Bulldogs pass first night test at Nokes-Lasater

Cumberland holds off Campbellsville 28-23

By ANDY REED

Sports Editor

Following a week of midterm exams, Cumberland passed its first night test at Nokes-Lasater Field with a 28-23 triumph over pesky Campbellsville on Saturday night.

Reed Gurchiek passed for 161 yards and a touchdown and ran for 76 more with another score while Lemeco Miller tacked on 126 rushing yards and a TD as the No. 25 Bulldogs climbed to 6-2 for the season and 2-1 in the Mid-South Conference West Division.

"It was a typical Campbellsville-Cumberland game," Cumberland coach Dewayne Alexander said. "Just a lot of crazy plays, a lot of big plays, both sides.

"I was a little concerned this week because coming off the long road trip, we had midterm exams this week and our guys had a tough week academically. They really responded well. Our defense gave up some yards, but when they had to make the big stops, they did. Offensively, we made some plays when we had to."

Cumberland never trailed. The Bulldogs broke a 7-7 tie when Adrian [Tank] Baker fumbled into the end zone at the end of a 17-yard run. Tight end BJ Stewart emerged from the scrum with the ball and the touchdown early in the second quarter.

Campbellsville, which had a 46-yard field-goal try deflected by Devin Guthrie late in the first quarter, had a golden opportunity to take the lead after Krik Krivitsky's punt buried the Bulldogs on their 3-yard line.

Facing fourth down, Cumberland lined up to punt, but the snap sailed out of the end zone and off the goal post for a safety, bringing Campbellsville within 14-9.

Darius Skinner returned Tyler Emmetts' free punt 52 yards before Anthony Knight saved a touchdown at the 21. Campbellsville converted a first down before a fumble was recovered by Jarred Williams at the 3.

Miller, who put Cumberland on the board with a 25-yard touchdown run on the game's first series, swept 31 yards to the 35 to get the Bulldogs out of field-position trouble, leaving the Tigers with only the safety to show for the favorable field position.

Blake DeBoard broke free for a 36-yard run to the Campbellsville 21 and Gurchiek drew 17 more to the 4. Following a tackle for loss and a penalty, Gurchiek, who completed 11 of 19 passes, hit Miller for 14 yards and a touchdown for a 21-9 lead which stood through halftime.

"That was a huge pivotal point in the ballgame," Alexander said.

Campbellsville [2-6, 1-3] never went away as Bryan Parnes completed 23 of 37 passes for 259 yards and three touchdowns. The first score went 31 yards to Demytreus Gipson on the Tigers' first series for a 7-7 tie. The next was an 18-yarder to Steph'Von Haynes to bring the visitors within 21-16 at 4:25 of the third quarter.

Cumberland, which hadn't done much offensively in the second half to that point, made its third series count as Gurchiek hit Daniel Dayton for 30 yards, then kept on the option for 44 yards to the house for a 28-16 lead with three minutes left in the third. Dayton was wearing No. 7 after his No. 1 had to be cut off after he was taken from Nokes-Lasater by ambulance during the Union game two weeks earlier when he sustained a concussion and neck injury.

Parnes' final touchdown toss came on the next series, a 28-yarder to Demetric Ray, to bring Campbellsville to within five in the closing seconds of the third quarter.

But Cumberland survived a halfback-pass interception to get a fourth-down stop at the 9, a fumble recovery by Williams and an interception by Michael Hagewood off Grant Jones' deflection to seal the deal.

"Everytime we had to respond and make something happen defensively, we did," Alexander said.

In addition to it being the first home night game for Cumberland since 2000, Saturday was also a good day for the 'Dawgs away from Lebanon as  division-leading Faulkner lost at Bethel, dropping the Eagles to 3-1 in the division and tied with Belhaven for second place. CU is fourth and will travel to 3-0 Bethel this coming Saturday for a 1:30 p.m. kickoff while Belhaven, which already has a loss to the 'Dawgs, goes to Faulkner.

"It's opened that Mid-South Conference race back up for us, put us in a position where all we have to do is just keep winning," said Alexander, whose Bulldogs have three games left.

Attendance figures for Saturday's game weren't immediately available, but Alexander said the night game is proof that the move to Lebanon High's former field is paying dividends.

"We've had in three ballgames almost 8,000 fans attend Cumberland football games," Alexander said. "We had a good crowd tonight, we have one home game left on Senior Day when we play Bluefield in two weeks. We're going to draw over 10,000 fans this year, which is a great testament to what this facility has done for us.

"I can't wait to recruit to it and what it can do for Cumberland football."

Sports Editor Andy Reed can be reached at 444-3952, ext. 17; or by email at andy.reed@lebanondemocrat.com