MARYVILLE – That's how you Homecoming, right there!
Maryville put on a first-half offensive clinic and sent the returning grads, local fans and parents – and a large contingent of recruits – home impressed after thumping North Carolina Wesleyan 61-7 here Saturday.
It was the most points scored by the Scots since 2016.
The Scots have won three in a row and four of their last five to climb to Mount .500 overall at 4-4, and a sparkling 4-1 in the USA South.
"It was a lot of fun," Maryville head coach
Ben Fox said. "Homecoming is one of those things where it can be a lot of pomp and circumstance, and that's certainly what our place is all about and that's awesome. Nobody does it any better than we do from a college standpoint.
"There were 5,000 people here today and it was an incredible crowd."
First-Half Perfection
Maryville gave the home folks plenty to cheer about right from the start. This is how the first-half drive chart read for the Scots:
Touchdown.
Touchdown.
Touchdown.
Touchdown.
Touchdown.
Touchdown.
The Scots had the ball six times during that opening 30 minutes and scored a touchdown on all six drives to lead 42-0 at halftime.
Rollins, Samuels Keep Rolling
Bryson Rollins continued his first-year blitz, completing 18-of-24 for 305 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed six times for 42 yards as the Scots eclipsed Fox's magic numbers of at least 300 yards passing and 200 yards rushing.
Kevon Samuels caught two of those touchdowns. The first-year receiver hauled in a 20-yarder to get the scoring started and then zipped straight through the Battling Bishop defense for an 84-yard catch-and-run TD from Rollins midway in the second.
That pass play is the longest this season in the USA South.
Samuels leads the USA South in receiving touchdowns with nine. Rollins, meanwhile, entered Saturday leading all first-year players nationally in both passing yards per game and points responsible for per game. He's up to 251.8 in the former category and up to 20.3 in the latter.
Rollins for the season is completing nearly 58 percent of his passes for 2,014 yards and 21 touchdowns against just six interceptions. Samuels has 27 receptions for 629 yards and the nine TDs.
And don't forget
Grant Henderson. Maryville's sensational sophomore defensive back had three pass breakups Saturday to increase his season total to 13. The school record is 16.
Maryville's defense was exceptional. Against a North Carolina Wesleyan team that rushed for 418 yards last week in a one-point loss to Methodist, Maryville held the Bishops to 103 rushing yards and 276 yards of total offense.
A Crazy Note
On N.C. Wesleyan's final possession of the game, Trevon Crank carried through the middle for 29 yards and then Anthony Byrd broke free for a 40-yard touchdown run on the very next play. The visitors erased their zero on the scoreboard with 1:32 remaining.
Before that drive, the Scots had held N.C. Wesleyan to 34 rushing yards on 22 carries.
Lots of Contributions
Cody Estep scored two touchdowns while rushing for 55 yards in limited duty, with
Tad Logan Jr., and
Juette Renalds scoring one TD apiece.
Steph Carter Jr., hauled in a 21-yard touchdown for his fourth of the season, and
Danner Hill found pay dirt through the air from 20 yards out.
Luke Pinkston connected on his second field goal of the season, and
Alex Mase contributed a safety with a tackle in the end zone early in the fourth quarter.
"It was nice to get a home win," Fox said. "We have played some fabulous football games here this year, intense and exciting and great games. We just had come up on the wrong side of the scoreboard. It was good for our team to experience success at home and singing on Victory Hill, and good for our alumni to be a part of that.
"I'm just really happy for everyone associated with our program right now."
Maryville returns to action next Saturday at home for a big matchup against Brevard (3-4, 3-1 USA South), a team hot on the heels of the Scots in the standings. The Tornados won 24-10 at home Saturday against LaGrange, and they spanked Maryville 31-0 last year over in North Carolina.
Kickoff is 2 p.m.
Homecoming Spirit
Maryville College graduate and former Southeastern Conference commissioner Roy Kramer was in attendance this week at the Friday Football Luncheon hosted by Fox and the coaching staff. The commissioner was all smiles as Fox was describing at least some of the game plan for North Carolina Wesleyan. The final luncheon of the season is Friday at noon in Pearsons Dining Hall.
Saturday, Maryville College Athletics introduced members of the 2022 Wall of Fame class to the home fans. In attendance were honorees Sarah Arlinghaus Gulley (volleyball), Wesley Idlette (football), Natalie Munday (women's basketball), Jessica Petersen-Hunt (women's soccer), Wendy Wheeler Petty (women's tennis), Larry F. Stephens (football and baseball), and Chucky Yates (baseball). The Scots also welcomed members of the 1976-79 Fighting Scot football teams that went 28-7 during their careers for arguably the best four-year span in program history.
