New Hampshire's Ball ties Rice's TD reception record

HANOVER, N.H. -- New Hampshire receiver David Ball isn't trying to run past Jerry Rice into the record books as much as leap over him.

A high school basketball and high jump champion, Ball pulled down a jump ball in the corner of the end zone for his third touchdown of the first half Saturday, tying Rice's all-time Division I-AA mark of 50. Ball sat out much of the second half as the Wildcats beat Dartmouth 56-14.

Ball turned a quick swing pass to the left side into a 37-yard score in the first quarter, then ran a short hook pattern in the second and wove his way to the goal line before diving over a defender to make it 28-0. At that point, the only question was whether coach Sean McDonnell would leave him in long enough for the record.

With 2:43 left in the half, Ball ran to the right corner of the end zone and used a six-inch height advantage -- and skills learned as a three-time high school high jumping champion -- to outjump cornerback Chris Blanco for a 6-yard touchdown.

The UNH side of the stands stood and applauded, and even some of the home Dartmouth fans gave the senior from Orange, Vt., a hand.

Ball played the first series of the second half with a chance to surpass Rice. He was in the end zone -- and open -- on the next drive, but so was Aaron Brown. Quarterback Ricky Santos went to Brown instead for a 24-yard TD pass that made it 42-7.

Rice scored 50 touchdowns from 1981-84 at Mississippi Valley State. He went on to set NFL records of 1,549 receptions for 22,895 yards and 197 touchdowns.

Ball caught two touchdowns in the season-opening victory over Northwestern but did not score against Stony Brook, sitting out the second half while the Wildcats ran up a 62-7 victory.