Cats Win Without Spectators

                                                                           

Western Carolina's Jalynn Williams had two short touchdown runs, and CJ Williams broke up a fourth-down pass with 45 seconds remaining as Western Carolina held off the Wofford Terriers to win 21-17 on Saturday in Cullowhee without spectators, due to rescue and recovery efforts around the western North Carolina region.

WCU elected to attempt a 53-yard field goal on fourth-and-14 with 1:36 remaining, but Paxton Robertson narrowly missed it to the right, setting up Wofford at its 36-yard line for a potential game-winning drive.

The Terriers' Pauly Seeley ran for a 15-yard gain on first down and then completed a 3-yard pass to Dylan Djet. Seeley overthrew a wide-open receiver on third down and then tried to squeeze a pass to Rickie Shaw over the middle that Williams batted to the ground in the closing seconds.

Purple & Gold's "Player of the Game" junior quarterback Cole Gonzales, completed 29-of-39 attempts, passing for 257 yards, and rushed 7 times for 65 yards (second leading rusher in the game) for WCU. Junior running back Branson Adams rushed for 84 of the Catamounts' 218 yards in 13 attempts, averaging 16 and a half yards per carry. Wofford's Seeley threw for 209 yards and a touchdown for the Terriers (2-3, 0-2 Southern Conference).

Western Carolina (2-3, 1-0 Southern Conference) has now won four straight games in the series between the Catamounts and Terriers.  Next week the Cats face The Citadel in Cullowhee, as the Bulldogs lost to Furman today, as the Paladins outscored the Bulldogs 14-3 in the fourth quarter to narrowly pick up the  win 17-16.