Lenoir-Rhyne’s football defense dominated Saturday afternoon as the 17th-ranked Bears shut out Barton College 20-0 in South Atlantic Conference action at Truist Stadium.
With the victory, Lenoir-Rhyne improved to 6-1 overall and 4-1 in conference play, staying in the running to defend their SAC championship. Barton, which was shut out for the third time this season, fell to 2-5 overall and 1-4 in SAC play.
The Bears’ defense was stellar, holding Barton to just 121 total yards and nine first downs while intercepting three passes. Lenoir-Rhyne’s defense has now shut out Barton twice in the last three meetings. The Bears’ offense complemented the effort, racking up 415 total yards, including 251 on the ground.
“Great job by our defense getting the shutout on the road. No matter where you play, a shutout is never an easy task,” Lenoir-Rhyne coach Doug Socha said in the school’s official game recap.
Lenoir-Rhyne opened the scoring in the first quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run from Alex Boyd following a six-play, 71-yard drive. Boyd, who rushed for 95 yards and two touchdowns, found the end zone again in the third quarter to extend the lead to 20-0.
Jake Brown added two field goals in the second quarter, capping drives of 51 and 72 yards to help the Bears take a 13-0 lead into halftime. Barton’s only real threat came in the third quarter, but their drive was halted by a 64-yard interception return by Anthony Hightower Jr.
Despite their struggles, Barton saw a strong defensive effort from Dereck Barringer and Ja’Correy Bible, who each recorded a game-high 15 tackles. Barton’s offense, led by Dakauri Davis with 76 rushing yards, failed to find the end zone against the stifling Bears’ defense.
Barton had one of the more prolific offenses in the SAC last season, putting wide receiver Kameron Johnson in the NFL and running back Jordan Terrell into the Canadian Football League. Replacing those players and other departees has been tough on the program.
Key Players:
Lenoir-Rhyne:
- Alex Boyd: 95 rushing yards, 2 TDs
- Jalen Ferguson: 16-for-21, 156 passing yards
- Tye Roberson: 79 rushing yards (career high)
- Adonis McDaniel: 5 receptions, 71 yards
- Jaelin Willis: 5 tackles, 1.5 tackles-for-loss
- Nic Cheeley, Anthony Hightower Jr., Deshaun Whitmire: 1 interception each
Barton:
- Dakauri Davis: 76 rushing yards
- Dereck Barringer: 15 tackles
- Ja’Correy Bible: 15 tackles
Scoring Summary:
1st Quarter:
- 05:59 LR – Alex Boyd 1-yard run (Jake Brown kick) | 6 plays, 71 yards | Lenoir-Rhyne 7-0
2nd Quarter:
- 13:39 LR – Jake Brown 24-yard field goal | 12 plays, 51 yards | Lenoir-Rhyne 10-0
- 00:04 LR – Jake Brown 29-yard field goal | 15 plays, 72 yards | Lenoir-Rhyne 13-0
3rd Quarter:
- 03:52 LR – Alex Boyd 1-yard run (Jake Brown kick) | 14 plays, 62 yards | Lenoir-Rhyne 20-0
Lenoir-Rhyne dominated in all phases, outgaining Barton 415-121. The Bears never punted, and their defense created three turnovers.
Up Next:
Lenoir-Rhyne will return home for their Homecoming game next Saturday, hosting Limestone in a pivotal SAC matchup. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. Barton will travel to Newberry for a conference showdown at 4 p.m.
This story was compiled and composed with the assistance of ChatGPT. All content at NC Football News is thoroughly reviewed and edited by real humans to ensure accuracy and quality. NC Football News thanks Lenoir-Rhyne and Barton sports information for their help as well.
