Wildcats Down Providence (Fla.) in Thriller

Junior placekicker Harrison Butker connected on a pair of 43-yard field goals and Westminster’s defense surrendered zero second-half points to give the Wildcats a 27-21 victory over Providence (Fla.), their first win of the season.

“We needed a win,” said Westminster head coach Gerry Romberg. “I was a little worried about penalties. That has been our nemesis all year. But it’s nice to have a weapon like Butker. Kicking is the strength of our program right now.”

Senior quarterback Danny Catan found wide receiver Michael Russell open for a 70-yard touchdown on Westminster’s first possession to give the Wildcats an early 7-0 lead. After a sustained drive Providence answered with a score of their own to tie things up at 7-7, thanks in part to a handful of Wildcat penalties. From there the teams proceeded to trade points throughout the rest of the first half.

After a 75-yard run from scrimmage by Providence fullback Kory Williams to start the second half, it looked like the game would continue to be a shootout, but Westminster forced a fumble and recovered the ball to keep the Stallions out of the endzone. As fate would have it, Providence came no closer to crossing the goal line after that play, and neither team was able to score a second half touchdown.

“We didn’t make any changes to our defensive scheme at halftime,” said Romberg. “We just did a much better job of executing in the second half. We are so young at some positions, and that showed in the first half, but we settled down after that.”

The only second half points came off the foot of Butker, who was impressive in every phase of the kicking game. He made both of his field goal attempts, each coming from 43 yards out. Both attempts split the uprights and would have been good from at least another ten yards out. He also continued his season-long streak without yielding a kickoff return, as all six of his kickoffs sailed through the endzone. Needless to say, he was also perfect on his three extra-point attempts.

Providence had a chance to win the game at the end, but the Wildcats’ defense held firm, and the Stallions turned the ball over on downs inside Westminster’s twenty-yard line with less than thirty seconds remaining.

Westminster’s starting halfback, senior Parker Tuthill, left the game with a knee injury and did not return to action. Preliminary reports indicated torn ligaments, in which case he is likely to miss the rest of the season.

Westminster (1-2) will face Greater Atlanta Christian School next Saturday in the Georgia Dome.

Note: official game statistics were not available at the time this article was posted.