SALISBURY, Md. - The No. 11 Salisbury
University football team hosted Geneva College in the first-ever
football night game under the lights at Sea Gull Stadium on
Saturday evening before a crowd of 2,221. The Gulls scored early
and often to ground the Golden Tornadoes, 48-6.
The victory is the 200th win in the program's history since SU
football began as a junior varsity team in 1972 and moved to
varsity a year later. SU coach Sherman Wood has
won 62 of those 200 wins since he took over at his Alma Mater in
1999.
Salisbury (2-0) delivered the first blow 53 seconds into the game
when senior superback Shelby Fisher (127 yards,
one TD) tore through the Geneva (0-2) defensive line and scampered
all the way to the end zone for a 62-yard touchdown run.
Two possessions later, senior quarterback Ronnie
Curley (100 rushing yards, one TD, 22 passing yards, one
TD) broke loose for a 68-yard touchdown run to put SU up 14-0 at
the end of the first quarter. The Gulls never looked back as SU
never trailed in the contest and ran for a combined 484 yards and
six touchdowns as a team.
Six different Sea Gulls scored on the ground in the contest
including Fisher, Curley, senior quarterback Bobby
Sheahin, junior slot William Midgette,
sophomore quarterback Sean Kelly and freshman slot
Randal Smedley scored the final touchdown with
1:35 left in the game.
Midgette was the only Sea Gull to both rush and a catch a
touchdown in the game. Salisbury faced a third and goal at the
Geneva five-yard line with 11 seconds before the half. Curley
dropped back and fired a pass into the left corner of the end zone.
The pass tipped off the fingertips of sophomore superback
Bryan Woolson (32 yards rushing) and into the
hands of Midgette for the touchdown with four seconds left. The
extra-point was blocked as junior kicker Andrew
Geisert's attempt from the 18-yard-line, moved back due to
a Salisbury penalty, was swatted by the Geneva defense. SU led 20-0
at the half.
Defensively the Gulls held Geneva to a 1.3 yard-per-carry
average (31 attempts for 74 yards) on the ground as Geneva
sophomore quarterback David Girardi (15-for-33) struggled with the
SU defense all night. Girardi threw for 83 yards as he was
intercepted twice and sacked four times.
Senior Jarrell Chandler (seven tackles) and
sophomore Marcus Randolph (one sack) led the Gulls
with five solo tackles apiece. Senior Matthew
Bookard was a terror in the Tornado backfield as he
recorded 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks that dropped Geneva for
17 yards. Senior Greg Miletic intercepted a
Tornado pass in the victory.
The lone Tornado touchdown came in the fourth quarter as SU led
27-0 but was forced to punt from its own 27-yard-line. As Geisert
prepared to punt Geneva defensive back Brian Wilson (six tackles)
broke through and blocked the kick. Linebacker Dan Terracciano (six
tackles) recovered for the Golden Tornadoes at the 2 yard-line. On
the next play, junior fullback Matt Dean (40 yards on 10 carries)
scored with 12:02 left in the game. Geneva's extra-point attempt
bounced off the right goal post.
The Salisbury offense responded and closed out the game with three
touchdown scores in the final 10 minutes of play to clinch the home
victory. Salisbury is now 7-3 in home openers under Coach Wood. SU
has won six of the past seven home openers. The Sea Gulls also hold
a 2-0 series advantage over the Golden Tornadoes.
SU continues its home stand next Saturday, September 20, at 1
p.m. as the Sea Gulls host Christopher Newport University.
