Panthers use record rushing day to down Westminster
Oct. 18, 2008

LaGrange College used a record-setting rushing attack to down Westminster (Mo.) 37-20 for Homecoming at Callaway Stadium on Saturday. Juniors Mario Wallace and Colt Shope helped the Panthers rush for a team-record 317 yards against the Blue Jays.

The Panthers' fifth straight win kept them unbeaten in the SLIAC at 4-0 and improved their season mark to 6-1. It was the first SLIAC loss for Westminster (3-3, 3-1), who entered the game tied with the Panthers and Huntingdon for first in the conference.

The Panthers set 15 individual and team records in the game. The Panthers, despite five turnovers, had 518 yards of total offense and 605 all-purpose yards.

Wallace set school records with 31 carries for 185 yards and a touchdown. He added 84 yards in receiving and returns for 269 all-purpose yards. Wallace eclipsed his own single-game mark of 149 yards set this season against Blackburn.

Shope had a career-day against the Blue Jays' defense. Coming into the game, he had six carries for 22 yards. In only six carries Saturday, Shope had 131 yards and a touchdown. He helped seal the win with a 77-yard touchdown catch and run in the fourth quarter. He finished with a team-high 87 yards in receiving on three catches and finished with 233 all-purpose yards.

The Panthers took a 3-0 lead in the first quarter. Westminster fumbled away the opening kickoff at its own 25-yard line. Three plays gained nothing and Josh Stripling tied his career-long with a 42-yard field goal two minutes into the game.

The Blue Jays came back to take a 7-3 lead on Daniel Eidson's four-yard pass to Josh Wiltfong. The score was set up by a Kyle Wagner interception off a tipped Drew Carter pass.

Wallace returned the ensuing kickoff 41 yards to the Westminster 37. The Panthers needed only five plays to retake the lead. Carter hit Nick Langley in the corner of the end zone from six yards out to make it 10-7 with 1:48 left in the first quarter.

The Panthers upped their lead in the second quarter with a lightning quick drive. The Panthers covered 73 yards in just three plays, all on the ground, in a little over a minute. Wallace went 47 yards on the first play to the Westminster 26. Shope followed with back-to-back 13-yard runs to finish the drive and a 17-7 lead at halftime. After 43 yards on the ground in the first quarter, the Panthers ran for 176 yards alone in the second quarter.

Wallace fumbled the second half kickoff with the Blue Jays taking over at the Panthers' 27. But the defense made a stand to end the threat. Justin Strickland stopped Eidson for no gain at the 18 on a fourth-and-one play.

The Panthers drove down the field to a first and goal at the Blue Jays' five-yard line. The drive stalled and Stripling hit from 22-yards to make it 20-7. Shope had a 27-yard run and Carter hit Tripp Duke on a 23-yard play to the five.

Westminster came right back with a 10-play 74-yard drive to get within six. Eidson finished the drive with another short touchdown pass, five yards to Chad Shank. The score was set up by Shank's 27-yard reception to the three.

The Panthers responded with three straight scoring possessions in the fourth quarter. The 17 unanswered points put the Panthers up 37-14.

Shope delivered the back-breaker for the Panthers. Backed up a their own three-yard line after a 62-yard punt from Eidson, the Panthers came up a game changing big play. Facing third and 12 from the 23, Carter hit Shope in stride coming across the middle. Shope went untouched to finish the 77-yard strike and 27-14 lead.

The Panthers went up 30-14 on their next possession. Stripling's record third field goal in the game from 25 yards finished an 11-play 68-yard drive. Carter had completions of 15 yards to Stephen Tuck and 20 yards to Devin Billings on the drive.

The defense set up the Panthers' final score. Eidson had the ball knocked loose by Alex Sapp, with Kyle Armstrong recovering for the Panthers at the Westminster 13-yard line. Wallace finished his record-setting day with a five-yard touchdown run with 3:10 remaining.

Westminster scored on the final play of the game. Eidson threw to Zach Flanders from 18 yards out for his third touchdown pass of the game for the 37-20 final.

Sapp led the Panther defense with six total tackles, including two for losses. Strickland, Devin Allison, Jeremy Pickens and Josh Britt all had four total tackles. The Panthers had a record 11 pass break-ups in the game, with four players having two each.

The Panthers go on the road for their final road game of the season. The Panthers face Principia in Elsah, Ill. in a SLIAC game. The Panthers close out the regular season at home against Eureka on Nov. 1 and Huntingdon on Nov. 15.