Box Score Maryville College now controls their own destiny within the USA South Athletic Conference race, as the Scots followed a huge defensive effort for a 14-0 win over Averett University.
Coming into the day, the squad from Danville, Va. had been tearing through USA South play. On the year, the Cougars averaged 423.3 yards per game in their first six contests. Averett (5-2, 4-1 USA South) compiled 258.2 rushing yards per game and 34.7 points before the Scots' shut them out.
MC's defense held the Cougars to 105 total yards on the day, as they held Averett to just a 1-of-11 effort on third down.
Through the third quarter, the Scots' defenders had held the USA South foe to just 57 yards in the battle of the unbeatens.
Jamal Ware and Bo Hering led the way, as the duo combined for 12 tackles. Ware had six stops with a half tackles for loss and an interception, as Hering had six tackles, one sack and one-and-a-half tackles for loss.
Pierre Chadwick had a forced fumble, while Blake Henderson and Simeon Watson had fumble recoveries. In all, the Scots tallied a pair of sacks and seven tackles for loss.
Following a combined 58 in the first quarter – 31 of that going Maryville's way – the Scots' offense found its rhythm.
Maryville (5-2, 5-0) completed the game with 219 yards of offense with 181 of that coming across the ground. The Orange and Garnet had 19 first downs to just a trio for the Cougars.
Senior Elijah Chenier continues his run for the Maryville College career rushing record, as the back had 143 yards of the Scots' 181-yard rushing attack. He added a touchdown with an average of 5.3 yards per touch. Chenier became only the second back in Maryville history to cross the 3,000-yard mark in their career, as he sits at 3,046 yards.
He needs only 197 yards in order to tie Rommel Hightower's record of 3,243 yards from 2006 through 2009.
Marcus Pierce posted MC's other score on the day with a 17-yard afternoon.
Elijah Rachell had 21 yards, while quarterback Trevor Thomas added 20.
Thomas coupled with Nelson Smith for 38 passing yards on the day – 15 of those going the way of Mac Seagle.
Maryville took advantage of an early Averett mistake. Tanner Kotowske's 39-yard punt was touched by a Cougar, leaving it a live ball. Simeon Watson fell on the loose pigskin to set up MC's first score.
The Scots needed just three plays to cover the final 31 yards, as Chenier scored from 16 yards out. He shed four defenders off his waist at the 3-yard line before walking in for a 7-0 Maryville lead.
MC added their final score with a 13-play, 78-yard drive that took 8:07 spanning across the third and fourth quarters. The 78-yard drive – at the time – was more yards than Averett had for the game at 57. Pierce finished the final 7 yards across the ground for the 14-0 victory.
Maryville will look next to Greensboro College. The Scots travel to Greensboro, N.C. for a 1 p.m. kickoff.
