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Bluefield University Athletics

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Bryce Verble
Bryce Verble
16
Union (Ky.) Union 0-1
21
Winner Bluefield College BLUE 1-0
Union (Ky.) Union
0-1
16
Final
21
Bluefield College BLUE
1-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
Union Union (Ky.) 0 3 6 7 16
BLUE Bluefield College 0 14 7 0 21

Game Recap: Football |

Rams win season opener against Union

BLUEFIELD – After a five-month delay football opened the 2020 season Saturday afternoon at Mitchell Stadium with a 21-16 win over the Union Bulldogs in a game that came down to the final play.
After a scoreless first quarter Union took a 3-0 lead on a 19-yard field goal by Seth Burke. The Rams got on the board when Bryce Verble connected with Jaquan Ebron on a 31-yard pass play. Tanner Griffith's extra point made it 7-3. It was a lead the Rams would not relinquish.
On the Rams' next possession the Rams were forced to punt and Griffith, also the team's punter was injured on a roughing the kicker penalty. Griffith left the game and did not return. BC kept possession, but could not put points on the board.
Kasean Ridgel pounced on a loose Union ball to give Bluefield possession with just able three minutes left in the half, but the Rams again could not move. Union went three-and-out and with just over two minutes to go in the half the Rams mounted a drive, capped by Verble's eight-yard scoring strike to Ebron with 21 seconds on the clock. Elijah Wilshire botted the extra point to make it 14-3 at halftime.
Charles Turner sacked the Union quarterback on third down in the first series of the third quarter and it appeared Bluefield would have good field position. However, Union's Jason Polley unleashed a 76-yard punt that pinned the Rams on their own seven. BC drove to midfield before the drive stalled.
Union drew closer, scoring on a TD pass with 5:58 to play in the third. The kick failed and the score stood at 14-9.
Bluefield's final score of the game came with 2:38 to go in the third when Verble passed 10 yards to Antonio Strickland, capping a 10-play, 62-yard drive. Wilshire's kick made it 21-9.
The last minute of the game provided sparks. Union scored with 25 seconds remaining in the game and the extra point made it 21-16 in favor of the Rams. The Bulldogs recovered the onside kick and drove deep into BC territory. With time expired a UC pass fell incomplete. However, a roughing the passer penalty gave Union one final untimed play. The final pass attempt was incomplete and Bluefield College held on for the win.
Verble completed 20-of-40 passes for 279 yards and three touchdowns. He tossed a pair of interceptions. Ebron was the leading receiver with six catches for 129 yards and two scores. Chris Sumrall powered the ground game with 61 yards on 13 carries.
Defensively, DaMarcus Wimbush tallied 16 tackles, 10 of them solo. Charles Turner had eight, and Michael Everett had seven, including two tackles for loss.
"This was a great team win," said head coach Dewey Lusk following the contest. "We did not play our best and still pulled out the win, which says a lot about the character of this team. We will continue to work to get better and correct our mistakes. It was a great win and I am proud of our team. 1-0!"
The Rams are back in action Saturday, Feb. 13 when St. Andrews visits Mitchell Stadium. Kickoff is 3 p.m.
 
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