Gold Blanks Black In Annual Spring Game

PEMBROKE – Taylor Baskett kicked a pair of first half field goals and quarterback Cory Smith iced the outcome with a third quarter strike to Josh Throckmorton as the Gold team rode a unbreakable defense to a 13-0 win over the Black team Thursday evening in the third annual Black and Gold Spring Game at Grace P. Johnson Stadium.

Smith threw for 88 yards on 7-of-13 passing to lead the Gold side who also got 63 rushing yards from running back Travis Daniels. The Gold defense held its counterparts to just 50 yards of offense in the first half and just 114 for the game.

Pembroke native Justin Bullard logged a game-best six tackles (three solo), including one for loss, to pace the Gold defense on the night, while linebacker Maurice Hill paced the Black side with six tackles as well, including a tackle for loss assist.

Baskett was a perfect 2-for-2 on field goal attempts in the game, hitting from 32 yards right before the close of the first quarter, while also converting on a 47-yard field goal midway through the second quarter. Punter Bill Stanley made the most of his controlled special teams opportunities, booking a trio of punts for a 41.3-yard average.

The Gold side keyed its first scoring drive of the game with a 47-yard pass from wide receiver Garrett Sutphen to tight end Jared Belknap. Despite gaining just six yards on its next scoring drive, Gold would use the strong leg of Baskett to carry a 6-0 lead into the halftime break. The Black team crossed into Gold territory for just the second time of the night with its opening possession of the second half, but Gold took over on downs and rode the strong legs of Daniels inside the 20-yard line, before Smith found a wide open Throckmorton in the flat and the rising senior dove over the goal line to cap the scoring on the night.

Starting from its own 20-yard line on the final possession of the night, the Black team got an 11-yard rush from Keith Gore and an ensuing 28-yard quarterback scramble from freshman quarterback Teland Todd to get inside the Gold 40-yard line, but the drive stalled, preserving the shutout for Gold.

The game-like scrimmage officially marked the end of on-field team work for the Braves in the spring. The squad will continue conditioning and strength training through the end of the semester and resume on-field preseason work in early August.