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LaGrange's Carter reaches milestone in 37-9 win over Averett

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DANVILLE, Va. - LaGrange topped USA South foe Averett 37-9 on Saturday to close out the 2013 season with its second straight win.

The Panthers finished the year 5-5, the first .500 season since 2009. They finished 5-3 in conference play.

The game marked the final one for seven Panther seniors: Andre CarterCornelius Harper,Matt James,  Tyler Johnson, Sean McNamee, Ed Russ and Marquius Young.

Carter finished his career with another milestone. He had a game-high 10 tackles and an interception. Carter ended the season with a school-record 106 tackles, the first Panther to have over 100 in a season. He had 292 total tackles in his four years; resetting the season mark in each of the last three years.

Quarterback Graham Craig threw for 333 yards and three touchdowns in the game. He finished a record-setting season with 3,576 passing yards and 32 touchdowns.

Griffin Roelle had his first 100-yard receiving day of the season with six catches for exactly 100 yards and a touchdown. Roelle set a new season record with 59 receptions.

Marsalis Jackson had six receptions for 86 yards and a touchdown. Jackson set a new season mark of 902 receiving yards and 12 touchdown catches.

Carter led a defense that held Averett to 232 total yards. The Cougars rushed for nine yards in the game as the Panthers recorded a season-high six quarterback sacks.

The Panthers built a 13-0 lead in the first quarter. On their second possession, Craig hooked up with Roelle for 41 yards. Roelle fumbled on the play and Ervens Oge recovered the ball and went the final 27 yards for the Panthers and a 6-0 lead.

On their next possession, the Panthers drove 69 yards in nine plays for their second score. Craig kept the drive going with a 19-yard strike to Young on a fourth-and-4 at the Cougars' 31-yard line.

Two plays later, Craig found Roelle for a 21-yard touchdown completion. Will Jeffcoat's extra point made it 13-0 with 2:42 left in the first quarter.

Jeffcoat extended the Panthers' lead to 16-0 with a 26-yard field goal in the second quarter. Averett cut the lead to seven by halftime on a Cinco Sammon's touchdown pass and a 35-yard field by Hobie Proctor on the final play of the half.

In the third quarter, Craig led the Panthers on quick strike three play 66-yard drive to go up 23-9. He completed passes of 12 yards to Shaqualm McCoy and another of 11 to Ed Russ to get inside Cougar territory. Craig finished the drive with a 43-yard completion to Jackson to give the Panthers breathing room.

The Panthers put the game out of reach in the fourth quarter with two more scores. They covered 64 yards in four plays on the first drive, all on the ground.  Young ran for 42 of the yards before McCoy went around the right side for the final 22 yards.

Young closed out the scoring on his final collegiate carry. He went in from four yards out with 12 seconds left for the 37-9 final. Young had a game-high 74 yards on 13 carries.

Dec. 15: All times Eastern
Final
Cortland 38, at North Central (Ill.) 37
@ Salem, Virginia
Video Box Score Recap Photos
Dec. 9: All times Eastern
Final
North Central (Ill.) 34, at Wartburg 27
Box Score Recap
Final
Cortland 49, at Randolph-Macon 14
Box Score Recap Recap Recap Photos
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