Box Score
FERRUM, Va. —
Dontavious Watson couldn't breathe, but he didn't mind. The senior running back was at the bottom of the pile as his Averett teammates mauled him following a 25-yard game-winning touchdown run in the third overtime. The Cougars held off Ferrum College 34-28 in three overtimes on Saturday to earn the right to play for the USA South Conference championship and an NCAA berth next weekend.
Averett (7-2, 5-1 USA South) couldn't make a 14-7 lead hold up in regulation as Ferrum (4-5, 2-4 USA South) scored a game-tying touchdown with less than a minute to play.
In overtime, Averett elected to play defense first. However, the Cougars were unsuccessful in keeping Ferrum out of the end zone. Mike Vann scored from 1-yard out to put the Panthers in front. On Averett's ensuing possession, the Cougars knotted the score with a 5-yard fade pass to senior
Anthony Squillini from junior
Cody Ladutko to force a second overtime session.
Watson punched it in from 3 yards out to give Averett a 28-21 advantage, but once again the Panthers matched them. Vann plowed through the defense for an 8-yard run to send the game to a third overtime.
The Panthers got the first possession in the third overtime and continued to find success on the ground. On third down and 6 from Averett's 21-yard line, Ferrum quarterback Matt Dobson — who gave Averett's defense trouble all afternoon — appeared to be scrambling for another Ferrum first down, but junior linebacker Logan Smyth clipped Dobson's ankle just enough to make the junior stumble. In the process, Dobson lost the ball and Averett freshman Asaad Graham was there to fall on it.
With the fate in their own hands, the Cougars needed either a field goal or a touchdown to earn the win. Watson didn't make them wait long. The 5-foor-10, 204-pounder bounced off a defender and got out to the right sideline, where he tight-roped the line all the way into the end zone to give Averett its first ever win at Ferrum in six attempts.
Not only did the win give the Cougars their first victory at W.B. Adams Stadium, it also propelled them into a chance to win their second USA South title. Averett hosts N.C. Wesleyan next Saturday. Although the Bishops are undefeated in the conference, a Cougars win would mean a shared conference title and Averett would earn the automatic berth into the NCAAs based on the head-to-head matchup.
Yet, early on, it wasn't a given that the Cougars were going to be in position to fight for a championship. Averett and Ferrum both struggled to get anything going offensively in the first half. Averett missed two field goal attempts, and neither team got on the scoreboard until Dobson scored from 14 yards out with 37 seconds left in the first half.
Averett finally got the momentum it needed early in the third quarter. Junior
Jeremy Dixon broke a 73-yard punt return for a touchdown to tie the game. The Cougars then took their first lead on their next possession when freshman
Anthony McCall capped off a nine-play, 67-yard drive with a 3-yard touchdown.
With Averett's defense playing steadily, it seemed as though the Cougars were poised to escape with the win in regulation. Ferrum had other plans. The Panthers took over with 4:14 left in the fourth quarter and methodically worked their way down the field en route to a Dobson touchdown.
Dobson finished with 171 rushing yards to lead Ferrum, which outgained Averett 451-285 in total offense. However, the Panthers' four lost fumbles and one interception helped even it out.
Watson finished with 18 carries for 88 yards and two scores to lead the Averett offense. Squillini also had seven catches for 95 yards and a touchdown.
Senior
Zane Cooper led the Cougars on defense with 10 tackles, one sack and a forced fumble. Senior
William Bonilla also came up big with an interception and a fumble recovery.
The game was only the third time in the program's history that went into overtime. The last time it happened was a three-overtime affair with Ferrum in Danville on Oct. 2, 2004. The Cougars won that game 46-44.