Guilford Downs Catholic, 24-10, in Home Finale
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Matt Pawlowski rushed for a career-high 136 yards and a touchdown in Guilford College's 24-10 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) football win over visiting Catholic University of America Saturday. The rookie also passed for 201 yards in the Quakers' (5-4, 4-2 ODAC) fourth win in five games.
Guilford senior Mike Williams added 120 rushing yards and a score and Tyler Hunt kicked a school record-tying three field goals. The win clinched Guilford's best season since 2007 when the Quakers finished 6-4.
Guilford's offense reached the red zone on each of its first five possessions, but Catholic's defense held the Quakers to three Hunt field goals. The freshman booted a 41-yarder early in the first quarter, Guilford's longest since 2006. His 19-yard field goal 3:45 before halftime made it 9-0 and matched the school record for field goals in a game, which he shares with three others.
Pawlowski's one-yard run seven seconds before halftime sent the Quakers into the locker room with a 16-0 lead.
As the teams traded possessions and interceptions in the third quarter, momentum gradually shifted to the Cardinals. Catholic had the Quakers on their heels after a 13-play, 80-yard scoring drive capped by a 10-yard touchdown pass from Greg Cordivari to Tucker Hubbell. Patrick Rooney's point-after made it a 16-7 game with 12:27 left in regulation.
Catholic's defense held on fourth down from its own 27-yard line on the ensuing Guilford possession. Cordivari and company marched right back down into Guilford territory. Facing a fourth-and-three from the Quakers' four-yard line with six minutes to play, the Cardinals opted for a 12-yard Timbo McGarry field goal that made it a 16-10 game.
Williams put the game out of reach with a 30-yard run on a third-and-two play with 2:51 to go. Adam Smith passed to Pawlowski for the two-point conversion and Guilford had a two-touchdown lead. Satiir Stevenson ended any chance of a Cardinals' comeback with his second interception of the game, this one with 1:57 remaining.
Williams and Pawlowski became first Quakers' tandem with over 100 rushing yards in the same game since Sept. 8, 2001. Guilford finished with a season-high 243 rushing yards, its best single-game total since 2008. Williams, one of six seniors recognized prior to the game, moved into seventh place on Guilford's career rushing list with 1,549 yards. Pawlowski also completed 15-of-26 passes for 201 yards and moved into seventh place on the school's season passing yardage list (2,120).
Catholic's Cordivari completed 20-of-42 passes for 139 yards and a touchdown. Alonzo Cooke made four receptions and Hubbell finished with three. Cardinals' linebacker Conor Stuecker made a game-high 14 tackles.
The Quakers close out the 2012 season next Saturday (11/10) at league-rival Emory & Henry College. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m.
