CCU wins over Presbyterian College, keeping playoff hopes alive

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The Coastal Carolina Chanticleers achieved their fifth consecutive victory over the Presbyterian College Blue Hose on Saturday by the way of a 65-7 score. This victory not only keeps playoff hopes alive for the Chanticleers but also secures a winning season with only one game remaining. 

In the opening drive the Chanticleers drove down field 78-yards as Aramis Hillary pitched the ball to Kenny Jones for the score. The special teams continued their trickery as placeholder Austin Cain passed to tight end Tom Pauciello for the two-point-conversion. 

On the following possession the Coastal defense forced a three and out for the Blue Hose; on the fourth down punt the Chants were called for roughing the kicker setting up another punt play for Presbyterian’s Patrick Morgano. Niccolo Mastromatteo sat back and waited for the hanging 50-yard boot; as Mastromatteo caught the ball he was able to shake a couple defenders and brake it into the open field returning the punt 87-yards for a touchdown giving Coastal the 15-0 lead.

The Chanticleers finished the first quarter with a 22-0 lead and did not look to ease up. The Coastal offense was able to match their first quarter performance by posting another 22-point second quarter. On their first drive Hillary connected with David Duran for a 43-yard touchdown pass. On the point-after-touchdown Austin Cain again pulls a fake by rushing in for the two-point-conversion. Cain did not get an opportunity to punt the ball in the first half, but was able to account for four points. 

On the next possession Hillary continued the success of the big play by hooking up with DeMario Bennett for a 50-yard touchdown pass. The pass was only about 10-yards but the speedy Bennett added 40-yards-after-catch for the score. Hillary wrapped up the offensive dominance in the first half with an 11-yard pass to Matt Hazel giving Coastal a 44-7 lead. This touchdown pass was Hillary’s fifth of the game which ties Zach MacDowall’s record which he set versus Charleston Southern in 2010. The single low moment of the half for Hillary was an interception to the Blue Hose’s Isaiah Lynn. This ended Hillary’s streak of 190 passes without an interception. 

The second half was no different for the Chanticleer offense as they were able to keep rolling. In their first drive Marcus Whitener rushed six times for 72-yards as he took in a four-yard touchdown to cap off the drive. The following Chants drive was all Whitener again as he broke off a 61-yard touchdown, his longest rush of the season, giving Coastal a 58-7 lead.

To start the fourth quarter the Chants Bucky Kennedy and Travis Small combined for 10 straight rush plays to set up an Alex Ross 10-yard rushing touchdown. This marked the final score of the ball game putting CCU up 65-7.

The victory over PC secures a perfect road record for the Chants and also sets up a possible three-way tie atop the Big South. Liberty will need to defeat Stony Brook Saturday afternoon to keep the Chants hope alive. If Liberty does defeat Stony Brook, Coastal will have to win next week versus Charleston Southern and Liberty will have to defeat VMI. 


Written by, Tom Michienzi. Tom is a producer for ESPN Radio 100.3'The Team' and the beat report for Coastal Carolina Football for ESPN 100.3 and TheDigitel Myrtle Beach. You can follow Tom on Twitter @Tmichienzi18 or for questions call 774-254-4165.

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