Sports > November 1, 2007

By Ryan Durham | Sports editor

With hopes of cracking the Top 25 for the first time this season, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons prepared to face in-state rival UNC-Chapel Hill Oct. 27, handily putting the Tar Heels away 37-10.

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Redshirt freshman Josh Adams celebrates scoring a touchdown during Wake Forest’s 37-10 win over North Carolina. Adams rushed 18 times for a total of 82 yards and two touchdowns. (Mary Kate Wagner/Old Gold & Black)

The game played out as a story of short yardage situations for the Deacs as both the special teams and defensive units kept the Tar Heels on their heels. Defensively, redshirt junior Aaron Curry was the star for the Deacs intercepting two passes on the day, one of which he took 77-yards for his second touchdown of the season.

His other interception came on the Tar Heels’ first offensive play of the game.

“After the first play for us (the interception) it just kind of went down hill from there,” UNC quarterback T.J. Yates said. “It’s hard to get back on track after you throw an interception like that.”

Curry was not the only big producer for the Deacons.

Redshirt senior Kevin Marion returned his first kick-off return of the day 98-yards for a touchdown.

He also returned his second attempt of the day 83-yards to set up a rushing touchdown by redshirt freshman Josh Adams, who had two touchdowns on the day.

“When it went to 23-10 what I expected was to get back into a barnburner that’s going to go to the wire,” Head Coach Jim Grobe said. “That return and of course (Adams) getting it into the end zone helped us to breathe a little easier.”

“Big kick returns are probably the biggest momentum swings in football. Right after you score a touchdown you feel pretty good about yourself but a big kick return takes away from that a little bit,” he said.

Redshirt junior Sam Swank also furthered his career scoring records kicking field goals from 23, 22 and 46 yards. He currently stands as

Wake Forest’s leading career scorer with 251 points in three seasons.

Swank passed the former record of 240 points, which was held by Chris Barclay, ‘05, with his first field goal of the game.

The offense also had its share of production on the day.

Redshirt sophomore Riley Skinner passed for 133-yards and Adams ran for 83 yards to go along with his two touchdowns.

The strong defensive and special teams performance gave the Deacs an average starting position of their own 44 yardline.

“You look for big plays in all areas: special teams, offense and defense and what the big plays in the kicking game and on defense did today enabled us to be conservative offensively and just take care of the football and let the clock spin,” Grobe said.

The Deacs, now ranked 24th in the BCS, will prepare to travel to Charlottesville, Va., to face ACC-rival Virginia, currently No. 23 in the BCS.