BNI Newswire

LIVINGSTON – Concordia got a rude welcome in Livingston Thursday night.

The University of West Alabama Tigers pounded the Concordia College Hornets into submission 65-0.

The game gave UWA’s new head coach his first win. It was the second consecutive season opening win against Concordia.

“We are very pleased with the outcome of the game,” said Bobby Wallace after the game.

“We were pleased with the execution of our offense.”

The UWA offense amassed 509 in total offense. Senior running back Jerin Wright lead the way on offense with 122 yards rushing and three touchdowns. The Tigers scored six rushing touchdowns, which tied the record that was set in 1975.

Junior quarterback James Reiter contributed to the attack with 8-of-13 passing for 159 yards and a touchdown.

UWA came out fired up and anxious to hit somebody. It showed in the penalties that were assessed against them.

Mitch Warfield’s 29-yard field goal in the first quarter started the scoring attack for the Tigers. Wright went over from one yard out with the clock reading 23 seconds to make it 10-0.

The Tigers scored three touchdowns in the second quarter. Wright blasted up the middle for three yards to get his second of three touchdowns for the game.

That capped a 98-yard drive. Two Hornet turnovers led the next to scores for the Tigers. Sophomore Josh Jones ran in for a nine yard score to put UWA up 24-zip. Then just before the half ended senior linebacker Kidane McBride made a one-handed interception and returned it 36 yards for the score.

That was the play that probably busted the sails of the Hornets. They found themselves in the hole by 31 points.

The Tigers hit pay dirt early in the third quarter, with Wright plowing his way to the end zone on a two-yard scamper off tackle and his third score of the game.

Reiter hit Chris Coach for an 18-yard strike less than two minutes later for yet another touchdown.

Coach Wallace sent in his second and third teams to finish the game. They added three more scores including a 99-yard interception return by Dee Spence.