GREENVILLE, N.C. – Alex Flinn threw a touchdown pass and ran for another as the Gold team defeated the Purple squad 17-9 Saturday in the Annual Purple-Gold Spring Game inside Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium under fifth-year head coach Mike Houston.

Flinn, who completed 19-of-22 passes for 173 yards, guided the Gold team on a pair of touchdown drives and one field goal in the victory. Trailing 3-0 in the second quarter, Flinn completed a 59-yard TD pass to Jsi Hatfield (Carson Smith PAT) for a 7-3 advantage. Owen Daffer pushed the lead to 10-3 after converting on a 25-yard field to end the first half. On his first possession of the second half, Flinn scored on a 62-yard run (Smith PAT) extending the lead to 17-3.

Mason Garcia, who completed 17-of-29 passes with a pair of interceptions, got the Purple squad on the board early in the first period leading a 10-play drive that covered 60 yards and ended with Andrew Conrad’s 28-yard field goal. Javoius Bond capped the scoring on the day with a 60-yard run for Purple (Laith Marjan kick failed) making it a 17-9 final on the cold and rainy morning. Raheim Jeter, who played on both teams was 0-for-4 passing on the day.

Flinn led all rushers in the contest with four carries for 68 yards and a score. Bond added 64 yards on six carries with a score, while Marlon Gunn Jr. rushed for 17 yards (four carries). In all, the Pirates rushed for 146 yards on 39 carries and two scores turning in 3.7 yards per rush.

The Pirate signal callers completed 35-of-55 passes for 325 yards during the scrimmage. Hatfield registered a team-best 83 yards receiving on five grabs, while Jarett Garner hauled in a team-high seven receptions for 58 yards. Other notables on the day were Brock Spalding (2 for 43 yards), Kamarro Edmonds (3 for 31), Ryan King (3 for 30) and Gunn (3 for 25).

Defensively, the Gold squad forced a pair of turnovers with Teylor Jackson (1-yard) and Samuel Dankah (no return) each picking off a pass. Zakye Barker led all tacklers with 10 stops and registered a two-yard TFL. Jamari Young (-21 yards) and Elijah Morris (-10 yards) each tallied three TFLs, while BJ Davis (-3 yards) and Eric Doctor Jr. (-6 yards) added two each. Young was one of seven different Pirates with a sack on the afternoon tallying a team-best two for negative 14 yards. In all, both groups collectively recorded 20.0 tackles for loss for minus 67 yards, which included eight sacks for -41 yards.

GOLD 0 10 7 0 — 17
PURPLE 3 0 0 6 — 9

PURPLE-GOLD GAME STATISTICS
RUSHING: Alex Flinn (4-68, TD), Javoius Bond (6-64, TD), Marlon Gunn Jr. (4-17), Mason Garcia (6-8), Kamarro Edmonds (3-5), Gerald Green (4-1), Nemo Squire (5-<-7>, Raheim Jeter (7-<-10>. Totals – 39-146, 2 TDs (3.7 ypr).

PASSING: Alex Flinn (19-22-0, 1 TD, 173 yards), Mason Garcia (17-29-2, 152 yards), Raheim Jeter (0-4-0). Totals – 35-55-2, 325 yards, 1 TD.

RECEIVING: Jsi Hatfield (5-83, TD), Jarett Garner (7-58), Brock Spalding (2-43), Kamarro Edmonds (3-31), Ryan King (3-30), Marlon Gunn Jr. (3-25), Jhari Patterson (4-18), Tyler Savage (3-14), Grayson Klue (1-12), Khaheim Bragg (1-7), Kerry King (2-5), Nemo Squire (1-<-2).>Totals. 35-325 yards, 1 TD.

TACKLES: Zakye Barker 10 (1.0 TFL/-2 yards), Devon King 5 (1.0 TFL/-1 yard), Elijah Morris 5 (3.0 TFLs/-10 yards, 1.0 sack/-5 yards), Omar Rogers 5 (1.0 TFL/-1), Samuel Dankah 4 (1.0 TFL/-2, 1.0 sack/-2, INT/0 yards, QBH), BJ Davis 4 (2.0 TFLs/-3 yards, 1.0 sack/-1 yard), Mike Edwards III 4, (1.0 TFL/-1 yard), Fletcher Marshall Jr. 4, Shavon Revel 4, Jamari Young 4 (3.0 TFLs/-21 yards, 2.0 sack/-14 yards), Josh Benton 3, Isaiah Brown-Murry 3, Kingston McKinstry 3 (PBU, QBH), Dontavius Nash 3 (PBU), Julius Wood 3, Preston Carr 2 (1.0 TFL/-9 yards, 1.0 sack/-9 yards), Eric Doctor Jr. 2 (2.0 TFLs/-6 yards), Teylor Jackson 2 (INT/1 yard, QBH), TyQuan King 2 (1.0 TFL/-3, 1.0 sack/-3, QBH), Ty Moss 2 (PBU), Chad Stephens 2 (0.5 TFL/-1), Jackson Barker 1 (1.0 TFL/-7 yards, 1.0 sack/-7 yards), RaRa Dillworth 1 (QBH), J.D. Lampley 1, Jack Powers 1 (QBH, PBU), Tyler Savage 1, Jason Shuford 1, Suirad Ware 1 (1.0 TFL/0 yards), Melvin Jacobs (PBU).

PUNTING: Luke Larsen (4-139, 34.8 ypp), David Chapeau (3-98, 32.7 ypp), Alex Collins (1-34, 34.0 ypp).

KICKOFFS: Laith Marjan (3-180, 60.0 ypko), Owen Daffer (3-148, 49.3 ypko).

TOTAL OFFENSE/TOTAL DEFENSE: 74-471 (6.4 ypp)

QUARTERBACK SCORING CHART
Mason Garcia – 10 drives, 1 TD (TD/66 yards), 1 FG (FG/28 yards).
Alex Flinn – 7 drives, 2 TDs (TD/59 yards, TD/63 yards), 1 FG (FG/25 yards).
Raheim Jeter – 3 drives.

FUMBLES/LOST: 0/0

INTERCEPTIONS: 2 (Teylor Jackson/1-yard return, Samuel Dankah/no return).

PENALTIES: 3 (2/offense, 1/defense)

TRADITIONAL SCORING: 3 TDs, 2 FGs
1st QTR – Andrew Conrad 28 field goal – PURPLE
2nd QTR – Flinn to Hatfield 59 pass (Carson Smith kick) – GOLD
2nd QTR – Daffer 25 field goal – GOLD
3rd QTR – Flinn 62 run (Carson Smith kick) – GOLD
4th QTR – Bond 60 run (Marjan kick failed) – PURPLE