FLORENCE
– The third
ranked
University of
North Alabama
football team
did what it was
expected to do
Thursday night,
rolling to a
50-3 rout of
North Greenville
at Braly
Stadium.
UNA, now 7-0
overall, gained
477 yards on
offense while
holding the 1-6
Crusaders to
just 73 total
yards.
North
Greenville’s
only score came
with UNA holding
a 50-0 lead in
the fourth
quarter before
fumbling the
ball away at its
own 15 yard
line. The Lions’
defense only
gave up six
yards and the
Crusaders kicked
a field goal
with 4:00 to
play.
UNA led 29-0 at
halftime and
43-0 entering
the fourth
quarter. The
Lions blocked
two punts,
returning one
for a touchdown
and recording a
safety on the
other.
Quarterback
Harrison Beck
threw for 245
yards and three
touchdowns.
The win was
UNA’s 23rd
consecutive
regular-season
home win and 16th
straight home
win overall. It
was also a
significant
victory for the
UNA senior class
of 2009, as it
became the sixth
group in school
history to win
40 games during
their four-year
careers. The
Lions have a
40-5 record
since 2006.
North
Greenville’s
defense played
tough early,
intercepting a
UNA pass on the
game’s opening
possession. The
Lions finally
got on the
scoreboard on a
30-yard Kenny
Spencer field
goal at the 5:27
mark of the
first quarter.
The next score
came from the
UNA special
teams as
Brandenn Pickett
blocked a North
Greenville punt
and Svante
Davenport
returned it for
a touchdown.
Spencer’s PAT
made it 10-0 at
3:05 of the
first quarter.
The UNA offense
finally found
the end zone at
12:44 of the
second quarter
as Beck hit
Chris Simpson
over the middle
with a nine-yard
touchdown
strike.
Spencer’s PAT
made it 17-0.
Spencer added a
37-yard field
goal with 6:21
left in the half
to make it 20-0
and Antyon Gray
caught an
eight-yard TD
pass from Beck
with 1:24 left
in the period to
extend the lead
to 27-0.
With just 23
seconds left in
the half, Jusmon
Rivers blocked a
punt out of the
end zone to make
it 29-0 at
intermission.
In the third
quarter, Mico
McSwain pulled
in a 10-yard
pass from Beck
with 10:35 to
play and
Spencer’s kick
gave UNA a 36-0
lead. A two-yard
TD run by Marcus
Sims with 3:45
left in the
third pushed it
to 43-0 and Sims
scored again on
a 20-yard run
with 10:45 left
in the game to
make it 50-0.
Sims now leads
the Lions with
eight touchdowns
this season.
North Greenville
got on the board
with four
minutes left on
a 26-yard Zach
Sears field
goal.
North Greenville
picked up just
three yards
passing and had
70 yards on the
ground. UNA
rushed for a
season-high 207
yards and passed
for 270. Ten
different UNA
players caught
at least one
pass, led by
Preston Parker
with six grabs
for 96 yards.
The Lions host
Delta State next
Thursday (Oct.
15) at 7 p.m. at
Braly Stadium
in a key Gulf
South Conference
matchup that
will be
televised by
CSS.
