answered quickly as Mutter completed a 45-yard pass to Cam Abshire on the first play of the possession to get to the TU 24. Mutter ran for 10 yards and Jackson followed with a 10-yard gain of his own. Mutter then completed a 10-yard TD strike to Tristan Stitt. Butcher's kick was good as E&H retook the lead at 20-14 with 39 seconds left in the quarter.
The Pioneers would answer as TU ran reverse to AJ Hill who scampered 21 yards to the E&H 33. After a run for no gain, Emory & Henry was called for pass interference as Tusculum moved to the 24. On third-down, Dion got loose up the middle, but was hit at the one-yard line by Addison Knicely as the ball came free in the end zone. But an alert Corey Moraux pounced on the football for the Tusculum touchdown as the Pioneers led 21-20 with 9:30 remaining.
The Wasps took the ensuing possession as Emory & Henry converted a pair of first downs including on completions of 16 and 18 yards to Abshire to get to the TU 24. The Pioneers held as Butcher hit the eventual game-winning field goal with 5:27 left setting up the exciting finish.
Butcher, who went 3-of-5 on field goals in last year's 27-24 overtime win by the Wasps, went 1-of-4 on field goals and missed his initial extra-point try. But his only field goal make was the one his team needed the most.
TU punter Stefaan Forbes averaged 48.7 yards per punt on his three official attempts. His first punt attempt of the day was blocked by Trevor Dowdell, but only resulted in a missed field goal try by the Wasps.
Tusculum returns to action next Saturday when the Pioneers travel to cross-mountain foe Mars Hill for a 2:30 p.m. kickoff.
