Wingate football snapped Limestone’s perfect run in South Atlantic Conference play with a commanding 38-12 win on Saturday afternoon in Gaffney, S.C.
The Bulldogs, now 5-1 overall and 3-1 in SAC play, join Limestone and Lenoir-Rhyne as the three teams in the Piedmont Division with one conference loss, setting up a fierce race for the title. Wingate still has to play Lenoir-Rhyne, while the Bears have to face Limestone.
Wingate’s defense continued its dominant form, pushing its streak to 10 quarters without giving up a point. After blanking UVA Wise 33-0 and Barton 50-0, the Bulldogs led Limestone 17-0 at the half and built a 31-0 advantage before finally allowing the Saints to score in the third quarter.
Wingate outgained Limestone with 401 total yards to 276 and capitalized on three turnovers, including two fumble recoveries and an interception. The Bulldogs also dominated time of possession, holding the ball for 33 minutes and converting key drives when needed.
Wingate’s defense was relentless, holding Limestone to just 38 rushing yards and forcing two fumbles, both of which were recovered by the Bulldogs. Kai Russell led the defensive effort with six tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss and two sacks, while Dequan Mosley added an interception late in the first quarter that set up Wingate’s opening field goal.
The Bulldogs’ balanced offensive attack was paced by O’Brien Barnett, who rushed for 101 yards, and quarterback Brooks Bentley, who accounted for three passing touchdowns and 34 rushing yards.
Key Bulldogs:
- O’Brien Barnett: 15 carries, 101 yards, 1 TD
- Brooks Bentley: 147 passing yards, 3 TDs, 34 rushing yards
- Evan McCray: 4 receptions, 56 yards, 2 TDs
- Jaedyn Fulton: 51-yard TD reception
- Ethan Wallace: 10 carries, 69 yards, 1 TD
- Dequan Mosley: 4 tackles, 2 pass break-ups, 1 interception
Scoring Summary:
2nd Quarter:
- 14:17 WIN – Caleb Bonesteel 40-yard field goal | 4 plays, 4 yards | Wingate 3-0
- 06:23 WIN – Evan McCray 12-yard pass from Brooks Bentley (Bonesteel kick) | 13 plays, 71 yards | Wingate 10-0
- 02:34 WIN – Jaedyn Fulton 51-yard pass from Brooks Bentley (Bonesteel kick) | 3 plays, 70 yards | Wingate 17-0
3rd Quarter:
- 12:55 WIN – O’Brien Barnett 21-yard run (Bonesteel kick) | 4 plays, 78 yards | Wingate 24-0
- 04:18 WIN – Evan McCray 19-yard pass from Brooks Bentley (Bonesteel kick) | 2 plays, 34 yards | Wingate 31-0
- 03:21 LIM – DJ Black 74-yard pass from Dustin Noller | 2 plays, 73 yards | Wingate 31-6 (PAT blocked)
4th Quarter:
- 14:34 LIM – DJ Black 39-yard pass from Dustin Noller | 6 plays, 65 yards | Wingate 31-12
- 12:10 WIN – Ethan Wallace 34-yard run (Bonesteel kick) | 4 plays, 75 yards | Wingate 38-12
Up Next:
Wingate returns home next Saturday for a Homecoming showdown against Catawba, with kickoff scheduled for 3 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.
