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App State's Moore happy they were tested
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Appalachian State coach Jerry Moore is glad his team’s last game went down to the wire. Executing against Wofford in the final minutes was a crucial test for the top-ranked Mountaineers, who had defeated their last three opponents by an average of 33.3 points a game.
    The top-ranked Mountaineers used two first-quarter touchdowns to quickly secure a 14-0 lead, but the Terriers held App State scoreless from there. ASU (6-1, 3-0 Southern Conference) hung on and secured the 14-7 win thanks to a stellar showing by its defense late in the game. The Mountaineers are tied with Furman for first place in the Southern Conference standings.
    “From the middle of the third quarter on, it became a real football contest,” said Moore, whose team will be Georgia Southern’s (3-3, 2-1) homecoming opponent in a noon game on Saturday. “We hadn’t really been challenged much in the fourth quarter, so from a coaching standpoint, I think it was good the way things worked out for us. I would like to have seen us be more consistent on offense, but the way it worked out for us, we had to execute in the last five minutes to win it. That’s ultimately what we are all trying to do anyway.”
    With the loss, the Terriers fell to 2-4 overall and 1-2 in the SoCon. Wofford travels to Elon (3-3, 1-2) Saturday.

Paladins unsure on quarterback
    Furman coaches are using this week to evaluate its quarterbacks, injured junior Renaldo Gray and redshirt freshman Jordan Sorrells. In his first collegiate start last week, Sorrells completed 20 of 31 passes for 251 yards and lead his team to a win over The Citadel. He is the SoCon freshman of the week.
    Gray practiced Monday and may return to the lineup soon, but coaches aren’t sure if it’ll be in time for this week’s game. The Paladins (5-2, 3-0) host Chattanooga (3-4, 2-2) for homecoming.
    “I just don’t know,” Furman coach Bobby Lamb said. “If he is gimpy at all, then we will definitely go with Jordan Sorrells. Jordan is a lot better than a gimpy Renaldo.”
    Furman snuck by The Citadel last weekend, holding on for 23-17 win after the Bulldogs spotted the Paladins a 23-point first-half lead.
    “We had another heartbreaker,” Citadel coach Kevin Higgins said. “We had our opportunities but could take advantage of some situations.”
    The Bulldogs (1-5, 1-2) host Western Carolina (2-4, 0-4) this weekend.

UTC kicks another game winner
    Chattanooga senior Esteban Lopez kicked his second game-winner of the season, nailing a 37-yard field goal in overtime to lift the Mocs to a 17-14 victory over Western Carolina last weekend.
    “We didn’t get a good snap on the kick, but Esteban stayed down, stayed with it and got it through,” Mocs coach Rodney Allison said. “He doesn’t miss very many.”
    Lopez sent Georgia Southern home with a loss earlier this year when his 38-yard last-second field goal lifted the Mocs to a one-point win.
    Chattanooga running back Eldra Buckley continued to shine, rushing for 162 yards on a season-high 30 carries against WCU. Buckley has broken the 100-yard rushing mark six times this season.