DUE WEST, S.C. – The Erskine College football team (0-4, 0-2 SAC) was defeated by Newberry College (3-1, 2-0 SAC) by a score of 24-17 at J.W. Babb Stadium in the Fleet's home opener on Saturday evening. Junior wide receiver Marquell Brown returned a kick for a touchdown in the opening quarter that gave Erskine an early lead, and senior running back Rashad Luckey scored his third touchdown of the season late to make the final minute entertaining as the Flying Fleet fought to the bitter end against the two-time reigning SAC champions.
 
THE BASICS
Final | Newberry 24, Erskine 17
Records | Erskine 0-4 (0-2 SAC), Newberry 3-1 (2-0 SAC)
Location | Greenwood, S.C. (J.W. Babb Stadium)
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE

• Quincy Hill completed both of his pass attempts off the bench for 14 yards, as both teams struggled to move the ball through the air.
• Jalen Samuels led the Fleet rushing attack with 69 yards on 9 carries, as Erskine totaled a season-high 198 yards on the ground. However, Newberry posted 320 rushing yards of its own.
• Marquell Brown returned a kickoff 84 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter, the first kick return touchdown for the Flying Fleet since they resumed the program in 2020.
• Jarvis McClurkin led the Fleet defense with a career-high 14 tackles, while Johnmond Howard forced a fumble in the redzone.

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter:
After the Erskine offense went three-and-out on its first possession, Newberry marched right down the field, relying heavily on the run game, and got the ball inside the 5-yard line. But, the Erskine defense stood tall and forced the Wolves into a field goal to open the scoring. On the ensuing kickoff, Marquell Brown, one of the "up men", took a short kick and returned it 84 yards to the house, firing the Fleet in front, 7-3.

Second Quarter:
Newberry regained the lead with a 25-yard touchdown run on the third play of the second quarter, and the Wolves appeared to be getting ready to add onto their lead. But, Johnmond Howard came up from his linebacker position and popped Newberry's Dwayne Wright, prying the ball free from the quarterback, and Joshua Kamoto fell on top of it to keep it a one-score game. However, the Wolves defense got a stop, and took advantage of a short field to extend their lead to 17-7 at the half.

Third Quarter:
Newberry started the second half by handing the ball off on seven straight plays, which was followed by a 35-yard field goal attempt. But, Miller Shouse stepped for the Erskine special teams, blocking the field goal attempt to hold the Wolves off the board. However, Erskine went three-and-out again and its ensuing punt was blocked and recovered in the endzone as Newberry opened up a 24-7 lead. The Fleet responded well with an impressive 11-play, 65-yard drive, spurred by a 15-yard carry from Jalen Samuels on the first play and capped by a West Hiller 28-yard field goal to make it a two-score game again.

Fourth Quarter:
The Newberry run game began to impose its will again on the Wolves' next drive, and after a nine-yard run on 3rd-and-goal from the 10-yard line, it looked as if the Wolves were going to score again. However, Newberry elected to go for it on 4th-and-goal, and Maliek Samuel and Dameon Green, along with the entire Erskine front, rose to the occasion to stuff the Newberry quarterback and force a turnover on downs. Erskine regained possession, pinned inside their own one-yard line, but Quincy Hill led another extremely impressive drive. Behind some big runs from Hill and Samuels, the Fleet went 99 yards on 13 plays, with Rashad Luckey punching the ball into the endzone to get Erskine within just seven points. However, the drive took over eight minutes, and left the Fleet with just 1:09 remaining on the clock. That forced Erskine to try an onside kick, and after the Wolves' hands team recovered the attempt, Newberry got a first down to seal the game. But, Erskine sent the two-time reigning South Atlantic Conference champions to the bitter end in the Fleet's 2023 home opener.

WHAT'S NEXT?
Erskine goes back on the road next weekend to take on Wingate University (2-2, 1-1 SAC) at 6 p.m. The Bulldogs won by a score of 31-7 in Greenwood last year in the first ever meeting between the teams.
 
Follow the Flying Fleet all season long to get schedule updates, scores, highlights, photo galleries, game notes and more at www.erskinesports.com.
 
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