Box Score

CULLOWHEE, N.C. – The Elon defense forced four turnovers and a late touchdown pass from Thomas Wilson to Aaron Mellette proved to be the difference as the Phoenix defeated the Western Carolina Catamounts 38-31 on a beautiful mountain day on Saturday.  Elon's win was its sixth straight over the Catamounts.

"We're a young team that's trying to figure it out right now," said Elon head coach Jason Swepson.  "We're doing a pretty good job coming out of halftime.  We thought we had the game under control when we were up 31-17 and we flinched.  We're learning and growing together.  We just hung in there, even though we had a lot of penalties and misfortunes.  They just believed."

Western Carolina (1-4, 0-3 Southern Conference) took a 7-0 lead with 9:52 remaining in the first quarter when Josh Cockrell took a reverse 10 yards for the game’s first score.  The Catamounts were set up in great field position after a pass attempt was tipped at the line and intercepted by Western’s Marcus Stokes.

Gary Coates blocked his second punt of the first quarter to set Elon (4-2, 2-1) up at the Western three-yard line.  The Phoenix gained one yard on first down before an incompletion and a penalty made it third-and-goal from the seven.  Wilson dropped back to pass and then raced to the end zone, diving in for the touchdown as Elon tied it at seven with 18 seconds left in the first quarter.

On the ensuing possession, the Catamounts faced a third-and-four from its own 39 before Brandon Pechloff lofted a pass deep down the middle of the field where an open Cockrell hauled it in and raced in for a 61-yard touchdown that put Western back in front 14-7 with 14:18 to play in the first half.

After starting at its own 20 following a WCU punt, Elon took over with 9:13 left on the first half clock.  Wilson found Mellette for an eight-yard gain on second-and-10.  Wilson went back to Mellette for another four yards and an Elon first down at the 32 to move the chains.  On third-and-three, Wilson zipped a pass to a streaking Jeremy Peterson for a 14-yard pick-up to move into Catamount territory at the 47.  A personal foul against Western moved the Phoenix down to the Catamount’s 28-yard line, but the drive stalled at the 27 and Adam Shreiner came on to attempt a 44-yard field goal.  The attempt was blocked, but Western lined up offside and Shreiner got a chance for a 39-yarder that he booted through the uprights to make it a 14-10 game.

The Phoenix offense came out firing in the second half and marched 67 yards on eight plays to take a 17-14 lead.  Elon converted a third-and-five with a seven-yard pass from Wilson to Mellette that moved the ball to the Elon 45.  After picking up another first down at the Western 45-yard line, Wilson went deep down the left sideline to Mellette for a 37-yard completion that set up a first-and-goal at the eight.  Two plays later, Dontay Taylor bowled in from three yards out to put the Phoenix on top for the first time, 17-14.

On the ensuing Catamount drive, linebacker Jonathan Spain, making his first start of his career, stepped in front of a Pechloff pass for an interception and the Phoenix took over at the Western 41.  A.J. Harris scampered for 16 yards on first down to the Catamount 25.  On third-and-10 Wilson fired to Christian Dennis for a first down at the nine.  Harris took it in on the next play as the Phoenix put up 14 points less than six minutes into the final half to build a 24-14 lead.

Akeem Langham made a diving tackle to potentially save a score on the kickoff as Nate Harris returned the ball 30 yards to the Western 48.  On second-and-nine from the Elon 40, Pechloff went deep down the Catamount sideline for a 28-yard gain to Deja Alexander as Western advanced to the Elon 12.  A personal foul on second down against the Catamounts backed the ball up to the 21 and brought up a third-and-19.  Pechloff threw toward Cockrell who dropped a sure touchdown, setting up a Clark Sechrest 38-yard field goal that made it a 24-17 game.

A Blake Thompson interception return of 47 yards set up Elon’s next score.  The Phoenix started at the Western 21 and scored three plays later when Taylor went in from four yards out to give Elon a 31-17 lead with 12:09 to play.

Western Carolina struck quickly in response when Cockrell broke two Elon tackles and went 66 yards for a touchdown after a reception.  The PAT pulled the Catamounts back within a touchdown, 31-24.

After forcing Elon to punt, Pechloff converted a third-and-three by running for four yards to the Western 39.  A 26-yard pass to Cockrell moved the Catamounts down to the Elon 27.  On fourth-and-10 from the 27, Pechloff completed a pass to Mitchell down to the 18 for what would have been short of the marker, but a holding penalty on Elon allowed the drive to continue with a first down at the 17.  Johnson ran the hand off up the middle for a gain of nine yards on first down before Pechloff was taken down for a loss of two.  Mitchell’s third-down run was stopped at the eight, bringing up another fourth down.  Johnson’s second effort on fourth down moved the ball to the five, setting up a first-and-goal.  Pechloff tossed a ball into the back of the end zone where Taylor Spangler made the grab and Sechrest’s PAT evened the score at 31 with 4:05 showing on the clock.

Wilson went deep to Mellette on second down for a gain of 59 yards to the Western one on second-and-six from the Elon 40.  Two plays later Wilson tossed into the back right corner of the end zone where Mellette pulled down a TD pass.  The catch gave Mellette a touchdown grab in seven consecutive outings.

Elon sealed the victory when Jonathan Conner picked off Pechloff with 1:53 remaining.

The Phoenix offense compiled 360 yards of offense, including 207 passing yards for Wilson who completed 24 of 33 passes.  Mellette ended the day with eight receptions for 124 yards and a score.  Harris ran the ball 23 times for 98 yards while Taylor finished with 45 yards and two scores on 12 carries.

Pechloff completed 12 passes of 231 yards for the Catamounts.  Cockrell had two catches for 127 yards.

Elon's defensive unit was led by Thompson who finished the day with 11 total tackles.  Conner ended the afternoon with six stops, a forced fumble and an interception while Spain tallied six tackles, an interception and one fumble recovery.

Western's Rock Williams led all players with 19 tackles.

Elon will play on the road again next weekend as the Phoenix visits Samford for a 3 p.m. Eastern kickoff.