By MIKE MONTFORT
Navarro overcame first-half struggles and got its high-powered offense untracked during a 37-2 homecoming win over the Southern-University Shreveport Jaguars here Saturday at Tiger Stadium.
Quarterback Qua Gray guided NC to 533 yards offense as rthe Bulldogs won their third game of the season. Running backs Isaiah Robinson and Israel Morgan topped a 286-yard rushing offensive and provided Navarro with a tandem 100-plus backfield. Robinson ran 19 times for 103 yards and scored on runs of one, one and 15 yards, but Morgan led the rushing squad for the first time this season (11-135 yards).
Gray, the NJCAA pass yardage and per-game leader, completed 16-of-28 attempts Saturday for 247 yards and a 27-yard scoring strike to Karl Reynolds for the Bulldogs' first score about three minutes before halftime. The conversion attempt was fumbled and the Jaguars returned the football 84 yards for a safety.
SUSLA managed only 334 yards offense against the Bulldogs.
NC's defense picked off four passes -- two by freshman return speciialist Adonis Scott, who was making his first start at one cornerback position Saturday. Scott returned two picks 53 yards. Freshman Preston Hodge of Waxahachie picked off another pass. NC's final score came when Longview freshman linebacker LaQualon Hale returned a Southern pass 48 yards during the final period.
SCORE BY QUARTERS:
SU-SLA………..0………2……..0……..0 - 2
Navarro……….0……..6……..17……14 – 37
NC – Karl Reynolds, 27-pass from Qua Gray. (Fumbled conversion snap)
SU – Returned Fumble Conversion Snap for a Safety.
NC – Alexis Lopez, 27-FG.
NC – Isaiah Robinson, 1-run. (Lopez kick)
NC – Isaiah Robinson, 15-run. (Lopez kick)
NC – Isaiah Robinson, 1-run. (Lopez kick)
NC – LaQualon Hale, 48-interception return. (Lopez kick)
YARDSICK.........................NC.......................SU-SLA
Points 37 2
Plays 68 61
1st Downs 30 14
Rush/Pass/Pen) 18/12/0 8/5/1
Rushes-Yards 40-286-3 36-211-0
Passing Yards 247 123
Total Offense 533 334
Total Return Yards 173 174
…..Kickoff Returns 1-27 90
…..Punt Returns 2-33 0
----Interception Rets 4-113-1 0
……Fumble Returns 0 1-84
Total Yardage 706 508
Fumbles-Lost 1-1 1-1
Punts-Yardage 1-41 3-94
Punt Average 41 31.3
Penalties-Yards 10-86 14-79
3rd Down Conv 3-10 7-15
4th Down Conv 4-6 0-4
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING – NC: Israel Morgan 11-135-0; Isaiah Robinson 19-103-3; Elijah Hines 6-48-0; Qua Gray 1-(-3)-0;
Zavion Taylor 1-5-0; Jack Turner 2-(-2)-0.
PASSING – NC: Qua Gray 16-28-247-1-0.
RECEIVING – NC: Louis Moore 5-76-0; Karl Reynolds 3-67-1; Zavion Taylor 5-67-0; Quentin Lee 1-18-0; Jeremiah Aaron 2-19-0.
RETURNS – NC: Jeremiah Aaron 27 KOR + 33 PR. Scott: 53 Int Rets. Hale 1-48-1 INT-TD.