ANDERSON, S.C. – For the second straight week the Anderson University (2-0) football team used a dominate quarter of action to extend their advantage, this time taking a 35-7 decision over the Flying Fleet of Erskine College (0-1) at Spero Financial Field.
Senior Tyler Wesley (St. Cloud, Fla.) led the team through the air as he completed 11 of his 23 passes for 210 yards with three touchdowns. The Trojans used a four-headed monster on the ground as redshirt-senior JB Seay Jr. (Polk County, Fla.), freshman Zion Gilbert (Conway, S.C.), redshirt-sophomore Bryson James (Cross Hill, S.C.) and redshirt-sophomore Zaidon Gunn (Grovetown, Ga.) accounted for 175 yards on the ground with two touchdowns. Seay led all rushers with 65 yards while Gilbert recorded 40. James and Gunn were the two touchdown scorers, accounting for 37 and 33 yards, respectively.
Redshirt-sophomore Kenneth Brown (Myrtle Beach, S.C.), redshirt-senior Jalon Warthen-Carr (Macon, Ga.) and graduate Jonathan Bowden (Palm Bay, Fla.) each recorded a receiving touchdown on the afternoon with Brown leading the receiving core with two catches for 81 yards.
Defensively, the Trojans were led by redshirt-sophomore Carter Wit (Johns Creek, Ga.) who recorded five tackles and a diving interception at the goal-line. Redshirt-senior Caleb Gleason (Indian Land, S.C.) was also able to record five tackles while sophomore Jacob Watt (Greenville, S.C.) led the Black and Gold with a pair of TFLs for a loss of four yards. Redshirt-sophomore Chase Brightharp recorded the Trojans' only sack of the afternoon, but he made it count for a loss of 18 yards.
Anderson came out hot carrying their late game momentum from their season opener as after a couple of double-digit passing yard plays from Wesley, Bryson James was able to record his lone touchdown of the contest from just 2 yards out to give the Black and Gold the early 7-0 lead. The two teams traded shortened drives before the Trojans ended the quarter with a punt that gave the Fleet the ball to start the second quarter.
Just three plays into that drive redshirt-sophomore Cade Eavenson (Seneca, S.C.) was able to haul in an interception and return to the Trojans own 40-yard line to set up the Black and Gold with good field position. While the Trojans were unable to capitalize on that drive, they were successful on their next three drives of the quarter, starting with a five-play drive that was capped by a 43-yard pass to Kenneth Brown from Wesley that put the Trojans up 14-0.
On their next drive, it would again only take five plays as this time Wesley was able to find Bowden over the middle of the field in the end zone for his first catch and score as a Trojan. The Trojans finished the opening half of action with a strong ground game from Seay Jr. and Gunn with Gunn hurdling over defenders at the goal line to increase the Trojans advantage to 28-0.
After an extended halftime break due to weather in the area, the Trojans were able to take advantage of their first scoring opportunity of the second half and find Warthen-Carr in the back of the end zone for their final score of the day to boost their advantage to 35-0.
The Flying Fleet were able to put together and extended drive, plagued by a couple Anderson penalties, that ended with their lone touchdown of the game coming with just under six minutes to play, but it would only pad the scoreboard as the Trojans took home the 35-7 win.
Anderson continues a short two-game homestand next weekend as they open South Atlantic Conference play, hosting the Pioneers of Tusculum University for a 2:00 p.m. kick-off.
