When the Paladins play, don’t leave early

Trey Hedden threw for 358 yards (Monte Dutton photos). Click here.

It’s going to be an exciting season at Paladin Stadium specifically and in the Southern Conference in general.

Look out there. There is no Davidson of old. The lads had best be ready each week.

The names, images and likenesses do not rival Texas – oops, bad example – but in Saturday’s 31-22 victory over East Tennessee State (2-4, 0-2 SoCon), Furman (4-1, 2-0) was money.

The Paladins spotted the Buccaneers, as habitually unfortunate as Furman is heroic, a 22-7 lead. From there, the 10,527 family weekenders gleefully witnessed 29 minutes, 47 seconds of magic and sleight of hand. Furman collectively took an afternoon of sorcery and kept all the bunny rabbits and top hats in reserve.

Click here.

Poor Will Healy. The first-year ETSU coach has lost by four points at West Georgia, 10 to Elon and four to Mercer.

Mercer (4-1, 4-0) is thus far on top. Furman and Western Carolina are 2-0. (The Paladins visit Cullowhee next Saturday.) The surprising Citadel is 2-1. Chattanooga is 1-1. Wofford (0-5, 0-2), Samford (0-6, 0-4), ETSU and Virginia Military (1-4, 0-1) are ornery for cellar dwellers.

ETSU’s Brenden LeBlanc (91) brings down Ja’Keith Hamilton. Click here.

The Paladins have played five close games, at least until near the end, and won four of them. The loss was one point in overtime to Presbyterian, the non-scholarship wonder of Clinton, which also handed Mercer its only loss.

Winning is contagious. So is losing.

Gavin Hall (6) rushed for 101 yards. Click here.

Furman took the lead for the first time with 3:57 to play on a miracle. Quarterback Trey Hedden was hit as he threw. The toss was a dying quail that Ja’Keith Hamilton tracked like had a shotgun. He plucked it out of a crowd of Buccaneers and took it 53 yards to the end zone. A two-point conversion, Hedden to Luke Clyburn, put the Paladins up, 25-22.

It was Hamilton’s second touchdown reception of the day. He and Ethan Harris each had 11 catches. Hedden hit 36/49 passes for 358 yards.

Hedden from the pocket Click here.

Gavin Hall, sophomore running back of Gainesville, Ga., became Furman’s first triple-digit rusher of the season with 101 yards in 23 carries.

ETSU, of course, had plenty of time to win it or force overtime. The Bucs got as close as the Furman 17 and, after 12 plays, faced second-and-10 at the 26.

Click here.

Not that the Buccaneers were without their own memorable moments. Cole Keller scored the game’s first points, blocking Ian Williams’ punt and recovering it in the end zone.

The East Tennessee quarterback, Jacoby Criswell, took a shot at the end zone on the ill-fated 13th. He hurled to the left sideline, where the intervention of Joshua Stoneking affected its flight. Redshirt freshman cornerback Jordan Miller, Conyers, Ga.’s own, caught it cleanly and sprinted 95 yards to the end zone on the game’s final play.

Click here.

Nothing to it. It was only the third longest interception return in school history.

Take a look at the stats here.

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