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Sunday, November 23, 2008

Keydets flood Presbyterian with offense

VMI produces 648 total yards and seven TDs as Kyle Hughes returns at quarterback from injury.

LEXINGTON -- This is how the VMI offense was supposed to work.

Tim Maypray sprints from wideout, and, Kyle Hughes drifts back and lofts the ball skyward. Maypray has his man beaten by half a step, and Hughes' pass drops over Maypray's head and into his hands almost gently.

Maypray dashes the rest of the way for a 75-yard touchdown, one of four for the day as the Keydets finished their season with a 49-27 victory over Presbyterian on Saturday at Foster Stadium.

The Keydets, who broke a two-year Big South losing streak with a win over Coastal Carolina on Oct. 11 in the last game that Hughes was healthy, finished the season with an offensive gully-washer.

Maypray, a junior, became the first player in seven years of Big South football with more than 1,000 career rushing and 1,000 career receiving yards. With a career-high 235 rushing yards and three touchdowns and three catches for 95 yards Saturday, Maypray finished the season with 1,937 career rushing yards and 1,027 career receiving yards.

He already was the first Big South quarterback to rush for a 1,000 yards in a season.

"He's just a ballplayer," said Keydets coach Sparky Woods. "He can throw it, he can catch it, he can kick it. Some of his runs today showed his speed. He's got great vision. He can break tackles.

"Kyle threw that touchdown pass just about the only place where we could catch it and they couldn't, and Timmy did a great job to get to it and made a great catch."

Hughes already owns the two longest touchdown passes in Big South history, one of them to Maypray.

"I know when Timmy has that extra step he's open; I trust his speed," Hughes said.

Even before that catch, Maypray already had a 60-yard touchdown run and also scrambled 50 yards to the Presbyterian 19, losing his shoe pulling away from a would-be tackler at the 40, to set up another score.

Hughes, playing for the first time after sitting out four games with a hamstring strain, completed six of seven passes for 151 yards. In addition to his TD pass to Maypray, Hughes ran for a score.

Howard Abegesah, who had been hampered by a knee injury sustained early in the season, ran for 151 yards on 15 carries. It was only the second time in VMI history that two players ran for more than 150 yards in a game. The first time was when Tony Scales ran for 204 and Scott Council added 191 against Richmond in 1991.

The Keydets (4-7) wracked up 648 yards, the most since beating Chowan 69-20 on Sept. 20, and the two teams combined for 1,138 yards of offense, the most in Alumni Memorial Field history dating back to 1953. The previous record was 1,060 against Gardner-Webb in 2005.

Zach Collins and Travis Ludden also scored touchdowns for the Keydets.

"This shows what this offense is capable of," Hughes said.

Presbyterian's offensive proved fairly capable as well.

Quarterback Brandon Miley ran for two touchdowns and 56 yards on 19 carries and completed 32 of 56 passes for 318 yards and a score.

Redshirt freshman Mario Carter ran for a career-best 94 yards on 15 carries.

While it was by no means a day for the defenses, VMI linebacker Jacob Rochester celebrated senior day with 16 tackles, 10 solo, two sacks and an interception.

All four of the VMI wins came at Foster Stadium, giving the Keydets their first winning record at home since 2003.

Presbyterian 7 14 0 6 -- 27

VMI 14 21 14 0 -- 49

First Quarter

VMI -- Collins 12 run (Stevens kick), 11:01.

Pres -- T.Butler 11 run (Miller kick), 7:42.

VMI -- Maypray 4 run (Stevens kick), 3:18.

Second Quarter

VMI -- Ludden 2 run (Stevens kick), 14:29.

Pres -- Miley 1 run (Miller kick), 5:21.

VMI -- Maypray 60 run (Stevens kick), 4:26.

VMI -- Maypray 75 pass from Hughes (Stevens kick), 1:47.

Pres -- Cole 13 pass from Miley (Miller kick), :14.

Third Quarter

VMI -- Maypray 34 run (Stevens kick), 11:27.

VMI -- Hughes 21 run (Stevens kick), 1:20.

Fourth Quarter

Pres -- Miley 1 run (kick failed), 4:42.

A--4,710.

Pres VMI

First downs 31 23

Rushes-yards 37-172 55-497

Passing 318 151

Comp-Att-Int 32-56-1 6-7-1

Return Yards 13 1

Punts-Avg. 5-35.6 2-12.0

Fumbles-Lost 2-0 5-2

Penalties-Yards 6-45 8-55

Time of Possession 30:07 29:53

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING--Presbyterian, M.Carter 15-94, Miley 19-56, T.Butler 1-11, Mathis 1-9, Reeder 1-2. VMI, Maypray 20-235, Abegesah 15-151, Collins 5-44, Rainey-Wiles 2-16, Hughes 5-16, Ch.Jones 3-14, Hickman 1-12, Barnson 1-4, Itoka 2-3, Ludden 1-2.

PASSING--Presbyterian, Miley 32-56-1-318. VMI, Hughes 6-7-1-151.

RECEIVING--Presbyterian, Clark 9-106, Quinn 7-53, T.Butler 6-81, Cole 4-46, Reeder 2-5, Bumgarner 1-12, S.Wilson 1-8, B.Smith 1-4, M.Carter 1-3. VMI, Maypray 3-97, Ludden 1-37, M.Scott 1-9, Barnson 1-8.

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