RALEIGH, N.C. (Sept. 4) – Saint Augustine's University started slow but finished fast.
Though the Falcons fell 58-14 to Tusculum in their football season opener Saturday, the second half provided a glimpse into the near future of the youthful squad.
The Falcons hit the field for the first time since 2019 with a new coaching staff and many newcomers. The non-conference contest was the first step towards becoming a competitive and cohesive unit that aspires to be conference champs and playoff contenders.
They hosted a seasoned opponent at the George Williams Athletic Complex, one that returned many players from its South Atlantic Conference title run in the spring.
Though Tusculum led 24-0 by halftime, the Falcons continued to battle in the second half.
D'Ontre Gilliard (So./Holly Hill, SC), an All-CIAA Rookie quarterback two years ago, came off the bench and directed two scoring drives.
Gilliard's 21-yard run in Tusculum territory set up his two-yard score in the third quarter. The key play in the drive was
Cameron Moore's (Fr./Mount Airy, NC) 20-yard jaunt up the middle near the goal line on the previous play.
In the fourth quarter, Gilliard found Deandre Parker (Fr./Elizabeth City, NC) for a 31-yard pickup inside the Tusculum 5-yard line. The next play,
Charles Crump (Fr./Monroe, NC) crossed the goal line from the 4 for the score.
Chase Kiefer (Fr./Jacksonville, NC) booted both extra points.
Both scores gave the energetic pro-Falcons crowd of over 1,000 fans more life at the 2,500-capacity stadium. Tusculum scored again late for the final score, but the fans sensed after the game that good times are coming for SAU.
Crump finished with 51 yards on nine carries for a 5.7 average per carry and Proctor snagged two catches for 45 yards. Cornerback
Cornelius Booker (Fr./Kannapolis, NC) had eight tackles and three pass breakups to lead an opportunistic defense that forced three turnovers.
Darrius Casey (Jr./Glen Burnie, MD) forced and recovered a fumble on a punt return and
Lee Sales (R-Fr./Winston-Salem, NC) pounced on a fumble.
Joseph Harris (Jr./Jacksonville, FL) intercepted a pass deep in Falcons territory to stop a potential scoring drive.
Despite the score, the goal hasn't changed for first-year Head Coach
David Bowser and the SAU football program. They plan to improve each game and become CIAA championship contenders.
The Falcons are on the road next Saturday (Sept. 11) against Limestone in another non-conference contest against a South Atlantic Conference opponent. Game time is 7 p.m. in Gaffney, S.C.
