Saturday, November 13
Davidson, N.C.
1:00 pm
Davidson College
15
vs
29
San Diego
Sophomore Lanny Funsten had 100-plus receiving yards for the third time this season.
San Diego Tops Davidson Football 29-15 in Home Finale
11/13/2010 4:06:52 PM | Football
DAVIDSON, N.C. – San Diego receiver Godfrey Smith caught nine passes for 184 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Toreros to a 29-15 Pioneer Football League victory over Davidson in the Wildcats' home finale Saturday afternoon at Richardson Stadium.
The San Diego defense was stifling, holding the Wildcats to minus-10 rushing yards and sacking Davidson quarterback Jonathan Carkhuff eight times.
Carkhuff finished the day 16-of-28 for 257 yards and two scores for Davidson (3-7, 3-5 PFL), and Lanny Funsten caught six passes for 118 yards and a score. Jonathan Adams had five receptions for 53 yards, and Peter Kidwell led the defense with 11 tackles.
Mason Mills threw for 240 yards and three TDs and ran for another 50 yards for San Diego (5-6, 5-3 PFL). Phil Morelli added 106 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries.
“We really got pushed around up front,” said Davidson coach Tripp Merritt. “We couldn't run the ball today at all, which put us in obvious passing situations where they could bring pressure.”
Davidson took a brief 15-14 lead late in the third quarter. With the 'Cats trailing 14-7, a three-and-out by the defense and good special teams play helped Davidson get great field position at the San Diego 34-yard line. On 3rd-and-9, Carkhuff scrambled until he found Michael Blanchard for a 33-yard touchdown pass. The 'Cats ran a fake on the PAT try, and Blanchard threw to John Behm for the two-point conversion, giving Davidson the one-point advantage.
Morelli ran in a 4-yard touchdown on the Toreros' next possession, and Mills passed to Justin Fontenberry for the two-point conversion as San Diego went back on top 22-15 with 13 minutes left in the game. Runs of 25 yards (on 3rd-and-15) and 14 yards by Mills helped set up the score after a 12-play, 75-yard drive.
“We go up 15-14, and you're feeling pretty good about things,” said Merritt. “Then we kick off and have great coverage, and they go right down the field and score.”
Smith put the game away with 4:10 to go, catching a 27-yard pass from Mills and giving the Toreros a 14-point lead.
After the score was tied 7-7 at halftime, the Toreros caught a break on their opening drive of the second half as Davidson was flagged for pass interference on 3rd-and-27, resulting in an automatic first down. Mills hooked up with Smith with a 55-yard touchdown pass on the next play as San Diego took a 14-7 lead.
The first half featured some good defense by both teams, and field position came into play as San Diego forced a Davidson punt from its own 11-yard line and got the ball at the Davidson 37 late in the second quarter.
Four straight rushing plays set up 3rd-and-4 from the Davidson 16, and Mills hit Smith with a touchdown pass to put the Toreros in front 7-0 with 3:33 left in the first half.
The Wildcats answered right back with a couple big plays. Carkhuff dropped off a screen pass to Justin Williams for a gain of 36 on 3rd-and-8, and the freshman hooked up with Funsten for 41-yard touchdown pass on the next play. Ben Behrendt added the extra point to tie the game.
San Diego got a 35-yard kick return from Sam Hoekstra on the kickoff and used a hurry-up offense to move the ball down to the Davidson 19-yard line. But on third down, Wildcat defensive back Malcolm Moses-Hampton sacked Mills to force a 43-yard field goal try by Stan Shurson that went wide left with eight seconds remaining in the half. It was one of three missed field goals for the Toreros.
The Wildcats finish the season at Presbyterian next Saturday, Nov. 20. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
Game Notes: It was the last game on the natural grass in Richardson Stadium as Davidson is installing artificial turf, which will be ready for the 2011 season… It was Funsten's third game with 100-plus receiving yards in the last five contests… Carkhuff's 180 completions this season place him fifth on Davidson's single-season list… It was the Wildcats' seventh straight setback at home.
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