Week five of college football across North Carolina featured a bevy of big scoring plays — and players recording more than one explosive touchdown. Here’s a recap of our Best In State longest scoring plays:
Winston-Salem State’s JahTwan Stafford had the longest touchdown of the weekend, returning a punt 95 yards against Lincoln (Pa.). The play gave the Rams a 21-7 lead early in the second quarter.
Trey Dixon put his name in the UNC Pembroke record books with 242 receiving yards and four touchdown catches in the Braves’ 40-21 triumph over Wheeling. Dixon had lengthy touchdown receptions from quarterback Colin Johnson covering 75 and 73 yards, as well as TD catches of 32 and 18 on his way to being named the Mountain East Offensive Player of the Week. Johnson had six touchdown passes on the day, by the way, the best among North Carolina quarterbacks.
Campbell’s Jalen Kelsey caught TD throws from Hajj-Malik Williams of 70 and 65 yards, respectively.
Davidson ran all over San Diego (400-plus yards rushing), getting long-distance TDs on the ground from Mason Sheron (78 yards) and Mari Adams (66, 38).
The longest defensive touchdown of week five came from St. Augustine’s Booker Peake, who carted a Virginia Union fumble 76 yards to the end zone. Ja’qun Wilkins returned a blocked punt 69 yards for a Johnson C. Smith touchdown in its 21-20 triumph at Elizabeth City State.
Michael Hughes of Appalachian State booted the longest field goal of the weekend, covering 54 yards at Louisiana-Monroe. That boot happened to be on the last play, giving the Mountaineers a 41-40 win. Read more about Hughes’ big kick HERE.
Here are all the longest scoring plays of the week, in spreadsheet table form:
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LONGEST SCORING PLAYS DIVISION PLAY DESCRIPTION OPPONENT JahTwan Stafford (Winston-Salem State) D2 95-yard punt return Lincoln (Pa.) Mason Sheron (Davidson) FCS 78-yard rush San Diego Booker Peake (St. Augustine’s) D2 76-yard fumble recovery Virginia Union Trey Dixon (UNC Pembroke) D2 75-yard pass from Colin Johnson Wheeling Tyree Holloway (Chowan) D2 75-yard pass from Rashad McKee Valdosta State Trey Dixon (UNC Pembroke) D2 73-yard pass from Colin Johnson Wheeling Jalen Kelsey (Campbell) FCS 70-yard pass from Hajj-Malik Williams NC Central Ja’qun Wilkins (Johnson C. Smith) D2 69-yard blocked field goal return Elizabeth City State Zackary Orr (Brevard) D3 67-yard pass from Ethan Beamish Greensboro Mari Adams (Davidson) FCS 66-yard rush San Diego Jalen Kelsey (Campbell) FCS 65-yard pass from Hajj-Malik Williams NC Central Kevin White (NC A&T) FCS 65-yard rush Norfolk State Deven Franklin (Chowan) D2 61-yard pass from Rashad McKee Valdosta State Dominique Marshall (Lenoir-Rhyne) D2 56-yard pass from Jalen Ferguson UVA Wise Jordan Terrell (Barton) D2 53-yard rush Tusculum Christian Horn (Appalachian State) FBS 52-yard pass from Joey Aguilar UL Monroe Dwayne McGee (Lenoir-Rhyne) D2 52-yard rush UVA Wise Zackary Orr (Brevard) D3 49-yard pass from Ethan Beamish Greensboro Dwayne McGee (Lenoir-Rhyne) D2 44-yard rush UVA Wise Tremel Jones (Wingate) D2 42-yard pass from Brooks Bentley Erskine Caden Davis (Fayetteville State) D2 40-yard rush Bluefield State Juwan Lyons (St. Andrews) NAIA 40-yard pass from Darius Holly Bluefield (Va.) Kevin White (NC A&T) FCS 40-yard rush Norfolk State Mari Adams (Davidson) FCS 38-yard rush San Diego Brandon Basnight (St. Andrews) NAIA 37-yard rush Bluefield (Va.) Donoven Davenport (Elizabeth City State) D2 37-yard rush Johnson C. Smith Malcolm Wilson (Catawba) D2 36-yard rush Emory & Henry Dylan Morris (Fayetteville State) D2 35-yard interception return Bluefield State
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GAME WINNING FG DIVISION YARDS OPPONENT SITUATION Michael Hughes (Appalachian State) FBS 54 UL Monroe As time expired | W, 41-40 Bear Huggins (Barton) D2 30 Tusculum With :05 to go | W, 17-14
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LONGEST FIELD GOALS DIVISION YARDS OPPONENT Michael Hughes (Appalachian State) FBS 54 UL Monroe Jason Zapata (Livingstone) D2 47 Bowie State Bryson Simms (Catawba) D2 44 Emory & Henry Bryson Simms (Catawba) D2 40 Emory & Henry Caleb Bonesteel (Wingate) D2 40 Erskine
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