SALISBURY, N.C. – Despite an early lead, the Catawba College football team fell to the Carson-Newman Eagles 61-23 in the season final at Shuford Stadium on Saturday afternoon. 

Catawba scored the first 13 points of the game in a 72-second span after a pair of touchdowns by Marquece Williams. Williams first scored on a 15-yard back-shoulder strike from Ridge Jacobs for the first score of the game, then scored on a one-yard run following a pooch kick that was recovered by Catawba in Carson-Newman territory.

The Eagles got on the board late in the first quarter to make it 13-7 going into the second, and got into the end zone five minutes into the second stanza to grab the lead 14-13. 

With under five minutes left before halftime, Clayton Crile booted a 42-yard field goal through the uprights to give Catawba the lead back, but Carson-Newman responded quickly with a 27-yard touchdown pass with 36 seconds before the half. Going into the break, the Eagles led, 21-16. 

Carson-Newman came out of the locker room on fire and put things out of reach behind 27 second quarter points with four big-play touchdowns. The Eagles scored on a 33-yard pass, 86-yard punt return, 61-yard pass, and a 31-yard pass to take a 48-23 lead into the fourth quarter. Daniel Parker had a 65-yard scamper for Catawba's only points in the second half. 

The visitors added two more scores in the fourth on their way to the 61-23 win over the Indians. 

Saturday's game had 23 penalties for 285 total penalty yards and Catawba was flagged for seven unsportsmanline penalties in the game.