WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The final curtain fell on Slippery Rock University’s 2013 football season Saturday afternoon with a 27-20 loss at Winston-Salem State University in first-round action of the NCAA Division II playoffs.
The loss was The Rock’s second in as many weeks, both of which came against nationally-ranked rivals, and gave the fifth-seeded, 20th-ranked Rock a 9-3 final record.
Winston-Salem State, the No. 4 seed and No. 9-ranked team in the nation, moved into the second round of postseason play with a 10-1 record. The Rams, winners of 10 consecutive games, will face top-seeded, sixth-ranked Shepherd University in West Virginia.
The Rock offense, which entered the game as one of the nation’s best with a 566.6 yards per game total offense average, never got untracked and finished the game with only 210 yards in total offense.
Winston-Salem State collected 477 yards in total offense behind a 315-yard, three-touchdown passing effort by quarterback Rudy Johnson, who also rushed for 86 yards on 18 carries.
Junior running back Teddy Blakeman gave The Rock a 6-0 lead with a two-yard run with 10:51 left to play in the first quarter.
Winston-Salem State scored 20 unanswered points before SRU got its second TD on an 18-yard interception return for a touchdown by senior linebacker Quindell Dean with 2:41 left in the first half.
The final Rock touchdown came on a one-yard quarterback sneak by senior Nigel Barksdale with 2:17 left in the third quarter after Winston-Salem State held a 27-13 lead.
Barksdale, The Rock’s regular starting quarterback, served a brief suspension and did not open Saturday’s game. He finished the game with a team-high 36 rushing yards on 15 carries and complete 9 of 22 passes for 67 yards with three attempts being picked off.
Redshirt freshman Zack Newsock, who was SRU’s starting quarterback Saturday, completed 5 of 12 passes for 86 yards.
Senior wide receiver John Schademan caught four passes for 73 yards to lead The Rock receiving effort.
Senior linebacker Bob Westerlund recorded a team-high 11 tackles, fellow senior backer Gary Allen had nine tackles including 3.5 tackles for loss and senior cornerback Anthony Saunders intercepted two passes to lead The Rock defense.
The game featured six interceptions, three fumbles and 29 penalties for 271 yards. Winston-Salem State was penalized 17 times for 155 yards, The Rock was whistled 12 times for 116 yards.
** This came from Slippery Rock Athletics **
Photo Credit: JournalNow.com
