White Team Runs Away With 47-16 Victory In WKU Spring Game

Courtesy of Western Kentucky Athletics

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — The White team outscored the Red squad 25-2 in the second half to pick up a 47-16 win in Western Kentucky University football’s annual spring game Saturday night at Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium.

“This felt great,” said Hilltopper head coach Willie Taggart. “The White team put up some points and the Red team started off well and kind of fell off at the end. I told our team the other day that I wanted a team to come in and win, and win big. I didn't want it to be close. I want our team to learn that when you have a team down you have to finish them. I think the White team did that tonight.”

Wide receiver Willie McNeal was named the game’s MVP, picking up 83 rushing yards on three carries — including a 51-yard touchdown run. He also had a 30-yard reception.

“It feels good [to be MVP], but I can't really say much about it because I'm just happy about the team and how we played as a team,” said McNeal. “It starts with the offensive line. I think they deserved to be the MVP.”

Leading 22-14 at the half, the White team defense got a quick three-and-out as the offense turned around to go 68 yards in nine plays to open up a double-digit lead. Bobby Rainey and Braxston Miller combined to rush for 23 yards on the first eight plays of the drive before Matt Pelesasa connected with Marcus Vasquez on a 50-yard scoring pass to open up a 29-14 lead.

Again the White defense came up big as Kareem Peterson intercepted a Tyler Bruce pass and returned it down to the 18 yard line to give the White offense a short field. Two plays later, Pelesasa scored from eight yards out to stretch the lead to 35-14. However, the extra point attempt was blocked by Kiante Young, and returned the distance for a defensive PAT to make it a 35-16 score.

That would be the Red team’s only points of the second half, however, as the White team scored two fourth-quarter rushing touchdowns — a three-yard run by Miller and an 11-yard scoring dash by Rainey — to pick up the 31-point victory.

Rainey finished the game with 98 rushing yards on 13 carries, and found the end zone twice. In all, the White squad gained 260 of their 443 yards of total offense on the ground. Pelesasa competed eight of 12 passes for 183 yards and a pair of scores. The junior college quarterback also rushed for 37 yards on nine carries.

After watching the White team drive on the opening drive of the game, the red defense came up big deep in their own territory, getting a third-down sack and stop on fourth down to end the threat. The red offense responded, going 69 yards in nine plays — picking up 59 of those yards on the ground. In fact, the only pass play of the drive was a 10-yard completion from Bruce to Rod Johnson to set up the White team inside the five. Derrius Brooks then scored on a four-yard run to put Red in front 7-0.

White responded with an 80-yard drive in just 3:26, getting a 35-yard touchdown run from Rainey to get on the board. Pelesasa then found Chris Brice on the two-point conversion to put White in front 8-7 at the end of the first quarter.

After forcing a Red punt and getting the ball near midfield, White needed just one play as McNeal scored from 51 yards out on a wide-receiver run as White opened up a 14-7 advantage. White would extend its lead thanks to a 13-play, 87-yard drive that was capped by a 15-yard scoring strike from Pelesasa to Jim Murphree with 3:25 remaining before halftime. Pelesasa again found Brice on the two-point conversion to stretch the lead to 22-7.

After coming up empty on two straight possessions, Red got a quick strike — and a little bit of luck — as Brooks pulled in a tipped pass and went 66 yards for the score, cutting the White lead to 22-14 at halftime before White blew it open in the second half.

Offensively for the Red squad, Keshawn Simpson picked up 85 rushing yards on 15 carries. Bruce completed five of 20 passes for 138 yards and a score, hooking up with five different receivers. Brooks led both teams in receiving yards with his 66-yard touchdown catch. In fact, Brooks accounted for both of the Vasquez caught two balls for 59 yards to lead the White team.

Defensively, Thomas Majors had a game-high 11 tackles for the Red team, while Josh Carter led the White team with six stops.

The spring game brought an end to four weeks of practice for the Hilltoppers as they now turn their attention to summer workouts before camp opens in August.

“The guys are starting to learn how we want things done and they are starting to learn the offense,” said Taggart. “Guys are learning how we want them to play the game, which is with a lot of excitement and a lot of emotion. We told our guys that when we step on this field we come to put on a show. We owe it to our fans to come out here and put on a show. I know we got better this spring and I think we showed that tonight.”