From staff reports

SALISBURY — The Commemorative Classic lived up to its billing on Saturday at Alumni Memorial Stadium.

It was a classic — and then some.

Livingstone’s defense stopped Johnson C. Smith on fourth-and-goal at the 1-yard line in the final seconds of regulation and made that defensive stand pay off with a 26-20 overtime victory over the Blue Bears’ biggest rival. Quandarious Smith scored the decisive touchdown.

The teams combined for 15 punts, but there was more offense than expected. Livingstone (4-6, 3-6) put together its best stats of the season in the back-and-forth CIAA struggle, totaling 448 yards of balanced offense.

Freshman Silas Cruse threw missiles for the Blue Bears. He had his highest QB rating of the season with 244 passing yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

Tecorey Tutson had a 78-yard run in the first quarter to put Livingstone in the red zone, but the Blue Bears missed the chip-shot field goal.

Undaunted, the Blue Bears got six on their next possession. Cruse hit Tre Fields for 45 yards to the J.C. Smith 12 and tossed a touchdown pass to Matthew Henry on the next play.  The PAT was blocked, but Livingstone had a 6-0 lead.

J.C. Smith QB Robert Adams threw a 34-yard scoring pass to Brevin Caldwell in the second quarter and the Golden Bulls converted the PAT for a 7-6 halftime edge.

Cruse threw short TD passes to Henry and Semaj Parker in the third quarter. Those scores were sandwiched around a rushing TD by the visitors. LC led 20-13 after three quarters.

J.C. Smith (2-7, 2-6) moved the ball 91 yards in five plays to score with 4:12 left in the game and kicked the point for a 20-all tie.

Livingstone went three-and-out and a 26-yard punt handed J.C. Smith the ball at the Livingstone 46 with 3:11 left.

The Golden Bulls launched what looked to be a game-winning drive. J.C. Smith had first-and-goal at the Livingstone 9, but that’s where the Blue Bears dug in.

On third-and-goal from the 6, Adams kept the ball and fought his way to the Livingstone 1 before he was tackled by Kevin Larkins Jr.

On fourth-and-goal, LC’s Ryan Hatter Jr. and Denarea McMillan halted Tyriek Leach short of the goal line with 7 seconds left in regulation.

LC had to run one play, but was able to get the ball out to the 3 as time expired.

Livingstone had the ball first in OT. Smith scored a touchdown from 3, but the PAT was blocked, leaving the Blue Bears with a precarious 26-20 lead.

J.C. Smith had second-and-goal at the Livingstone 1, but lost 14 yards on a fumble. On third down, Adams was hit and fumbled again. McMillan made the recovery for the Blue Bears to end the game.

It was a satisfying win for the Blue Bears. They were in control against J.C. Smith in 2021 when a fight stopped the game and officials ruled it “no contest.”

•••

Lenoir-Rhyne 62, Catawba 10

SALISBURY — Things didn’t get any better for Catawba’s football team on Saturday.

The Indians were overwhelmed 62-10 at Shuford Stadium by South Atlantic Conference rival Lenoir-Rhyne.

The Bears (7-3, 6-2)  came in angry. They’d lost two in a row and they took their frustrations out on the battered Indians (1-9, 0-8), who are nearing the end of a disastrous season.

Lenoir-Rhyne piled up 552 yards of offense, with Sean White throwing for 269 yards. Backs Dwayne McGee and Zyheir Dillard combined for 143 rushing yards and four touchdowns.

Lenoir-Rhyne led 28-0 before Catawba got on the scoreboard with a 28-yard Clayton Crile field goal with 4:05 left in the first half.

The Bears answered with another touchdown, scoring with 41 seconds left in the half for a 34-3 lead. There wasn’t much suspense after that.

Trailing 55-3 in the fourth quarter, Catawba scored its only touchdown on a 1-yard run by Daniel Parker.

On a positive note, Catawba did have a healthy quarterback for this one. Ridge Jacobs was able to play and completed 9 of 21 passes for 61 yards.

The Indians’ running game didn’t provide much assistance — 81 yards on 33 attempts for 2.5 yards per carry.

Catawba managed just seven first downs, with three of those coming via penalties.  Catawba didn’t turn the ball over, but just couldn’t move it. Crile was called on to punt nine times.

Jordan Gregg made 10 tackles for the Indians.

Catawba will finish the season at home next Saturday afternoon against Carson-Newman.