UWA Sports round-up: Football loses, v’ball wins to close season
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, November 8, 2005
FLORENCE- The University of West Alabama Tiger football team concluded its 2005 season with a tough 76-14 loss at rival North Alabama (8-2, 7-2 GSC) Saturday night.
The Lions dominated the game from start to finish, gaining 654 yards of total offense, while the Tigers managed only 220 yards of total offense.
UNA jumped out to a 28-0 lead before the Tigers managed to put points on the scoreboard early in the second quarter. Quarterback James Reiter connected with junior wide receiver Chris Coach for a 58-yard touchdown strike, capping a four-play, 74-yard drive. Mitch Warfield added the PAT, cutting the Tiger deficit to 28-7.
North Alabama then rolled off 27 unanswered points to go ahead 55-7 before Rickie Sallie hauled in a 25-yard pass from Reiter, pulling the Tigers to within 55-14 with 4:55 remaining in the third quarter. The Lions then responded by finishing with 21 straight points to secure the victory.
Reiter led the UWA offense, completing 10-of-21 passes for 154 yards. Coach led the Tigers with two catches for 71 yards. Jerin Wright, Utavius Ingram and Sallie also hauled in two catches apiece for UWA. Wright led the Tiger rushing attack, carrying the ball 14 times for 61 yards.
Most of UNA’s offense came via the passing game, with quarterback Vinnie Saylor completing 16-of-30 passes for a game-high 379 yards and four touchdowns. DeMarcus Blount led the ground game with 12 rushes for 45 yards and three touchdowns.
Defensively, Kidane McBride led UWA with 11 total tackles (five solo and six assists), including 2.5 tackles for a loss. T.J. Slaughter and Lewis Thompson each finished with nine total tackles apiece for the Tigers.
UNA was led defensively by Derrell Ashford’s 11 total tackles (six solo and five assists), including three tackles for a loss. Donald Tharpe ended with eight tackles (three solo and five assists), including two tackles for a loss and one sack.
West Alabama finishes the season (2-9, 0-9 GSC). It was also the final game in the career for three seniors: Richard Bevill, Jared Day and Brandon Phillips.
