BOILING SPRINGS — Wiley Hartley passed for 265 yards and two touchdowns, Bryant Barr rushed for 97 yards and three scores and Campbell scored 21 straight points to rally past Gardner-Webb 42-28 to win the inaugural East/West BBQ Bowl on Saturday.
Narii Gaither’s 22-yard TD run gave Gardner-Webb (2-4, 0-2) a 28-21 lead with 7:06 remaining in the third quarter. Barr pulled the Fighting Camels (3-2, 2-0) even with a 1-yard TD run, capping a 12-play, 59-yard drive with 60 seconds left in the period.
The Campbell defense provided the spark for the go-ahead score. Josh McNeely recovered a Quayvon Skanes fumble on a punt return at the Bulldogs’ 11-yard line and two plays later Barr scored on an 8-yard run — giving Campbell a 35-28 lead with 3:53 left to play.
The Fighting Camels wrapped up the win with C.J. Freeman’s 23-yard TD run after Gardner-Webb turned the ball over on downs at its own 23-yard line.
Hartley completed 26 of 41 passes with second-quarter TD throws covering 9 yards to Caleb Snead and 39 yards to Julian Hill. Snead finished with 10 receptions for 98 yards, while Hill caught six passes for 89.
Bailey Fisher was 18-of-28 passing for 160 yards and a TD with one interception for Gardner-Webb. Gaither carried 17 times for 150 yards and two scores.
With the win, the Camels claimed the newly established rivalry trophy while the Bulldogs were oblilgated to supply Western NC style barbecue for a postgame feast between the two state schools.
