#16 Bridgewater downs Panthers 39-14
Sept. 22, 2007

LAGRANGE, Ga. - Bridgewater College (4-0) got big games out of senior running back Phillip Carter and senior quarterback Jeff Highfill in beating LaGrange College (0-4) 39-14 at Callaway Stadium on Saturday. The loss left the Panthers, now in their second season of football, still seeking the program's first ever win.

Carter rushed for a game-high 108 yards on 15 carries. He had three touchdowns, including a 40-yard run for the game's first score on the Eagles' second play from scrimmage. Highfill threw for 270 yards and two touchdowns. He was 17-of-27 on the day with no interceptions.

The Panthers had a season-high 315 yards of total offense. Quarterback Drew Carter threw for 202 yards and a touchdown. Running back Brandon Crawford had 95 yards on 18 carries. The Panthers had 113 yards rushing, the highest total so far and the first time over 100 yards in a game as a team.

After Carter's run put the Eagles up 7-0, the Panthers came back to tie the game. Aided by two major penalties against the Eagles, the Panthers went 56 yards in nine plays for their first touchdown. The first penalty was a roughing the kicker penalty on fourth down that kept the drive alive. The second was a pass interference call, giving the Panthers a first down at the Eagles' 2-yard line. Carter completed the drive with a 4-yard toss to Eric Miller three plays later. Josh Stripling added the first of his two extra-points to tie the game 7-7.

The Eagles took the lead for good on Luke Taylor's 43-yard field goal. The field goal started a run of 32 unanswered points by the Eagles. Highfill threw 64 yards to Brandon Copeland to make it 16-7 and Michael Jackson tackled Carter in the end zone for a safety to make it 18-7 at halftime.

Bridgewater put the game out of reach with three more touchdowns in the third quarter for a 39-7 lead. The Eagles scored on the second play like in the first half as Highfill threw 31 yards to Andy Ropp. Carter closed out the Eagles' scoring with two short touchdown runs to make it 39-7 heading to the fourth quarter.

The Panthers scored on their final drive of the game. Mario Wallace capped the nine-play 94-yard drive with a two-yard run for the 39-14 final score. Carter connected with Brad Burchett for a 47-yard completion to the Bridgewater two-yard line to set up Wallace's score.

Linebacker Justin Pair led the Panther defense. He had eight total tackles, including four for losses and a quarterback sack. The Panthers had four sacks on the afternoon. Tim Hill had six total tackles. Bridgewater's Damien Ward led all tacklers with 12 total tackles.

LaGrange hosts Louisiana College next Saturday at 1:30 p.m.