BRIDGEWATER, Va. – Somebody might decide to install lights at Shirk Field at Musselman Stadium in the near future with the show the Gettysburg College football team put on at Bridgewater (Va.) College as the Bullets blew past the Eagles and the conference rushing record in a dominating 49-10 victory Friday night.
Playing its first season opener under the lights, Gettysburg (1-0) totaled 678 yards of total offense with 574 coming on the ground. The team topped its own program and Centennial Conference rushing record of 546 set against Misericordia University in 2012.
Senior quarterback Sam McDermott (Newtown, Pa./Notre Dame (N.J.)) and senior tailback Kyle Wigley (Medford, N.J./Shawnee) combined for 356 rushing yards. McDermott set a new Centennial standard for quarterbacks with 183 yards on 21 carries, finishing just two yards shy of the best rushing day by a Gettysburg quarterback. Jim Ward '66 gained 185 yards against Muhlenberg College on Oct. 24, 1964. Wigley averaged 9.1 yards per carry on his way to 173 yards and two touchdowns.
McDermott also finished an efficient 9-of-12 for 104 yards and three touchdowns, including his final two to spark a 27-0 run to end the contest.
Gettysburg pushed its way into Bridgewater territory on all but one drive in the contest, including reaching the red zone on its first five possessions. A 40-yard scamper by Wigley helped set the stage for the visitor's first scoring opportunity on the opening possession, which resulted in a 27-yard field goal by senior Robby Fay (New Providence, N.J./New Providence).
A lengthy lightning delay put a halt to the game midway through the opening quarter. Neither team managed to score until four minutes into the second period when McDermott connected with senior tight end Fred Pulzello (Glen Rock, N.J./Glen Rock) for a three-yard scoring reception. The extra point attempt was blocked, keeping the score at 9-0 with 11:02 before the half.
Bridgewater managed its only first-half points on a 22-yard field goal on the ensuing possession.
A 42-yard run by McDermott set the stage for more points before the end of the half, but the visitors were held up at the one-yard line. A field-goal try was blocked leaving the score at 9-3 heading into the break.
Gettysburg's offense was poetry in motion in the second half as the team scored a touchdown on each of its first six possessions. Freshman Matt McFadden (Morristown, N.J./Morristown Beard) scored his first collegiate touchdown on a 21-yard run to start the scoring barrage. After an acrobatic interception off a tipped pass by senior Brian Calatozzo (Sewell, N.J./St. Augustine Prep), Wigley picked up his first touchdown of the day with a 13-yard run to make it 22-3 with 10:19 left in the third period.
The Eagles finally cracked the scoring column again with a seven-yard touchdown strike from Ross Rushing to Keith Jennings to pull to 22-10. After spending most of the evening running around the field, McDermott let his arm loose for a 44-yard heave down the left sideline to senior Kevin McCarthy (Yardley, Pa./Notre Dame) for the score.
Bridgewater managed 453 total yards in last year's meeting, but this time around Gettysburg's defense held the Eagles completely in check. The hosts managed just 101 total yards in the second half, including just 33 on its final four possessions of the game.
The Bullets sealed the game with three touchdowns in the fourth quarter, including an eight-yard pass from McDermott to junior Jordan Kelso (Cookstown, N.J./Bordentown Regional).
Gettysburg finished with 678 yards of total offense compared to just 287 for Bridgewater. The Eagles were held to only 51 yards on the ground. The Bullets also won time of possession (33:28-26:32) and did not commit a turnover.
Wigley's rushing effort boosted him into 12th place on Gettysburg's career list with 1,759 yards. Senior James O'Rourke (Westfield, N.J./Westfield) finished with 69 yards on six carries, while classmate Paul Lowry (Midland Park, N.J./Midland Park) toted the ball seven times for 51 yards. In all, Gettysburg averaged an impressive 8.1 yards per rush.
Seniors Kodie McNamara (Manasquan, N.J./Manasquan) and Michael Kornegay (Montclair, N.J./Montclair) paced a well-balanced defensive effort with seven tackles apiece. McNamara is now just four tackles shy of 300 for his career. Junior Chris Miller (Manasquan, N.J./Manasquan) added six stops and a tackle for a loss.
Rushing finished 18-of-27 for 212 yards, while Jennings hauled in eight catches for 121 yards for Bridgewater.
Gettysburg makes its home debut when it next takes the field against Ursinus College next Saturday, Sept. 12, at 1 p.m.