Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest Holds Final Preseason Scrimmage
8/24/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 24, 2011
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Wake Forest's final preseason scrimmage on Wednesday was a little different than either of the Demon Deacons' two previous exhibitions. The coaching staff broke the team into two distinct squads and tried to approximate the flow of an actual game. The Black team ended the 90-minute scrimmage with a 9-7 win over the White.
"We got some good situation-stuff, some good kicking situations," said head coach Jim Grobe. "We were just working on flow-of-the-game kind of stuff, getting the right personnel on the field, off the field. It was more of an organizational day than anything."
The White team scored first on a 56-yard touchdown run by redshirt sophomore Josh Harris. Harris had 60 yards rushing on five carries and the lone touchdown of the scrimmage.
"(Josh) is a track guy, he's a guy who can really run," said Grobe. "The nice thing about Josh is that he's a little bigger back so when we can get him a little forward lean, he can break some tackles. He's got the kind of speed and the potential to take it to the goal line."
The Black team settled for three field goals, two by Jimmy Newman and one by freshman Chad Hedlund, to post the 9-7 win. Newman was good on kicks of 45 and 34 yards while Hedlund's kick came from 31 yards out.
Ted Stachitas and Tanner Price alternated the quarterback duties for the White team with Stachitas drawing the majority of snaps. Stachitas completed eight of 12 passes for 52 yards. Price, in limited duty, completed one of five attempts for seven yards.
For the Black team, Matt Grasmeyer threw for a team high 50 yards including a 38-yard completion to Sherman Ragland III. Keenon Rush connected on five of nine attempts for 43 yards while Pat Long was two-for-three for 20 yards.
Ragland led all receivers with 82 yards on four receptions for the Black team. Matt James had four receptions for 49 yards for the White team.
"Some of the younger guys did some good things," said Grobe. "I really liked Sherman Ragland today. Sherman did a great, great job. He probably played as good as anybody on the field."
Cornerback Allen Ramsey II led the Black team with six tackles and recovered a fumble. Safety Joe LaBarbera had five tackles and a 69 yard return of a fumble before he was caught from behind by Stachitas.
Kyle Wilber led the White team with four tackles and 2.5 sacks. Nose tackle Nikita Whitlock matched that with four tackles, two sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss.
Freshman walk-on linebacker Britt Cherry had the lone interception of the scrimmage, picking off a Price pass with a diving, juggling catch.
Khiry Sutton led the Black team with 14 yards rushing on five carries. Brandon Pendergrass had 55 yards on six carries for the White.
Wake Forest opens the 2011 season on Thursday, Sept. 1 at Syracuse. The game is scheduled to kickoff at 8 p.m. EDT.
