By Mike London
mike.london@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — Malcolm Wilson found out on Friday that he would get the start at running back for the Catawba Indians against Barton on homecoming.

“It was going to be my first college start,” Wilson said. “But it’s not like I wasn’t prepared for it. I work as hard as I can in practice every day. I know the playbook.”

As it turned out, Wilson did know the playbook. And hard work still pays off most of the time.

On Saturday, Wilson had a super game — 23 carries, 170 yards, one touchdown. He more than doubled his stats for the entire season, and he was instrumental in Catawba’s biggest win so far.

The Indians took over in the second half and beat Barton 32-27 at Shuford Stadium for a South Atlantic Conference win.

“Can’t tell you how good it felt,” Wilson said. “I look for those creases, and the creases were there all day. Our offensive line — those guys did some work.”

Wilson was a special high school back for North Rowan, a two-time Rowan County Offensive Player of the Year who put up crazy numbers. He wasn’t highly recruited because he doesn’t have exceptional size or amazing speed, but he found a college home at Barton. The connection at Barton was Chip Hester, the Barton head coach who had once guided the Catawba Indians. Hester knew all about Wilson, North Rowan and  Rowan County football.

Wilson moved from sixth string to second team on the Barton running back depth chart in a hurry, but second team was as far as he could go. Barton had one of the best backs in Division II in Jordan Terrell. Wilson kept working every day, just in case Terrell got banged up, but Terrell was durable and he was the guy. After two seasons as a backup at Barton and with a new coaching staff at Catawba, Wilson returned home looking for a fresh start. He became a part of the running back mix for the Indians. He scored a touchdown against Emory & Henry, got carries here and there and had chances to contribute, but LJ Turner and Marquece Williams are good backs and they were ahead of him.

Wilson was elevated to a bigger role this week, probably because Catawba was looking for a spark after three straight tough losses. Barton was coming to town and who would be more motivated to play against Barton than Wilson.

Barton (5-4, 3-4) scored first. The Bulldogs played without starting quarterback Jaquan Lynch, a dangerous dual-threat guy, but Tyler Flippen, who is a throwing QB, stepped in and fired the ball accurately. Terrell got the first touchdown for the visitors on a 20-yard burst up the middle.

Catawba answered. Wilson saw daylight to his left and ran for 48 yards to the Barton 15 before he was knocked out of bounds.

“I really should’ve scored on that play,” Wilson said. “I got gassed at the end of the run.”

He’d done his part. Williams put the ball in the end zone on the next snap, and it was 7-7.

Then things swung Barton’s way for a long time. Bryson Sims kicked a 42-yard field goal for the Indians, but at halftime, Terrell had his second touchdown in the books and Barton led 21-10.

“Coach (Tyler) Haines had a good speech at halftime, fired everyone up,” Wilson said. “Things didn’t change in the second half because of adjustments. Things changed because of will. Our will changed in the second half. There was a belief that we would win the ballgame.”

Catawba ran the ball in the second half better than it has all season. The Indians finished with 331 rushing yards. Wilson and Williams, who scored three touchdowns, rolled, as the Indians took over the game. They scored on three straight possessions. Catawba went from down 21-10 to up 32-21.

Wilson got the 4-yard touchdown that cut Catawba’s deficit to 21-16, and Bo Pryor added a 2-point conversion.

“I definitely had a lane to the end zone with some good blocks,” Wilson said. “All I had to do was take that lane.”

Williams punched in the next two touchdowns. He put Catawba ahead 25-21 with 11 minutes left and 32-21 with six minutes to go.

Flippen threw a touchdown pass for 32-27, and Barton still had plenty of time to pull it out.

Barton got a stop, forced a Catawa punt and completed a pass to the Catawba 46.

But Deno Wardlow came through with an interception for the Indians, and his 50-yard return into Barton territory sealed the victory.

Terrell ran for 153 yards, his sixth 100-yard game of the season, but Wilson, his longtime understudy had rushed for 170.

“I was a kind of battle between Jordan and me, and I actually won that battle today,” Wilson said. “But this was a big team win. This one mattered a lot to all the former players and the alumni that came back today to watch us.”

Basically, Catawba beat the SAC’s best running team at its own game.

Catawba had two penalties for 15 yards. Barton had 10 for 100. That helped.

Christian Campbell had a sack for the Indians. Former East Rowan star Christian Bennett had six tackles.

Gabe Hinceman, another former East standout, had three catches for Barton.

Barton returns home to play Limestone next Saturday. Catawba goes to Lenoir-Rhyne for a 2 p.m. game.

 

 

UP NEXT

– Catawba returns to the road next, traveling to Lenoir-Rhyne against the 7th-ranked Bears at 2 p.m.