April 7, 2014. Quarterback Kameron Bryant (Cary, N.C./Panther Creek) capped a three-play, 65-yard drive with a three-yard touchdown run on the next-to-last-series to lift Appalachian State University football’s offense to a 75-74 victory over the defense in an entertaining Spring Game on Friday evening at Kidd Brewer Stadium.
The game pitted Appalachian State’s offense and defense and featured a modified scoring system to determine a “winner” and holder of bragging rights throughout the offseason.
Appalachian’s defense led for much of the game and was clinging to a 66-61 advantage with two series to go before Bryant engineered the go-ahead drive. Bryant opened the series with a 15-yard pass to Bobo Beathard (Haymarket, Va./Battlefield), followed by a 48-yard run by Marcus Cox (Dacula, Ga./Dacula) that moved the ball to the three-yard line. On the very next play, Bryant ran it in to give the offense a 72-66 lead.
The defense had a chance to pull out the victory on the final series when a bad snap sailed over quarterback Logan Hallock’s (Ferguson, N.C./West Wilkes) head and a scrum for the ball ensued. However, Hallock was able to fend off several defenders for the loose ball and the offense held on to win by the slimmest of margins.
In addition to what proved to be the game-winning touchdown run, Bryant also threw a 51-yard touchdown pass to Simms McElfresh (Charlotte, N.C./Charlotte Christian) and finished the evening with 165 yards on 13-of-26 passing. Hallock threw a two-yard pass to Dante Jones (Raleigh, N.C./Southeast Raleigh) for the offense’s only other touchdown. The offense also got 36- and 34-yard field goals from Zach Matics (Jacksonville, N.C./Southwest-Onslow) and a 46-yarder from Bentlee Critcher (South Daytona, Fla./Warner Christian Academy).
The defense also scored a touchdown when redshirt freshman Dustin Anderson (Hiddenite, N.C./Alexander Central) forced and scooped up a fumble by Eric Davidson (Greensboro, N.C./Western Guilford) and returned it 51 yards to paydirt.
Cox ran for 121 yards on 15 carries to highlight the offensive statistically while nose tackle Tyson Fernandez (Fuquay-Varina, N.C./Fuquay-Varina) led the defense with 11 tackles, a sack and a tackle for loss.
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