WINGATE, N.C. – The Wingate football team (4-1, 2-1) took advantage of seven turnovers by the opposition to shut out Barton (2-4, 1-3), 50-0, Saturday evening in the Piedmont Division opener of the South Atlantic Conference at Irwin Belk Stadium.
Wingate had six players find the end zone and scored touchdowns four times off of Barton turnovers to claim the win.
Wingate's Brooks Bentley (Venice, Fla.) passed for 137 yards and a touchdown while the home team held a 345-89 edge in total yards in the triumph.
Wingate scored 23 points in the second quarter to break the contest open and went into halftime with a 30-0 advantage. Wingate's Caleb Bonesteel (Dawsonville, Ga.) also kicked three field goals in the contest.
Barton senior linebacker
Matt Smith (Raleigh, N.C.) led all tacklers with 11 to go along with a quarterback sack while senior defensive back
Connor Stanley (Garner, N.C.) added eight takedowns and an interception but the visitors' defense was put in too many bad spots because of the turnovers.
Barton returns home to take on No. 17 Lenoir-Rhyne on Saturday afternoon beginning at 2:00 p.m., while Wingate faces Limestone in Gaffney, S.C., next Saturday starting at Noon.
