11-12-2017, 04:53 AM
BARBOURVILLE, Ky. â Quarterback Alex Bell (SR/Daytona Beach, Fla.) and the 10 other seniors celebrated in grand style as Union College closed out the 2017 campaign with a 56-29 Mid-South Conference (MSC) Appalachian Division victory over visiting Point (Ga.) on Saturday.
The win gives the Bulldogs a 5-5 overall mark â the first time they have been .500 or better since going 7-4 in 2010. Union also finished 3-3 in MSC Appalachian play.
"I'm really happy for our seniors," said head coach Andre Linn. "They have really stepped up and been true leaders on this team. Whenever they've been knocked down, they bounced back and hit harder. These 11 young men are leaving the program better than when they came here. It's now up to the underclassmen to build on the foundation that's been laid."
A number of milestones and records were hit and broken, but Bell's performance outshined them all.
Completing 18-of-25 passes, Bell threw for a career-high 372 yards and five touchdowns. The five passing touchdowns were one shy of the program record. He also ran for 51 yards and another touchdown.
Bell wraps up the season with 2,521 passing yards and 26 touchdowns, both of which rank third most in program history. He also finishes with 4,192 career passing yards to rank sixth in Bulldog history. Bell's 39 career passing touchdowns ties him for fourth most all-time.
Junior Tyler Toombs (JR/Stone Mountain, Ga.) hauled in four passes for 130 yards and two scores as he shattered the receiving yards record, tallying 949 yards to best the mark by 50 yards. He caught only 29 catches, giving him an average of 32.7 yards per catch. Toombs' 10 receiving touchdowns on the year ranks him fourth in program history.
The Bulldog offense wrapped up the season averaging a program record 477.5 yards per game (4,775 total yards in 10 games). The previous mark was 473.6 in 2010 when Union racked up 5,206 yards in 11 games.
In the win over the Skyhawks (3-8 overall, 1-5 MSC Appalachian), the Bulldogs used a strong second half to collect the 27-point win.
Derek Bellard hit Chris Watts for a 2-yard scoring play with 6:49 left in the second. The 2-point conversion was no good, leaving Point up 22-21.
Union took the lead for good with 2:03 remaining in the half as Bell connected with Bradley Elkins (JR/Pikeville, Ky.) on a 7-yard scoring play, making it 28-22 at the break.
The Bulldogs took the opening possession of the second half and drove the ball 68 yards on eight plays in extending the lead to 35-22. Samondre Johnson (FR/Tallahassee, Fla.) punched the ball in from the 3 for his second touchdown of the season.
After Bellard threw his fourth touchdown pass of the game to pull Point within 35-29, it was all Union from that point on.
Bell scored on a 2-yard run and hit Darian Patterson (JR/Taylors, S.C.) for a 25-yard touchdown pass as the lead grew to 49-29 with 12:17 to play.
Senior Jacob Roche (SR/Sautee, Ga.) collected his first collegiate touchdown on a 2-yard plunge, capping the scoring as the Bulldogs won 56-29.
Union finished the game with 578 yards in total offense with 206 coming on the ground. Izayah Riettie (SO/Lakeland, Fla.) led the ground attack with 63 yards on 15 carries. He ends the year with 735 yards rushing, ranking him 12th in program history.
Elkins led the team with six catches for 60 yards and a score. Senior Cody Johnson (SR/Maple Rapids, Mich.) hauled in three passes for 62 yards and touchdown.
Senior Jalen Ashby (SR/Tallahassee, Fla.) returned five kickoffs for 104 yards as he leaves as the record holder for most kickoff return yards in a career with 2,072.
Defensively, Justavious Robinson (SO/Alexander City, Ala.) led the with eight total stops, including a sack. Meanwhile, seniors Jake Averhart (SR/Corner, Ala.) and DeShay Averhart (JR/Corner, Ala.) each recorded five, and senior Buddy Harrison (SR/Berea, Ky.) had two and a sack. Senior Kenneth Cauley Jr. (SR/Miami, Fla.) had one tackle.
The other Bulldogs playing in the final game include wide receiver Kanye Westoff, offensive lineman Kermit Gibbs (SR/Louisville, Ky.), and offensive lineman Ryan Bernhard (JR/Winchester, Ky.).
This marks the second year in a row Union finished with five wins after going 5-6 in 2016.
http://www.gounionbulldogs.com/article/6988.php
The win gives the Bulldogs a 5-5 overall mark â the first time they have been .500 or better since going 7-4 in 2010. Union also finished 3-3 in MSC Appalachian play.
"I'm really happy for our seniors," said head coach Andre Linn. "They have really stepped up and been true leaders on this team. Whenever they've been knocked down, they bounced back and hit harder. These 11 young men are leaving the program better than when they came here. It's now up to the underclassmen to build on the foundation that's been laid."
A number of milestones and records were hit and broken, but Bell's performance outshined them all.
Completing 18-of-25 passes, Bell threw for a career-high 372 yards and five touchdowns. The five passing touchdowns were one shy of the program record. He also ran for 51 yards and another touchdown.
Bell wraps up the season with 2,521 passing yards and 26 touchdowns, both of which rank third most in program history. He also finishes with 4,192 career passing yards to rank sixth in Bulldog history. Bell's 39 career passing touchdowns ties him for fourth most all-time.
Junior Tyler Toombs (JR/Stone Mountain, Ga.) hauled in four passes for 130 yards and two scores as he shattered the receiving yards record, tallying 949 yards to best the mark by 50 yards. He caught only 29 catches, giving him an average of 32.7 yards per catch. Toombs' 10 receiving touchdowns on the year ranks him fourth in program history.
The Bulldog offense wrapped up the season averaging a program record 477.5 yards per game (4,775 total yards in 10 games). The previous mark was 473.6 in 2010 when Union racked up 5,206 yards in 11 games.
In the win over the Skyhawks (3-8 overall, 1-5 MSC Appalachian), the Bulldogs used a strong second half to collect the 27-point win.
Derek Bellard hit Chris Watts for a 2-yard scoring play with 6:49 left in the second. The 2-point conversion was no good, leaving Point up 22-21.
Union took the lead for good with 2:03 remaining in the half as Bell connected with Bradley Elkins (JR/Pikeville, Ky.) on a 7-yard scoring play, making it 28-22 at the break.
The Bulldogs took the opening possession of the second half and drove the ball 68 yards on eight plays in extending the lead to 35-22. Samondre Johnson (FR/Tallahassee, Fla.) punched the ball in from the 3 for his second touchdown of the season.
After Bellard threw his fourth touchdown pass of the game to pull Point within 35-29, it was all Union from that point on.
Bell scored on a 2-yard run and hit Darian Patterson (JR/Taylors, S.C.) for a 25-yard touchdown pass as the lead grew to 49-29 with 12:17 to play.
Senior Jacob Roche (SR/Sautee, Ga.) collected his first collegiate touchdown on a 2-yard plunge, capping the scoring as the Bulldogs won 56-29.
Union finished the game with 578 yards in total offense with 206 coming on the ground. Izayah Riettie (SO/Lakeland, Fla.) led the ground attack with 63 yards on 15 carries. He ends the year with 735 yards rushing, ranking him 12th in program history.
Elkins led the team with six catches for 60 yards and a score. Senior Cody Johnson (SR/Maple Rapids, Mich.) hauled in three passes for 62 yards and touchdown.
Senior Jalen Ashby (SR/Tallahassee, Fla.) returned five kickoffs for 104 yards as he leaves as the record holder for most kickoff return yards in a career with 2,072.
Defensively, Justavious Robinson (SO/Alexander City, Ala.) led the with eight total stops, including a sack. Meanwhile, seniors Jake Averhart (SR/Corner, Ala.) and DeShay Averhart (JR/Corner, Ala.) each recorded five, and senior Buddy Harrison (SR/Berea, Ky.) had two and a sack. Senior Kenneth Cauley Jr. (SR/Miami, Fla.) had one tackle.
The other Bulldogs playing in the final game include wide receiver Kanye Westoff, offensive lineman Kermit Gibbs (SR/Louisville, Ky.), and offensive lineman Ryan Bernhard (JR/Winchester, Ky.).
This marks the second year in a row Union finished with five wins after going 5-6 in 2016.
http://www.gounionbulldogs.com/article/6988.php