WINGATE, N.C. - Sophomore receiver Tymere Zimmerman (Bennettsville, S.C.) set a new school record and tied another, but his efforts were not enough to propel Newberry to a win over South Atlantic Conference opponent Wingate. The Bulldogs (8-1, 4-1 SAC) won 39-34 for their first ever undefeated home season.
Zimmerman caught thirteen passes today, tying a Newberry mark for catches in a game, and caught his 14th career touchdown strike, an Indian all-time best.
Wingate University was the recipient of two safeties en route to an 18-point first quarter and held on during a scoring flourish at Irwin Belk Stadium and John R. Martin Field on Saturday afternoon.
The Indians (3-5, 0-5 SAC) kicked to Wingate but Newberry's Jonathan Lyles intercepted a pass by Bulldog quarterback Anthony Metzelaars in the end zone on the first drive of the game. Newberry snapped a pair of balls over punter Jeff Williams' head in the first frame that he had to kick on the run out of the back of the end zone to prevent Bulldog touchdowns.
Also in the first period, Wingate had drives of four plays and 68 yards and six plays and 40 yards to go up 18-0 in the first period. Metzelaars threw a pair of touchdowns in the quarter. The first score was a 56-yard pass to Dan Brooks, while Lamar Brown had the second Bulldog score on a six-yard touchdown reception.
Newberry responded with a trio of touchdown drives to finish the first half with the lead. The first came on a fade pass to the end zone from quarterback Josh Stepp to wide receiver Tymere Zimmerman from ten yards out to pull the game to 18-7 near the end of the first period. The Indians pulled to within four on a DeShon Rodell four-yard run with 9:51 to go in the first half. A little more than three minutes later, the Indians took the lead on Zimmerman's second touchdown reception of the game, a 31-yard strike with 6:30 to go in the half, capping off a seven-play, 74-yard drive, giving the Indians a 21-18 lead into the half.
The second half featured three lead changes as the team's offenses got on track in the third and fourth periods.
Each team punted on their first possession of the second half, but Newberry fumbled on its second possession and Metzelaars threw another touchdown on the second play following the fumble, a 50-yard strike to Brooks to put the home team up 25-21. Brooks finished with three receptions and 121 yards of offense for the Bulldogs.
Newberry then put together a seven-play, eighty-yard drive, capped off by an 18-yard touchdown run to retake the lead. Metzelaars answered for Wingate with his fourth touchdown pass of the afternoon, a four-yard strike to Gilbert Monk, which finished an eight-play, 67-yard drive.
Wingate's defense got involved to put the game on ice when Terryl Meeks intercepted a Josh Stepp pass and returned it 27 yards for a touchdown. That extended the Wingate lead to 39-28.
Stepp pulled the Indians closer with a one yard run with 1:19 left in regulation to make it 39-34. The Indians went 80 yards in nine plays to get to within one score. On the ensuing onside kick, Wingate recovered and ran out the clock to preserve the win.
Stepp finished the afternoon 24-for-45, as he passed for 258 yards and the pair of touchdowns. He is only 33 yards away from the all-time season passing yardage record.
Newberry had 133 yards on the ground, led by Gerard Jackson's 83 yards on 16 carries.
Both teams play in South Carolina next week. Newberry hosts its final home game of the year next week, as Mars Hill visits the Palmetto State at 1:30 p.m. Wingate travels to Presbyterian next Saturday for a 1:30 kickoff in Clinton, S.C.
