Box Score
SEARCY – The Harding Bisons rebounded off their season-opening loss by forcing six turnovers and earning 37-27 victory over the West Alabama Tigers in the Bisons' first home game at First Security Stadium on Saturday night.
Senior linebacker Sevohn Greer led the way for Harding's defense. Greer, back for his senior season after missing 2007 with a shoulder injury, forced two fumbles, collected career-high three sacks and had 10 tackles. He also posted a career-high 3.5 tackles for loss.
Harding (1-1) took the first lead midway through the first quarter when freshman running back Jeremy Holt broke away for a 35-yard touchdown run. Harding kicker Ryan Ferrell missed the extra point, and West Alabama took a 7-6 lead five minutes later on a 3-yard run by Dameon Baylor.
Senior quarterback David Knighton scrambled out of pressure to complete a 5-yard touchdown pass to senior Alan Webster to put Harding ahead 13-7, but the Tigers retook the lead 14-13 when quarterback Deon Williams connected with Terry Allen for an 85-yard touchdown pass with 6:58 remaining in the first quarter.
Harding took the lead for good when junior Kurt Adams caught a touchdown pass from Knighton for 19 yards to take a 20-14 lead. Ferrell gave the Bisons some breathing room when he scored a field goal from 38 yards out with 33 seconds left in the first half as the Bisons took a 23-14 lead into halftime.
Williams kept West Alabama in contention when he completed a 22-yard touchdown pass to Gerald Worsham to close Harding's lead to 23-21, but Harding quickly extended its lead back to nine points when Zac Ross caught Knighton's third touchdown pass of the evening.
Senior Tracy Brown intercepted a pass from Williams – one of three interceptions by Harding's defense – and ran back 65 yards for a touchdown with eight seconds left in the third quarter. It was the ninth longest touchdown return in school history and the Bisons led 37-21. The Bisons scored 10 points directly off turnovers.
Knighton finished 31-for-46 passing with 300 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. Knighton has passed for at least two touchdowns in 13 consecutive games and has thrown for 300 or more in four consecutive. Adams, who had 179 receiving yards in last week's 45-31 loss to Missouri Southern, has already caught three touchdown passes this season.
Although he was intercepted three times, Williams completed 18-of-33 passes for 317 yards and three touchdowns. Allen led West Alabama with 133 receiving yards on five passes. Baylor ran 18 times for 100 yards.
West Alabama (1-1) won its opener last week 49-12 over NAIA Belhaven but has not defeated a Division II school since 2006.
NOTES: In the Gulf South Conference record book, Knighton reached fifth in career completions, ninth in career passing yards and ninth in career touchdown passes... Greer moved into third in Harding history with nine forced fumbles.
