Blue & Gold football earns first USA South win over Methodist

Rocky Mount, NC - The Blue & Gold football squad of North Carolina Wesleyan earned its first-ever victory over Methodist College on Saturday, downing the Monarchs by a 15-9 score at the Rocky Mount Athletic Complex.  The game served as the USA South Conference opener for both squads.  Junior Mish Gilliam (pictured celebrating with #6 Shelton Leverette) caught what proved to be the game-winning touchdown early in the fourth quarter, and Wesleyan's defense did the rest down the stretch.  NCWC is now 2-2 overall, 1-0 in conference play.  Methodist drops to 1-2 on the season, 0-2 in league action.

In what was a defensive slugfest, neither team would reach the scoreboard until the Bishops broke through with 6:11 remaining in the second quarter.  Tailback Teron Bush did the honors with a 59-yard touchdown scamper, and Brian Vaughn's point-after gave NCWC a 7-0 lead.

Methodist responded just two minutes before intermission with a 9-play 74-yard drive that was capped by a Mike Hill 8-yard TD run.  A missed PAT left Wesleyan in the lead 7-6 at the half.

The Monarchs took the lead with 4:25 left in the third on a Patrick Larkin 47-yard field goal.

Down 9-7, the Bishops were forced to punt on their first possession of the fourth quarter.  Kenny Flythe's kick, however, bounced off a Monarch player and into the hands of a Bishop special teamer, giving Wesleyan the ball on the Monarch 10-yard line.  Quarterback Cedric Townsend promptly hit Gilliam in the endzone, and a successful two-point conversion to Leverette set up the 15-9 final score.

On the day, the Bishops tallied 314 total yards on offense, while the Blue & Gold defense held the Monarchs to just 182.  Wesleyan also recorded four sacks in the contest.

Wesleyan continues USA South action on the road next Saturday at Maryville College (TN).  Kickoff is slated for 1:30 p.m.  NCWC defeated Maryville last season 41-25.