VALLEY, Ala. -- The Lindsey Wilson defense set a program record today while forcing six turnovers as the No. 20-ranked Blue Raider football team beat host Point (Ga.) 33-20 at Ram Stadium.
Lindsey Wilson (1-1) held the Skyhawks (0-2) to -48 rushing yards while sacking Point quarterbacks nine times. The Blue Raider defense also produced 17 tackles for a loss, scored a touchdown off an interception, and forced a safety following an intentional grounding in the endzone.
Overall, the Blue Raider defense surrendered 214 total yards, with two plays totaling 160 yards and two of Point's touchdowns.
Lindsey Wilson never trailed in the game.
The Blue Raiders dented the scoreboard first with the safety just three minutes into the game. The Lindsey Wilson offense pushed the lead to 9-0 with a Caleb Marsh 4-yard touchdown run to cap a 10-play, 50-yard drive.
After Point cut the Lindsey Wilson lead to 9-7, the Blue Raiders scored 21 unanswered points to take a 30-7 lead early in the third quarter. David Gardner Jr. and Reid Brickey -- who both scored on rushing touchdowns -- sandwiched Howie Gant's 35-yard pick-six to give Lindsey Wilson a 23-point lead.
Gardner Jr. finished with a game-high 92 rushing yards in the win. As a team, the Blue Raiders rushed for 183 yards.
Point refused to go away, and following a halftime quarterback change, the Skyhawks scored on a pair of big passing plays. Mitchell Gosset connected on passing touchdowns of 68 and 92 yards to pull the Skyhawks within 10 points early in the fourth quarter.
Following the Point big plays, the Lindsey Wilson defense stiffened, allowing just 10 yards over the last 12 minutes.
Shaun Morse capped the scoring with 2:24 remaining with a 22-yard field goal to give Lindsey Wilson the 33-20 lead and ultimately the win.
Ronald Carr, Troy Churchill, Braden Ford, and Sam Taylor led the Blue Raider defense with five tackles each. The quartet combined for 13 tackles for a loss and seven sacks. Adriene Bailey and Lou Burchfield joined Gant with interceptions in the win.
Lindsey Wilson produced 256 yards of offense during the game but struggled on third down, converting just two of its 17 attempts while committing a pair of turnovers.
The Blue Raiders return to action at 1 p.m. CT on Saturday, September 14, as Lindsey Wilson hosts Bluefield (Va.) at Parnell Family Stadium.
