GREENSBORO, N.C.- - Malivai Barker ran for 141 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-tying score with 52 seconds left in regulation, to help Bridgewater College to a 42-41 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) football victory at Guilford College Saturday.
The Eagles (3-5, 2-3 ODAC) ended a four-game losing streak to the Quakers (4-4, 1-4 ODAC), who dropped their fourth straight game for the first time since 2011.
The loss offset a big day for Guilford's offense, which ran 101 plays for 682 total offensive yards, both season highs. Quakers' running back Hunter Causey ran for 218 yards and three touchdowns, both career highs. Quarterback Karsten Miller completed 33-of-52 passes for a career-high 389 yards and a touchdown, but was picked off three times, twice in the fourth quarter.
Despite all of the offense, both defenses made key fourth-down stands in the final quarter. After defensive lineman J.P. Utz returned Miller's second interception of the game 64 yards to Guilford's 18, the Quakers' defense forced a turnover on downs after Bridgewater failed to score on four plays from inside Guilford's three-yard line. Bridgewater returned the favor on the ensuing possession and stopped the Quakers on fourth-and-one from the Eagles' 45-yard line with 3:38 left. Davey Hardesty and Joe Cellini stopped Causey for a one-yard loss, which led to Bridgewater's go-ahead score.
After Guilford's Gibson Ziah registered his league-leading 11th sack, Eagles' quarterback Jay Scroggins connected with Rayvon Johnson for a 42-yard pass to Guilford's 20 after a Quakers' defender stumbled in coverage. Five plays later, Barker scored from one yard out to tie the score at 41-41. Anthony Rossi's extra point put the Bridgewater in front for the first time in the game.
The Quakers moved to Bridgewater's 29 on the ensuing possession, but a J.P. Utz sack and an intentional grounding penalty on Miller forced a desperation pass play with two seconds left, which Sonny Romine snared in the end zone to clinch the Eagles' first win over Guilford since 2011.
Scoggins completed 14-of-26 passes for 247 yards and two scores. Johnson finished with seven catches for 135 yards, part of his 264 all-purpose yardage. Barker averaged 7.4 yards per carry, scored on two one-yard runs, and his 49-yard, third-quarter jaunt drew the Eagles' to within 41-35. Defensively, Isaac Evans returned a first-quarter interception 79 yards for a touchdown. Cory Cline had 12 tackles and Chance Morris added 11.
Causey's 218 rushing yards rank eighth in school history and give him four straight 100-yard rushing games, the second-longest streak at Guilford. He scored on runs of 31, five and nine yards. Guilford's offense compiled a season-high 682 yards, the third-highest single-game total in school history. The Quakers 101 plays rank second in all-time at Guilford. Rontavius Miller made nine catches for 148 yards and a score. Daniel Woodruff, one of 20 Guilford seniors playing their final home game, caught nine balls for 110 yards. Hunter Hoots made 14 tackles. Karl Roberts had 12 stops and a sack. Julian Cuthbertson registered 10 tackles and returned a first-quarter interception 24 yards for a touchdown.
Coach Chris Rusiewicz's Quakers visit ODAC-foe Randolph-Macon College Saturday (11/5). The Yellow Jackets moved into a share of first place in the league standings with an 18-10 win over previously unbeaten Washington and Lee University Saturday.