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Western Carolina welcomes back spectators with 30-16 win over The Citadel
CULLOWHEE, N.C. (AP) Cole Gonzales threw for 294 yards and a score, Jalynn Williams rushed for three touchdowns and Western Carolina Catamounts welcomed their fans back to E.J. Whitmire Stadium in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene with a 30-16 win on Saturday.
The Catamounts (3-3, 2-0 Southern Conference) beat Wofford at home last Saturday without spectators in the stands because of rescue and recovery efforts taking place around western North Carolina.
The Catamounts debuted a “Prayers for Western Carolina” helmet sticker while also promoting a “Fill the Truck” effort to load the team equipment truck with fan donations of goods.
Gonzales' 18-yard touchdown pass went to Zion Booker to open the scoring. Booker finished with 102 yards receiving. Williams capped two long drives with second-quarter touchdowns and the Catamounts led 21-7 at halftime.
Gonzales was 28-of-38 passing.
Johnathan Bennett rushed for 155 yards on 22 carries with a score for the Bulldogs (2-5, 0-4). He also had 155 yards passing but was intercepted twice, including Samaurie Dukes' pick at Western Carolina's 1-yard line late in the game.
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| Team Stats | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1st Downs | 0 | 0 | 
| Rushing | 0 | 0 | 
| Passing | 0 | 0 | 
| Penalty | 0 | 0 | 
| 3rd Down Conv | 0-0 | 0-0 | 
| 4th Down Conv | 0-0 | 0-0 | 
| Total Net Yards | 0 | 0 | 
| Total Plays | 0 | 0 | 
| Avg Gain | 0 | 0 | 
| Net Yards Rushing | 0 | 0 | 
| Rush Attempts | 0 | 0 | 
| Avg Rush Yards | 0 | 0 | 
| Yards Passing | 0 | 0 | 
| Comp. - Att. | 0-0 | 0-0 | 
| Yards Per Pass | 0 | 0 | 
| Penalties - Yards | 0-0 | 0-0 | 
| Touchdowns | ||
| Rushing TDs | 0 | 0 | 
| Passing TDs | 0 | 0 | 
| Other | ||
| Turnovers | 0 | 0 | 
| Fumbles - Lost | 0-0 | 0-0 | 
| Int. Thrown | 0 | 0 | 
| Punts - Avg | 0-0 | 0-0 | 
| Return Yards | ||
| Punts - Returns | 0-0 | 0-0 | 
| Kickoffs - Returns | 0-0 | 0-0 | 
| Int. - Returns | 0-0 | 0-0 | 
| Safeties | 0 | 0 | 
                                            
        
                        
        
        
  | 
                                    
| Passing | CP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT | 
| 
                                         
                                                D. Fletcher 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    D. Fletcher | 5/9 | 43 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 
                                         
                                                J. Platte 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    J. Platte | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 
                                         
                                                H. Monroe 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    H. Monroe | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 
                                         
                                                C. Thompkins 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    C. Thompkins | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG | 
| 
                                         
                                                C. Ibrahim 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    C. Ibrahim | 110 | 440 | 1 | 48 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 
                                         
                                                G. Johnson Sr. 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    G. Johnson Sr. | 68 | 308 | 7 | 31 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 
                                         
                                                J. Crawford III 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    J. Crawford III | 40 | 218 | 3 | 50 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 
                                         
                                                D. Fletcher 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    D. Fletcher | 25 | 102 | 2 | 30 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 
                                         
                                                J. Graves-Billips 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    J. Graves-Billips | 20 | 62 | 0 | 15 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 
                                         
                                                B. Barnes 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    B. Barnes | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 
                                         
                                                C. Johns 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    C. Johns | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 
                                         
                                                B. Knauth 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    B. Knauth | 1 | -6 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 
                                         
                                                C. Thompkins 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    C. Thompkins | 4 | -7 | 0 | 2 | 
| Receiving | TAR | REC | YDS | TD | LG | 
| 
                                         
                                                J. Graves-Billips 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    J. Graves-Billips | 0 | 31 | 429 | 4 | 66 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 
                                         
                                                C. Ibrahim 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    C. Ibrahim | 0 | 14 | 121 | 0 | 33 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 
                                         
                                                M. Taylor 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    M. Taylor | 0 | 7 | 95 | 0 | 36 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 
                                         
                                                J. Crawford III 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    J. Crawford III | 0 | 5 | 55 | 0 | 24 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 
                                         
                                                S. Diaz 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    S. Diaz | 0 | 5 | 44 | 1 | 24 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 
                                         
                                                B. Knauth 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    B. Knauth | 0 | 4 | 27 | 0 | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 
                                         
                                                G. Johnson Sr. 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    G. Johnson Sr. | 0 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 
                                         
                                                K. Swortzel 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    K. Swortzel | 0 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 
| Defense | T-A | SACK | INT | 
| Kicking | FG | LG | XP | PTS | 
| 
                                     
                                            B. Barnes 
                                             
                                         
                                                                                
 
  | 
                                B. Barnes | 14/25 | 0 | 28/29 | 0 | 
| Punting | NO | AVG | IN20 | LG | 
| Kickoff Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD | 
| Punt Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD | 
| Passing | CP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT | 
| 
                                         
                                                T. Dickens 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    T. Dickens | 127/172 | 1428 | 12 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 
                                         
                                                B. Judy 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    B. Judy | 0/2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 
                                         
                                                M. Knight 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    M. Knight | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG | 
| 
                                         
                                                B. Adams 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    B. Adams | 134 | 749 | 4 | 51 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 
                                         
                                                P. Boyd Jr. 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    P. Boyd Jr. | 40 | 201 | 1 | 40 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 
                                         
                                                M. Cochran 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    M. Cochran | 48 | 148 | 0 | 17 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 
                                         
                                                T. Dickens 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    T. Dickens | 58 | 56 | 2 | 19 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 
                                         
                                                A. Colombo 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    A. Colombo | 2 | 10 | 0 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 
                                         
                                                S. Brantley 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    S. Brantley | 2 | 7 | 0 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 
                                         
                                                J. Collins 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    J. Collins | 2 | 6 | 0 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 
                                         
                                                J. Tyre 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    J. Tyre | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 
| Receiving | TAR | REC | YDS | TD | LG | 
| 
                                         
                                                A. Colombo 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    A. Colombo | 0 | 61 | 590 | 5 | 28 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 
                                         
                                                M. Knight 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    M. Knight | 0 | 23 | 392 | 1 | 48 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 
                                         
                                                J. Boyd 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    J. Boyd | 0 | 19 | 307 | 0 | 56 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 
                                         
                                                B. Adams 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    B. Adams | 0 | 36 | 284 | 1 | 48 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 
                                         
                                                M. Cochran 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    M. Cochran | 0 | 14 | 127 | 0 | 26 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 
                                         
                                                B. Blackmon 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    B. Blackmon | 0 | 8 | 83 | 0 | 16 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 
                                         
                                                P. Boyd Jr. 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    P. Boyd Jr. | 0 | 7 | 37 | 0 | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 
                                         
                                                T. Dickens 
                                                 
                                             
                                                                                        
 
  | 
                                    T. Dickens | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 
| Defense | T-A | SACK | INT | 
| Kicking | FG | LG | XP | PTS | 
| 
                                     
                                            C. Lowery 
                                             
                                         
                                                                                
 
  | 
                                C. Lowery | 12/17 | 0 | 29/30 | 0 | 
| Punting | NO | AVG | IN20 | LG | 
| Kickoff Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD | 
| Punt Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |