Panthers roll past Rhodes 42-28

Posted: Oct 02, 2010

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – LaGrange College scored the first three times it got the football and went on to a 42-28 win over Rhodes College at Fargarson Field. The win upped the Panthers' record to 2-3 and stopped a two-game losing streak.

The Panthers rolled up a season-high 511 yards of total offense in the game. The Panthers had 234 yards on their first three drives in building a 21-0 lead.

Senior running back Andrecus Lindley set a school record with four rushing touchdowns in the game. He finished the game with a game-high 120 yards on 22 carries.

The Panthers had 307 yards passing in the game. Senior quarterback Drew Carter was 23-of-29 for 258 yards. He set a school-record with a 79.3 percent completion percentage in the game. Sophomore Michael May threw for 49 yards and a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

The Panthers went 88 yards on their opening drive of the game. The Panthers used up almost eight minutes on the drive. Carter hit 8-of-10 passes on the drive accounting for 53 of the yards.

Lindley capped the drive, scoring from the one on fourth down. Drake Nahrwold added the first of six extra points and the Panthers led 7-0 with 5:04 left in the first quarter.

After forcing less three and out, the Panthers marched 80 yards in nine plays to go up 14-0. Carter's 19-yard completion to Kent Gibson set the Panthers up at the Rhodes' 46.

Two plays later, the Panthers faced a third-and-one. Carter faked inside to Lindley and kept the ball around the right side. He went 37 yards untouched for the touchdown on the final play of the first quarter.

The Panthers needed only four plays to score on their next drive. The Panthers covered the 67 yards in less than two minutes.

Lindley went 33 yards for his second touchdown of the game. He went up the middle, broke a couple of tackles and went in standing up to make it 21-0 with 11:17 left in the half.

Rhodes was held to 38 yards of offense on its first five possessions. The Lynx put together a 10-play 83-yard drive late in the half to get on the scoreboard. Matt Gilbert scored from the 2 to make it 21-7 at halftime.

Aaron Duncan gave the Panthers good field position with a 35-yard return to the LaGrange 45 to start the second half. Carter hit his first two passes to get the Panthers to the Rhodes' 30.

From there, Lindley ran the ball five straight times to get his third touchdown of the game. He finished the seven-play drive with a 1-yard plunge to up the Panthers' lead to 28-7.

After the Lynx answered with a 8-yard touchdown run by Tyler Perkins to cut the Panther lead to 28-14. The Panthers took the lead into the fourth quarter.

May came in for Carter on the second play of the fourth quarter. On his second play, May raced 38 yards down to the Rhodes' 1. Lindley finished his scoring on the next play to make it 35-14.

May guided the Panthers on a 60-yard scoring drive for their final touchdown of the day. He covered 34 of the yards on a completion to Riley Hill to the Rhodes' 26. May went 14 yards to Torre Pike for the score and a 42-21 lead with 8:17 left in the game.

Nine different Panthers had at least one catch in the game. Jo Jo Sweet had a team-best six receptions.

Freshmen linebackers Dawo Menter and Malcolm Young each had six tackles. Josh Clinton had a fumble recovery and a pass breakup, while Chris Prewett had two tackles and pass breakups each.

The Panthers go to 10th-ranked Trine (Ind.) next Saturday. It will be the fourth straight road game for the Panthers.

Notes: Lindley became the first Panther running back to have a rushing touchdown in five straight games... Panthers set a team passing record of 78.8 percent completion percentage in the game... Total offense of 511 yards was fourth most in a game by the Panthers... Panthers had nine team season-highs in the game... Michael May's 38-yard run in the fourth quarter was the longest run from scrimmage by a Panther this season.

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