Claiborne runs wild as Wake Forest beats Western Carolina, 42-10
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- — Demond Claiborne scored on three touchdown runs, including an 83-yarder untouched in the third quarter, as Wake Forest beat Western Carolina 42-10 in a weather-hampered game Saturday.Claiborne, who suffered a ribs injury in the opener and didn’t play in the second half eight days earlier, finished with 193 yards on 10 carries. He had two first-quarter touchdown runs.
“It feels amazing,” Claiborne said. “Thursday came around and I was still limited a little bit. … Overall, I feel like I’m getting better.”
Quarterback Robby Ashford was 13 for 22 for 227 yards with a 64-yard strike to Sterling Berkhalter in the third quarter for the Demon Deacons (2-0).
Western Carolina (0-2) scored on Christian Lowery’s 23-yard second-quarter field goal. The Catamounts got into the end zone with less than seven minutes left on Markel Townsend’s 1-yard run.
“We weren’t quite ready for prime time,” Western Carolina coach Kerwin Bell said. “We’re still a team in progress.”
There was a 2-hour, 18-minute weather-related delay about three minutes into the game. With Wake Forest ahead 21-3 at halftime, another weather delay kicked in before the second half began following an additional 42-minute pause. The fourth quarter was reduced to 10 minutes.
The Demon Deacons scored first on Ashford’s 41-yard keeper. Claiborne’s first two touchdowns came in a 12-second span, with an interception in between those plays.
He was pulled in the third quarter.
“I wanted to continue to play. After the third touchdown, I was like, ‘OK, got to be smart,’ ” Claiborne said. “I definitely wasn’t happy about that, but it was probably what was best for the team right now.”
Wake Forest: With three first-quarter touchdowns and a safety for a 21-0 lead, the Demon Deacons more than doubled their point total from their 10-9 opening victory against Kennesaw State.
“They relaxed and took their pads off,” Wake Forest coach Jake Dickert said of his players. “We just stayed ready and I thought they did a good job of that.”
Bell recalled Western Carolina going through what he called a six-hour delay in a home game with Sanford a few seasons ago.
“We’ve had a couple in my last couple of years so a lot of guys in the locker room were used to it,” Bell said. “I thought we come back out with a lot of energy. I think both teams did. It didn’t seem to hurt either team.”
“Let’s get out of here as fast as we can and start the recovery process,” Dickert said.
Wake Forest: Home Thursday vs. North Carolina State
