LIVINGSTON, Ala. – Gary Johnston
rushed for 154 yards and West Alabama rolled up 578 yards of total offense on
the way to a 41-7 NCAA Division II Football First Round Playoff victory over
Miles College Saturday at Tiger Stadium.
The Tigers, who also limited
Miles to 30 points below its season average, improved to 9-3 overall and travel
to Valdosta State for a second-round matchup against the Blazers on Saturday.
This will be UWA's second trip to Valdosta State this season. The Tigers posted
a 39-28 victory over VSU on Sept. 22. Miles ended its season at 8-3.
“We
executed well all day long and our defense played extremely well after the first
drive,” UWA head coach Will Hall said.
“That's kind of been our M.O. all year that people have something schemed
against us and then Coach (Robert) Henry gets them to the sidelines and makes
the adjustments that make us the defense we are.
“Offensively we have
hit our stride over the last few weeks and have been extremely efficient,” Hall
said. “We are built for 60 minutes. We are not a throw it 65 times a game team.
We are 60-minute team that's going to pound you as the game wears on, but we did
start fast today and that was good to see.”
Johnston, a junior from Gulf
Shores, Ala., picked up his 154 yards and three rushing touchdowns on 22 carries
while also completing 10-of-15 passes for 90 yards.
Freshman running
back George Michael Rowe of Prattville, Ala., contributed 84 yards and two
touchdowns on 16 carries for the Tigers. Both of Rowe's scoring runs came in the
fourth quarter from 16 and nine yards.
“Another great effort by Gary
today. I don't know if he got tacked by the first guy all day,” Hall said.
“That's something we talk about with our skills guys. If you are good player you
don't get tackled by the first guy.”
West Alabama struck first when Kyle Caldwell found Malik Lofton on a 40-yard touchdown pass to cap a
nine-play, 87-yard drive on its first possession. Johnston put UWA up 14-0 on a
31-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter. Johnston's run
came on a fourth-down conversion attempt by the Tigers.
“Our offensive
line and receivers did a great job all day,” Johnston said. “If we can just make
one person miss then it puts us in a good situation as runners.”
Miles
threatened for the first time midway through the second period, but the drive
stalled at the UWA 15 yard line, forcing a 32-yard field goal try. Ryan Jones blocked Patton Chambers attempt to end the
threat. The blocked field goal was the fifth by the Tigers this
season.
“Coach Henry just told us to slow down. We were already in the
right position, but we were over pursuing and they were hitting cutbacks for a
few big plays,” safety Otha Foster said.
“Our defense has been good at keeping people from scoring all
year.”
West Alabama, who leads the nation in pass defense and came into
the game fourth in the land in total defense, limited two Miles quarterbacks to
just 8-of-20 passing for 104 yards. The Tigers recorded four tackles for loss
and a sack.
“We had some penalties that stoned some drives and we were
in the red zone three or four times and didn't get in,” Miles head coach
Reginald Ruffin said. “Those are points and the name of the game is the one who
has the most points at the end of the game wins.”
West Alabama made it
21-0 with 5:04 to play in the first half when Johnston rambled in from 3 yards
out to cap a 10-play, 78-yard drive following the blocked field
goal.
The Tigers missed an opportunity to stretch the lead on the final
play of the first half, but Ryne Smith's
42-yard field goal attempt was blocked, ending his NCAA-record field goals made
streak at 24.
West Alabama marched 77 yards on 13 plays to open the
second half. Johnston's third rushing touchdown of the game, this one from the
1-yard line, gave the Tigers a 27-0 lead after the extra point sailed wide
left.
Miles avoided the shutout when Denzel Veale scampered in from 5
yards out after a pass interference penalty on fourth down kept the Miles drive
alive at the UWA 2 yard line. Veale's score capped an 11-play, 78-yards drive
that took 3:38 to play.
“West Alabama did a great job of keeping us out
of the end zone. We had our shots,” Ruffin said. “Defensively, we couldn't do
anything to stop the quarterback (Johnston). We knew he was a good player and
that they had a good core of receivers and a good offensive
line.”
Lofton had five receptions for 82 yards to pace UWA receivers.
Marcus Brown and Curt Amacker had
four catches each. Javae Swindle
rushed for 72 yards on just five carries for the Tigers.
Foster finished
with seven total tackles, including one for a loss. Jones and Deon Lacey had five each.
Floyd Graves led Golden
Bear rushers with 69 yards on 10 carries. Tyrrell Kinder recorded nine tackles
to lead Miles.
COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF WEST ALABAMA ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS
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