DANVILLE, Va. — Averett University football capped off a 23-6 victory over Brevard College with the help of a pick-six late to seal the win over its former conference foe on Saturday night on Daly Field at Frank R. Campbell Stadium.

Although Averett (2-1) held Brevard (0-3) scoreless for most of the game, a blocked punt return for a touchdown gave the Tornados a glimmer of hope with 9:29 to play in the fourth quarter, only trailing 16-6 after the two-point conversion failed when it was intercepted. The contest remained a 10-point game until the final minutes. Sophomore safety Triston Spencer picked off a Brevard pass and returned it 27 yards for a touchdown with 2:09 to play, all but ending the Tornados' chances at a comeback.

Averett looked the part of the better team in the first half, but Brevard kept the Cougars out of the end zone as multiple drives stalled in Tornado territory. Senior kicker Will Caviness hit a 20-yard field goal to give Averett a 3-0 advantage in the first quarter, and Caviness added a 24-yard field goal early in the second quarter and a 37-yard field goal with 6:29 left in the third quarter to put the Cougars ahead 9-0 entering the final frame of play.

Averett finally broke through for a touchdown in the opening minutes of the fourth as senior quarterback Bryce Jackson found junior Tavien Goffigan for an 8-yard touchdown to extend the Cougars' advantage to 16-0 with 13:17 remaining.

Brevard and Averett both went three-and-out on their ensuing drives, and Averett's punt attempt was blocked by James Woods, who picked it up and returned it into the end zone for a touchdown to get the Tornados within 16-7. Brevard elected to go for a two-point conversion to try to cut the lead to eight points — which would have made it a one-score game — but senior Ty Tillman picked off the conversion attempt.

Averett's next drive chewed up nearly seven minutes of clock in the fourth quarter, and the Cougars gave up the ball on downs on the Brevard 24-yard line. After a sack by senior JaVon Lofton, Spencer picked off Eli Carr's pass and took it the distance as a stadium of more than 2,500 erupted.

The victory gives the Cougars a two-game winning streak entering the bye week before Old Dominion Athletic Conference play starts.

Averett's offense totaled 327 yards, with Jackson completing 20 passes for 212 yards and one score. Goffigan was his top target for the second week in a row with six catches for 70 yards. Sophomore Marquise Woodruff also had four catches for 66 yards. Freshman Shyheim Watlington led the ground attack with 15 rushes for 75 net yards.

Freshman Ashton Edington led Averett's defense with six tackles and two pass breakups. Spencer, senior Isaiah Sharper and sophomore Cody Britt each had interceptions and senior Johnathan Terrell recovered a fumble in the win.


 
 
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