BREVARD, N.C. - The Brevard College football team (3-2, 1-1 USA South) withstood a late rally by (RV) Southern Virginia University (4-1, 1-1 USAS) to hand the Knights their first loss of 2025 on Homecoming Saturday at Ives-Lemel Family Field.
Brevard led by as many as 18 points at 21-3 and 28-10 before the Knights cut the deficit down to just three points, 28-25 with just under five minutes left to play. The Tornados put together a clutch drive, extended by a crucial catch from Adam Douglas and capitalized by a Darrius Billingsley five-yard touchdown scamper. SVU scored a touchdown within the last minute to keep the comeback attempt afloat, but BC's Reggie Taylor II recovered the onside kick attempt to ice things in favor of the Tornados.
Douglas caught four passes for 116 and two touchdowns, while Taylor also hauled in four receptions for 102 yards and a TD, as the tandem led a 274-yard passing day for the Tornados with Ethan Beamish going 15-for-25 with three touchdowns. Zion Fauntleroy-McDaniel was the bellcow of BC's offense, toting the ball 23 times for 125 yards and a 30-yard touchdown rush.
Defensively, two Tornados registered double-digit tackles, with senior linebacker Baylee Ramey totaling 13 tackles and a tackle for loss. Brandon Broughton added 10 stops, one and a half TFL, and an interception, while James Laycock had six total tackles, two TFL and a sack. Hayden Vandegriff was perfect on point after tries, while Jeremyah Lane returned the opening kickoff 55 yards.
Beamish found Douglas on BC's first drive of the afternoon for a nine-yard touchdown strike, giving the hosts the early edge. Each side then traded punts before turnovers traded the ball back and forth. Just before the end of the first period, SVU nailed an 18-yard field goal attempt to cut the deficit to four points at 7-3.
A lengthy Tornado drive resulted in Fauntleroy-McDaniel's 30-yard touchdown run as BC added to its lead, 14-3. Brevard forced another SVU punt, and then Beamish hit Taylor II in stride for a 75-yard touchdown connection. The 18-point gap held firm until the halftime intermission.
Each side traded a pair of possessions before SVU's Devin Watson scrambled for a 24-yard touchdown, cutting the deficit to 11. BC answered right back as Beamish found Douglas for a 67-yard touchdown reception to put the Tornados back up by 18 late in the third quarter.
The Knights used a clever hook-and-ladder touchdown reception just before the end of the third to pull back within 11, 28-17. After a failed fourth down attempt by Brevard early in the fourth, SVU struck quickly, scoring a touchdown with just under five minutes to go to cut the deficit to three points as Jireek Washington caught both the touchdown pass and the two-point conversion.
With the Tornados staring at a third-and-five in enemy territory, Douglas came through with a clutch 33-yard reception, followed by Billingsley's touchdown rush. SVU, however, was able to cut the deficit back down to three inside of a minute to play, but BC's onside kick recovery sealed the victory for the Tornados.
Brevard travels to LaGrange, Georgia next weekend to take on LaGrange College on Saturday, October 18 at 1 p.m.
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-BC-