Weevils' Woes Continue

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Photo by Will Collins

Next Year? - Fred Leak and Christopher Allen prepare for one of the football team's final practices. The Weevils face Delta State Nov. 5 in the last game of the season.

Central Arkansas Downs Weevils

CONWAY, ARK. --- The University of Arkansas at Monticello Boll Weevils (1-9, 1-7 GSC) were unable to overcome a nearly perfect offensive day by the No. 22 University of Central Arkansas Bears, falling 56-7 Oct. 29 at Estes Stadium.

   The Bears scored early and often in the first quarter, opening scoring on their first drive with a 22-yard touchdown run by Kentrel Rogers to cap a three play, 51-yard drive and give UCA a 7-0 lead just over three minutes into the game.

   UAM's offense was unable to respond, and the Weevils went three-and-out. UCA scored again on their next drive as Rogers capped another three-play drive with an 18-yard run to push the Bear lead to 14-0 just over six minutes in.

   After another UAM three-and-out, the Bears tacked on another score on the first play of the ensuing drive as Nathan Brown connected with Aaron Fairooz with a 72-yard touchdown pass to extend the Bear lead to 21-0.

   The Weevil offense finally managed to get going on their next drive as Anthony Rodriguez connected with Jamie Dunn on a 33-yard pass taking the Weevils from their own eight-yard line to the 48-yard line.

   The Weevils managed another first down, but after a holding penalty, the Weevils were forced into a first-and-20 and were unable to convert.

   On their next drive, Ross Brown struck paydirt on the end of a two-yard run to cap a nine play, 80-yard drive and push the UCA lead to 28-0.

   The Bears ended the first quarter up 28-0 and continued the offensive onslaught in the second quarter, extending their lead to 35-0 on 23-yard touchdown pass from Brown to Austin Cade, capping a four play, 48-yard drive.

   The Weevils were forced to punt again after a three-and-out, and UCA marched downfield again, capping a six play, 52-yard drive with a 19-yard touchdown pass from Chris Reil to Fairooz to extend the Bear lead to 42-0.

   UCA carried their 42-0 lead into the half having outgained the Weevils 333 yards to 86.

   The Bears scored on their first drive of the third quarter after using 8:09 and 13 plays to drive 66 yards downfield, scoring on a three yard pass from Brown to Joseph Walker, extending their lead to 49-0.

   The two teams traded punts as time wound down in the third quarter, and the Bears went into the fourth with the 49-0 lead.

   The Weevils avoided being shutout early in the fourth quarter, finishing a seven play, 88-yard drive when Rodriguez connected with Robert Jackson with an eight yard strike, narrowing the Bears lead to 49-7.

   The Bears marched downfield once more, scoring on a six yard run by Ross Brown to extend their lead to 56-7.

   The Bears out gained UAM 507 yards to 249 for the game, racking up 342 passing yards and 165 rushing yards.

   UCA quarterbacks were nearly perfect as Brown completed 10-of-12 passes for 185 yards and three touchdowns, and Reil connected on 8-of-10 passes for 157 yards and one touchdown.

   Rodriguez completed 11-of-23 passes for 148 yards and one touchdown while Von Mixon hauled in five passes for 81 yards. John L. Williams led the Weevils on the ground with 83 yards on 20 carries.

   The Weevils were led defensively by Solomon Edwards who posted 14 tackles behind 11 solo stops. DeMathus Ledet added an interception, and Corrie Ross recovered a fumble.

   The Weevils return to action on Saturday, Nov. 5, hosting Delta State University in the final game of the 2005 season and "Military Appreciation Day." Kickoff is set for 6 p.m., with tailgating beginning at 3 p.m. and the Walk of Champions set for 4 p.m.


Wonder Boys Top Weevils Despite Williams' Big Day

   John L. Williams rushed for 237 yards, fourth-most in UAM football history, but the No. 13 Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys went home winners, downing the Boll Weevils (1-8, 1-6 GSC) 31-21 at UAM's homecoming Oct. 22 at Convoy Leslie-Cotton Boll Stadium.

   Williams carried 38 times for 237 yards, just short of the record set by Jerry Bingham in 1978, when Bingham rushed for 261 yards against Southwestern College. Williams' 237 yards were the most by a Weevil back since the 1991 season when Roy Watkins scampered for 241 yards in a 47-40 win over Arkansas Tech.

   The Weevils scored on their opening drive, capping a 12 play, 71-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run by Dakota Fitzgerald to take an early 7-0 lead. The Wonder Boys answered on their next drive; after converting a third-and-ten with a 24-yard strike, R.J. Vanhook capped the seven play, 57-yard drive with a seven-yard run to knot the game at 7-7.

   The two teams carried the tie into the second quarter when Tracey Stiger scrambled for a 22-yard touchdown run on the opening play of the quarter to give Arkansas Tech a 14-7 lead.

   The Weevils answered immediately as Rodriguez found Mixon with a 26-yard touchdown strike to knot the game at 14-14.

   The Wonder Boys responded on the very next drive as Campbell connected with Mark Caldwell on a 12-yard touchdown pass to give Tech a 21-14 lead. ATU extended their lead to 24-14 before halftime after a 19-yard field goal by Mark Ewersmann.

   The two defenses held the offenses scoreless in the third quarter, and the Weevils struck back on their opening drive of the fourth quarter as Williams capped a six play, 68-yard drive with a 14-yard touchdown run to narrow Arkansas Tech's lead to 24-21.

   The Weevil defense forced Arkansas Tech to punt on their ensuing drive, but the UAM offense was unable to put anything together and eventually punted back to the Wonder Boys. The Wonder Boys marched downfield, and on fourth-and-5 from the UAM 16, Justin Ray found Caldwell in the end zone to extend the Wonder Boy lead to 31-21 and put the game out of reach.

   Williams' 237 yards were the most in the GSC by any running back this season, topping the previous mark of 206, also set by Williams at Ouachita Baptist.

   Williams was 1-for-1 with 31 passing yards and caught two passes for 20 yards.

   Rodriguez was 6-of-13 for 80 yards and one touchdown strike. Ledet led all players with 19 tackles.

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