RALEIGH, N.C. – Newton Miller III (Redshirt Fr./York, Pa.) scored twice and Walter Sanders (Sr./Baltimore, Md.) rushed for 165 yards and a score to spark Saint Augustine's College to an easy 31-7 victory over Saint Paul's College Saturday in the CIAA football opener for both teams at Broughton High School Stadium.
The win raised the Falcons' record to 2-1 overall. The Tigers stayed winless at 0-3.
“The guys played like they are capable of playing,” Falcon Head Coach Michael Costa said. “All three phases contributed. We scored to start the game and that set things on fire.”
Miller took the opening kickoff 83 yards for a touchdown to give the Falcons a 7-0 lead. His 32-yard touchdown run in the third quarter was the game's final score.
Sanders dominated in between Miller's scores. The 5-foot-11, 210-pound tailback gained a huge chunk of his yards on a 65-yard touchdown scamper to open the second quarter. His score stretched the Falcons' lead to 21-7.
Sanders rushed for over 100 yards for the second consecutive week. Last Saturday, Sanders gained 128 yards and scored twice in a losing effort against Mars Hill College. The school's career rushing leader since 2002, Sanders helped the Falcons rush for a whopping 220 yards.
The Falcons also scored on a 31-yard touchdown pass from Joaquin Green (Redshirt Soph./Pittsboro, N.C.) to Jone' Harris (Sr./Fairfield, Calif.) and a 21-yard field goal by Alexander Tucker (Fr./Union, S.C.). Green completed seven of 13 passes for 95 yards.
Led by Miller and Tyron Laughinghouse (Soph./Greenville, N.C.), the Falcons averaged 62 yards on kickoff returns and 19 yards on punt returns. The defense also contributed as linebackers Mark Hall (Sr./Suitland, Md.), Steven Stanback (Sr./Temple Hills, Md.) and Chaz Robinson (Fr./Hampton, Va.) combined for 30 tackles including a game-high 11 by Hall. They led a defense that held the Tigers to 89 yards rushing. Defensive end Joe Reed (Soph./Anderson, S.C.) collected 1.5 of the Falcons' four sacks.
Stiffin Miller-Colon of the Tigers was 13 of 22 for 155 yards but threw an interception to the Falcons' Dedrick Early (Jr./Warner Robins, Ga.). Khiry Bennett led the Tigers with nine tackles.
The Falcons hit the road Saturday (Sept. 25) for a contest against Lincoln (Pa.) at 1 p.m. The Tigers host Livingstone College on the same day.
