Cavs Pass Connection and Defense Dump Knights in Opener

August 28, 2008
Game Stats

Morehead, Ky. – For the fourth-straight season, the Highland Cavaliers started their gridiron season off with a victory. UVa-Wise saw quarterback Randy Hippeard connect with Jason Lovett for five first half scoring passes and the defense held Kentucky Christian to 54 first half yards to build a 35-0 lead on the way to a 56-12 win.

Hippeard broke his own single game touchdown passing record mark in the contest. He fired a new Cavs' standard of seven touchdown passes on 19 of 31 attempts for 330 yards without an interception. Lovett feel just seven yards from tying the single game receiving yards record on his own. The junior totaled 232 yards on nine catches with five going for scores.

The NAIA's best offense from a year ago took a little time to get the engine started but produced 590 yards on 75 offensive plays when the night was completed. Matt Barbour was another standout on the evening with six grabs for 71 yards and a 12-yard score. Hakeem Abdul-Saboor posted his second career 100-yard rushing evening of his career with 117 yards on 16 tries including a 66-yard burst down the sideline for a touchdown for the final points of the contest.

The 2008 defensive unit had a good first showing. The group held the Knights to just 54 yards and 268 yards for the game, with 101 yards coming on the two scoring plays. The Cavs defense sacked the Knights pair of quarterbacks five times and held the opposing offense to just 78 yards rushing on 27 attempts (2.9 ypc).

Freshman Amondre Johnson (Roanoke, Va.) paced the team with seven stops, five solo, a nine-yard sack and recovered a fumble. Luke Spurlock and John Mathis added five tackles apiece. Josh Spurlock, Danny Hinkle and Matt Sullivan contributed a sack each.

UVa-Wise will now have 16 days off until its next game across the state of Virginia on September 13th at Newport News Apprentice in a 1:00 p.m. kick-off.