Wingate is number three in this week's Super Regional Two top 10 poll

Indianapolis, Ind.----The NCAA Division II Football Committee has released this year’s second super regional polls. Wingate (7-2 overall) is the number three team in the Super Regional Two top 10 poll. The Albany State (Ga.) University Golden Lions are the number one team at 10-0 overall.

            Valdosta State University is number two at 8-1 overall. The remainder of the poll includes the University of North Alabama (8-2 overall), Delta State University (7-3 overall), Morehouse College (8-2 overall), Fort Valley State University (8-2 overall), Catawba College (6-3 overall), Mars Hill College (5-5 overall) and Henderson State (Ark.) University (6-4 overall).

On Saturday, Wingate redshirt junior quarterback Cody Haffly (Locust Grove, Ga.) threw for 321 yards and five touchdowns as the Bulldogs defeated the Lions of Mars Hill 48-29 in South Atlantic Conference football action at Irwin Belk Stadium and John R. Martin Field. The win assures the Bulldogs (7-2 overall, 5-1 SAC) at least a share of the 2010 SAC title, the first in school history. A win Saturday at Newberry College would give Wingate the outright league championship.

            Redshirt senior running back Nelson Woods (Shelby, N.C.) ran for a season-high 173 yards and two touchdowns for the Bulldogs. Redshirt senior wide receiver Perry Floyd (Gastonia, N.C.) had three catches for 111 yards and a touchdown. The preseason first team All-American piled up 265 all-purpose yards on the afternoon. Redshirt senior receiver Delric Ellington (Charlotte, N.C.) and sophomore receiver Chris Bowden (Forsyth, Ga.) had over 90 receiving yards each and a pair of touchdown catches each.

            The Bulldog defense forced five fumbles. Five different Bulldogs forced fumbles and five different players recovered fumbles. Redshirt senior linebacker Greg Harmon (Hope Mills, N.C.) had 13 tackles, a tackle for loss and a forced fumble to lead the defense. Redshirt senior cornerback Terrence Stephens (Warner Robins, Ga.) added 12 tackles and a forced fumble.

            Wingate honored 17 seniors in pre-game festivities Saturday. In addition to Ellington, Floyd, Harmon, Stephens and Woods, the Bulldogs celebrated Senior Day with defensive lineman Cody Cole (Venice, Fla.), offensive lineman Ralph Curiel (Tehachapi, Calif.), offensive lineman Andrew Garner (Sharpsburg, Ga.), punter Phillip Hilliard (Salisbury, N.C.), linebacker Ben Hinson (Monroe, N.C.), defensive end Blake Holmes (Irmo, S.C.), place kicker RP Lopez (Lakeland, Fla.), offensive linemen Jacob Lowder (Weddington, N.C.) and Brock Mueller (Bakersfield, Calif.), defensive backs Tyrone Scott (Jacksonville, N.C.) and Justin Squirewell (Decatur, Ga.) and wide receiver Philip Thomas. (St. Pauls, N.C.). This group has won 29 games during their careers.

            Wingate concludes the 2010 regular season on Saturday, visiting Newberry College for a 2 p.m. SAC contest. The series between Wingate and Newberry is knotted at 10-10. Wingate had a five-game winning streak (in the series) from 1989-1995. The teams did not play in 1992 or 1993. Newberry has won the last five meetings between the two teams.

            Last year, Newberry posted 448 yards total offense en route to a 35-27 South Atlantic Conference victory over Wingate at Irwin Belk Stadium and John R. Martin Field. The loss was Wingate’s first 2009 conference setback. Haffly helped the Bulldogs compile 312 yards total offense. He completed 15 passes for 232 yards and three touchdowns.

            Wingate’s 33-0 win over Newberry on Nov. 2, 2002 was the largest margin of victory for either team in the series. All the other games in the series have been decided by 12 points or less.