UFTL Athletics
Chris Maple
CLINTON, S.C. – The University of Fort Lauderdale football team started off the 2021 campaign by dropping a 68-3 decision to Presbyterian on Saturday, Sept. 11, at Bailey Memorial Stadium.
The Eagles fall to 0-1, while Presbyterian improves 2-0. UFTL will look to bounce back next week against Mississippi College in Clinton, Miss., on Sept. 18.
Qmac Quiteh led the Eagles ground attack rushing for a team-high 35 yards on eight carries, while Craig Cooper had 24 yards on eight attempts. Davon Burgelin hauled in a team-best four catches for 31 yards, while Franco De Luca and Kyle Kaplan combined to go 14-42, as the duo recorded 101 and 47 passing yards, respectively. Hector Molero scored the Eagles’ first three points, making a 25-yard field goal in the first quarter.
Damien Richardson recorded three catches for 14 yards, Zach Hall and Omari Stewart had two receptions for 42 and 41 yards. James Ashley IV made one catch for 14 yards and Nick Holmes had one catch for six yards.
Jamar Wells led UFTL’s defensive efforts recording a team-high nine tackles, including two solo tackles and one tackle for loss. Sayquan Anthony and Elijah Volitore collected eight tackles, while Jordan Alexander, Ramone Daley, David Bryant, Marvinsky Brunelus and Ritchard Antoine had seven, six, six, six and five tackles, respectively. Anthony and Bryant snagged an interception, while Antoine, Chris Jones II, and Wells had a tackle for loss, while Brunelus and Saron Byes had 0.5 TFL.
The Blue Host grabbed the lead early, scoring on their first three possessions and converting two two-point attempts to build a 22-0 lead with 9:19 to play in the first quarter.
UFTL would put together an eight-play 34-yard drive over five minutes and 24 seconds, capping the drive with a Molero field goal, cutting into the Presbyterian lead 22-3.
The two teams would stop each other in three alternating drives. The Eagles would stop the Blue Hose from scoring, turning the ball over on the UFTL two-yard line, Presbyterian would capitalize on defense forcing a safety, then after the free-kick, they would score another touchdown to extend their lead to 31-3.
Both teams would stall on drives ending with an interception before Presbyterian would close out the half by forcing the second safety of the game for the Eagles and then scoring a touchdown on a 75-yard drive to take a 40-3 lead into the break.
UFTL would start with the ball in the second half, driving into the red zone before De Luca is picked off at the goal line and returned for a 98-yard touchdown, giving the Blue Hose a 47-3 lead. That score would be the only change on the scoreboard as both team’s defenses stiffened up.
Presbyterian would score three touchdowns in the final frame to close out the 68-3 win for the Blue Hose.