Haywood breaks single-game rushing record in Bishops' win

Fayetteville, NC - Senior Bryan Haywood set a new single-game rushing record on Saturday afternoon with 203 yards on the ground to help lead North Carolina Wesleyan to a 42-32 victory on the road at Methodist. Haywood (pictured) averaged over eight yards per carry and tallied three touchdowns for the Battling Bishops, who amassed 525 yards of offense on the day. The win is Wesleyan's fifth straight and leaves the Blue & Gold with a 6-2 overall record, including a perfect 5-0 mark in the USA South.

After the Bishops opened the scoring on a 19-yard rush by Haywood midway through the first quarter, the Monarchs managed 17 unanswered points for a 17-7 lead with 8:57 remaining before the half.  MU's Nathan Kindley's 2-yard TD reception and Grady Hart's 2-yard rushing score sandwiched a 27-yard field goal by Tyler Mosco to provide the Monarchs' scoring.

Haywood put an end to the run with his second TD of the day, and senior Teron Bush's 46-yard run on Wesleyan's next possession put NCWC back on top 21-17.  Methodist, however, answered with Kindley's second scoring catch of the day, this time from seven yards out for a 24-17 Monarch lead.

The Battling Bishops once again answered with a 50-yard reception by Bush from quarterback Bo Jordan, and Wesleyan would take its 28-24 lead into intermission.

In the third quarter, Wesleyan padded its lead on a 12-yard touchdown catch by senior wideout Orlando Webb, but Methodist did not go down without a fight. The Monarchs once again countered with a 11-yard TD reception by Curtis Mahue to open the fourth. A successful two-point conversion made the score 35-32 with 13:26 remaining, but after both place-kickers missed key field goals on each team's next possession, Haywood effectively put the game out of reach with a late 10-yard run to secure the 42-32 final.

Jordan finished 16-of-28 for 233 yards and two touchdowns through the air. Bush hauled in five of those catches for 95 yards to go along with his 70 rushing yards.  Defensively, Antonio Harris tallied a team-high eight tackles, while Devon Rhodes, DeAngelo Stewart, and Desmond Joyner each had an interception.

For Methodist, QB Erik Teague was 24-of-40 for 310 yards and two touchdowns, and John Flanagan amassed 102 yards on the ground. Brian Leary had a game-high 15 tackles on defense.

Wesleyan returns to action next Saturday when the Battling Bishops host their final home game of the season versus Shenandoah University. Game time is slated for 1:00 p.m. at the Northern Nash Football Complex, and the Blue & Gold will honor their 2009 senior class prior to the contest.

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