App State wins football game in return after 37-day hiatus due to Helene

[ad_1]

BOONE, N.C. (AP) — For the first time in 37 days, Appalachian State football was back in Boone. Nearly 34,000 were in attendance, and the Mountaineers beat the Georgia State Panthers 33-26.

Students resumed classes on Oct. 16 for the first time since Helene devastated the area in late September, but some campus services were running reduced hours or staffing levels. On Friday, both the Boone and Hickory campuses returned to full operations.

Joey Aguilar threw for 299 yards and three touchdowns, Ahmani Marshall rushed for 115 yards and another score, and Appalachian State beat Georgia State 33-26 on Saturday to snap a three-game losing streak.

Appalachian State (3-4, 1-3 Sun Belt Conference) has won 11 straight games against Georgia State (2-5, 0-4). The Panthers are now 0-6 in Boone.

Georgia State took a 26-25 lead on a 39-yard field goal by Liam Rickman with 6:39 remaining. Georgia State safety Jeremiah Johnson made an easy interception two plays later, but his teammate was called for pass interference to give App State a first down at its 44-yard line.

App State marched down the field and Aguilar found TE Kanen Hamlett out of the backfield for a 3-yard touchdown with 1:51 left. It was the second career catch for the sophomore Hamlett. Then Aguilar rolled to his right and ran through two tacklers at the goal line for a 2-point conversion for a seven-point lead.

Georgia State returner DJ Murray Jr. bobbled the kickoff and got tripped at the 12-yard line to begin the final drive. On the third play, Santana Hopper sacked Zach Gibson leading to a Georgia State timeout with 1:01 left. Gibson was pressured again on fourth down, and his desperation throw went over the head of Dorian Fleming on the right sideline.

Gibson finished 16 of 22 for 192 yards with a touchdown. Michel Dukes added 81 yards rushing and a score for Georgia State.

App State’s first game after Helene was scheduled Liberty Sept. 28 versus Liberty, but it was canceled. They returned to action at Marshall Oct. 5.

[ad_2]

The Associated Press

Source link