By MONTE DUTTON

On Saturday morning I shaved for the first time in a while and prepared for what has become the bane of my existence, the cold shower. Then, however, I noticed a truck parked in my overgrown front yard. It was from Front Royal, Va., meaning either that it had enlisted in the clean-up of the Great Helenic War or the City of Clinton had traded my home to Virginia for a 33^rd-round draft pick, a lefthanded third baseman and a page of Hardee’s coupons.

Being an optimist by nature, I took the presence of the truck – there were no workers within earshot – as a good sign, so I decided to forego the shower in hopes of hot water later in the day.

I went to Whiteford’s for breakfast. While I was there, the power went out. I ordered eggs over-medium, but all they could get them to was overlight.

The Presbyterians are playing out in California / Rebels make a call at Williams-Brice / Furman’s in the Holy City / For me a Zaxby’s column must suffice.

The above is patterned on a Tom T. Hall song called “Spoken Motel Blues.” It’s stupid. Stupid is about my speed right now.

I haven’t slept with my CPAP for nine days. I’ve discovered that two beers at The Lumberyard helps a little. I have the same recurring dream. I take a trip I can’t quite reach. Last night it was a stock car race where I couldn’t find a place to park.

By the time I went back home, power was on, Furman had pulled off a stunning comeback in Charleston, Presbyterian had miraculously lost in San Diego, Calif., and Vanderbilt had upset top-ranked Alabama.

For two decades, I wrote about racing with Larry Woody of the Nashville Tennessean, one of the funnier men I’ve ever known. He told me one time that if Vandy ever won a big game at home, the fans would send their butlers down to tear down the goalposts.

Ordinarily, I would have been devastated by PC’s loss, but I was so overjoyed by Furman coming off the deck that it didn’t hurt so much.

I was poised for humiliation until the entire game flip-flopped in the fourth quarter. I despise The Citadel – though I grudgingly respect the military education – because, in the early 1960s, cadets kidnapped and blinded the Paladin’s horse, which is described in Pat Conroy’s novel Beach Music. Conroy taught me that sometimes the only way to tell the truth is to write fiction.

My weekend had two highlights, Furman’s latest victory over The Citadel and Sunday morning, when I had my first hot shower in 10 days.

Now to the nightmarish Blue Hose loss on the nation’s far coast Saturday.

The game was always close, though: tied at the end of all four quarters until disaster struck at the very end of both regulation and overtime, and San Diego escaped its home field with a 27-21 verdict.

The Toreros forced overtime when, with eight seconds remaining, quarterback Grant Sergent found Josh Heverly near the back of the end zone on second-down-and-15 from the 26-yard line. Aidan Lehman’s conversion put the game into overtime.

Presbyterian (2-4, 0-2 PFL) opened the overtime by advancing to the San Diego three-yard line, where on third-and-goal, Ty Englehart was hit by the Toreros’ Trey Ortega as he attempted to throw. Ruben Lopez picked it up at the 13 and took it to the opposite end zone.

Ballgame. Sudden Blue Hose death. It was the only time Presbyterian trailed.

Steve Englehart’s team outgained USD by nearly 100 yards (333-246).

Two of Presbyterian’s three TDs came on quarterback keepers, one by Englehart and another by Collin Hurst. The latter occurred with 10:06 in the fourth quarter, putting PC up, 21-14, until the dual disasters.

Hurst was the primary passer on the day, going 11/18 for 122 yards and a third-quarter touchdown to Dominic Kibby.

The only turnover by either team was Englehart’s game-determining fumble.

Normally reliable PC kicker Mack Mikko twice missed field goals, one of 49 yards in the first quarter and a costly 22-yarder early in the fourth.

San Diego (3-2, 1-1) netted only 32 yards on the ground. Sergent was 21/42 for 214 yards and three touchdowns. Ja’seem Reed snared 15 of them for 99 yards.

The Blue Hose next visit Morehead (Ky.) State, which fell, 40-6, to Butler in Indianapolis, Ind., on Saturday. PC defeated the Eagles, 31-7, last season.

Take a look at the stats here.

Isabel Lasota played a part in all three Presbyterian goals — two goals and an assist –as the Blue Hose (6-3-2, Big South 1-0-1) topped Gardner-Webb (2-9-3, 0-2-2), 3-1, on the road Saturday night.

Presbyterian finished the game with an 18-13 advantage in shots and a 7-3 advantage in corner kick. Goalkeeper Kelly Hall collected seven saves.  

The Blue Hose return to Martin Stadium to face Winthrop on Friday at 7 p.m.

Similarly, Damorney Hutchinson contributed on all three Presbyterian scores with two goals and an assist as the Blue Hose (4-3-1, 1-1) defeated Radford (0-10-1, Big South: 0-3-0), 3-2, on the road.

The Blue Hose have had 13 different players score goals this season.
Presbyterian goalkeeper Loan Marin recorded seven saves. It was Hutchinson’s second two-goal match.

Presbyterian is back on the pitch next Saturday with a 7:30 start at Gardner-Webb.

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