PEMBROKE – Visiting and 18th-ranked Valdosta State racked up nearly 500 yards of offense and used a 20-point second quarter to key a 36-7 victory over the UNC Pembroke football team on Saturday afternoon at Grace P. Johnson Stadium.
The setback marked the seventh-straight loss for the Braves (1-8) who will put the wraps on their 2014 campaign at Limestone next weekend. It was the fifth-straight victory for the Blazers (7-2) who atoned for a 34-29 loss to the Black & Gold last season in Valdosta, Ga.
B.J. Bunn (six catches) and Jonathan Hough (three catches) both turned in 50 receiving yards to pace the UNCP offense, with Hough also registering a 32-yard scoring reception in the final period. Reggie Pinner threw for 95 yards and a touchdown on 11-of-16 passing for the hosts as well.
Kaleb Nobles threw for 308 yards and four touchdowns on 24-of-38 passing for the Blazers. Shane Henderson, who also doubles as the kickoff specialist for Valdosta State, hauled in five catches for 78 yards and three touchdowns. He also averaged 61.1 yards per attempt on seven kickoffs in the game.
Dominique Bridges totaled a season-best 10 tackles to lead the defensive effort for Code Black who also got six tackles and a forced fumble from Ray Baker. Kendall Jacobs turned in nine tackles for the Braves as well.
Valdosta State capped a 9-play, 56-yard scoring drive on a 29-yard scoring toss from Nobles to Henderson midway through the first quarter, and then added a 42-yard field goal by Anthony Pistelli later in the opening period. The Blazers would score touchdowns on three of their five possessions in the second quarter, including a 15-yard pass from Nobles to D'Amonte Ridley with 10 seconds left before the break.
Pinner engineered an 11-play, 80-yard scoring drive in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter and helped the Braves avoid a shutout by finding Hough on a 32-yard touchdown pass with 11:46 left to play. Valdosta State capped the scoring on the day with 6:30 left when Nobles capped a 12-play, 74-yard touchdown drive with an 11-yard pass to Henderson in the middle of the end zone.
UNCP will close out its 2014 regular season schedule on November 15 when the Braves travel to Gaffney, S.C., to battle Limestone (2-7). Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Gaffney High School's football stadium – The Reservation.
