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Riddle-powered Elon rolls by Presbyterian

Sunday, September 14, 2008
(Updated 7:20 am)

ELON -- The Elon Phoenix entered Saturday evening's game striving to reach the offensive heights it consistently reached a year ago.

But it didn't settle for just matching last year's success. The Phoenix put a historic 66-12 hurtin' on Presbyterian, matching the highest single-game points total since it defeated Concord State by the same score in 1968.

Elon -- ranked No. 18 in both FCS polls -- racked up a school-record 667 total yards and converted 35 first downs. Most of the damage was done before the Blue Hose could even get their chinstraps buckled.

The Phoenix (2-1) dominated the first quarter about as thoroughly as humanly possible, scoring four touchdowns in the first five minutes and lighting up the scoreboard for 35 points.

Coach Pete Lembo carefully chose his words to explain his team's first-quarter dominance.

"That's probably as impressive of a first quarter -- in all three phases of the game -- that I've seen in my eight years as a head coach; maybe in my entire career."

Ex-Cummings standout Bo Williamson tallied 287 all-purpose yards -- 222 at the half -- and scored two touchdowns. And just for good measure, he blocked a punt.

Williamson's performance rivaled that of his former high school teammate and current North Carolina star Brandon Tate, who is among the nation's leaders in all-purpose yardage.

Williamson, who spoke with Tate after the Tar Heels defeated Rutgers on Thursday night, said there's no doubt who the star is of the two.

"I might have blocked a punt, but he runs them back."

Quarterback Scott Riddle threw for 386 yards and three touchdowns before giving way to Donny Kirby late in the third quarter.

"You don't really expect to jump on somebody that much, but we were ready to go," Riddle said.

The former Eastern Randolph star acknowledged that the Phoenix offense was in the kind of zone that comes about once every 40 years.

"Coach Lembo could probably have made some of the throws I made today," he said.

The Phoenix slowed in the second quarter, scoring just three times, to claim a 52-6 lead at the half.

Just how dominant was the opening half?

More than 400 total yards? Check.

Fifty-plus points? No problem.

Scoring on every possession? Almost.

The Phoenix found the end zone on its first five possessions before settling for a measly field goal on the sixth trip.

"We were outclassed in every shape form and fashion," Presbyterian coach Bobby Bentley said. "It was just kind of rolling and then it all just snowballed on us."

Lost in the onslaught was the fact that the pass-happy Phoenix piled up 246 yards on the ground. A.J. Harris, who rushed for three touchdowns, said the win definitely made a statement. "We had to prove something, not just to us, but to everyone in the SoCon," he said. "We're Elon and we're here to play."

Presbyterian 0 6 0 6 -- 12

Elon 35 17 7 7 -- 66

Elon--D.Taylor 8 run (Wilcox kick)

Elon--Hudgins 37 pass from Riddle (Wilcox kick)

Elon--A.Harris 52 run (Wilcox kick)

Elon--Ball 10 blocked punt return (Wilcox kick)

Elon--B.Williamson 64 pass from Riddle (Wilcox kick)

Elon--D.Taylor 1 run (Wilcox kick)

Pres--T.Butler 16 pass from Webb (kick failed)

Elon--FG Wilcox 36

Elon--B.Williamson 41 pass from Riddle (Wilcox kick)

Elon--A.Harris 3 run (Wilcox kick)

Elon--A.Harris 8 run (Wilcox kick)

Pres--Tribble 75 fumble return (kick failed)

A--7,232

Presbyterian Elon

First downs 10 35

Rushes-yards 17-36 48-246

Passing 149 421

Comp-Att-Int 20-37-2 27-39-0

Return Yards 0 37

Punts-Avg. 9-27.9 2-38.5

Fumbles-Lost 1-0 1-1

Penalties-Yards 6-38 9-70

Time of Possession 21:41 38:19

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING--Presbyterian, Worrell 11-45, Mathis 1-5, Webb 5-(minus 14). Elon, A.Harris 7-91, Shuman 19-80, D.Taylor 11-58, Newsome 5-21, Camp 1-5, Kirby 1-2, Riddle 4-(minus 11).

PASSING--Presbyterian, Webb 20-35-1-149, Miley 0-2-1-0. Elon, Riddle 23-33-0-386, Kirby 4-6-0-35.

RECEIVING--Presbyterian, Worrell 5-20, T.Butler 4-33, Clark 3-24, McKoy 2-52, Cole 2-11, Reeder 2-(minus 2), S.Wilson 1-7, Mathis 1-4. Elon, B.Williamson 6-167, Hudgins 6-80, Jeffcoat 4-54, A.Harris 3-41, D.Taylor 2-14, Newsome 2-6, Camp 1-24, Blackwell 1-20, Goldsberry 1-9, Applegate 1-6.

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