Football Upset by Brevard on Senior Day

MARS HILL, N.C. - Mars Hill closed out the 2010 season with a 35-28 loss to Brevard on Senior Day at the Ammons Family Athletic Center and Meares Stadium. The Tornados end their season at 4-7 overall, 1-6 in the South Atlantic Conference. The Lions end their campaign at 5-6 overall, 3-4 in the league.

Before the game, seniors Josh Baker, Chad Fekany, Stan Galbraith, P.J. Gore, Maurice Harris, Bryan Tee Howell, Brooklyn Isom, Clinton Lawing, Garrison McDowell, Ray Ray McElrathbey, Desmond Peterson, Travis Prince, Chappell Rose, Marzarius Samon, Frankie Waters and Allen Woerner were recognized for their hard work and dedication to the Mars Hill football program throughout their careers.

Michael Robinson got Mars Hill on the board with an early touchdown. Baker forced a Michael Crumbaker fumble at the Brevard 30-yard line which Robinson scooped and scored with 13:33 left in the first quarter.

Brevard answered with two straight touchdowns. Kelvin Jeter found the endzone from 58 yards out to tie the game at the 10:24 mark in the first quarter. After a bad snap on a punt attempt gave the Tornados the ball at the Lions' 12-yard line, Neville Bryce scored on the next play with 4:38 remaining in the first half. Brevard took that 14-7 advantage into halftime.

The Tornados increased their lead to two touchdowns at the 6:28 mark of the third quarter. Brevard forced a fumble by Jonas Randolph, and 10 plays later, Crumbaker punched the ball into the endzone from one yard out.

Mars Hill cut the deficit to seven points early in the fourth quarter. With Brevard driving deep into Lions' territory, Kevin Johnson hit Bryce, popping the ball loose which was recovered by Baker. Mars Hill put together a 10-play, 74 yard drive, which was capped off when Jon Richt hit Fekany from 17 yards out to make the score 21-14 in favor of the Tornados.

Brevard grabbed another two touchdown lead, 28-14, on the next possession. Bryce scored from three yards out with 8:13 remaining in the game.

The Lions again answered on the next possession. Luis Cruz found Patrick Fitzgerald on a play-action pass from 5 yards out with 6:12 left on the clock.

The Mars Hill defense stopped Brevard and gave the ball back to its offense at the 5:02 mark, but the Lions were unable to move the ball. The Tornados took over on downs at the Mars Hill 3-yard line, and Bryce scored his third touchdown of the game on the next play.

Cruz found Randolph on a 17-yard touchdown pass with 2:07 left in the contest. Although Mars Hill could not recover an onside kick attempt, the Lions got the ball back on the Brevard 40-yard line for one final play. However, a Cruz pass attempt was intercepted after several deflections in the endzone by Michael Gist.

Jeter finished with a game-high 125 rushing yards on 12 attempts. Bryce added 90 yards on 27 carries. Crumbaker was 2-6 through the air for 18 yards.

Prince Simunyu tallied nine tackles and one forced fumble. Gist and Phillip Curcio each had one interception.

Randolph finished with 103 yards on the ground on 20 carries. Through three seasons, he now has 37 touchdowns, 3,438 rushing yards and 222 points scored, all school career records.

Cruz hit 16-28 passes for 156 yards and two touchdowns against one interception.

Richt was 8-16 for 113 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He finishes the year establishing new single-season school records for passing yards (2,238), passing touchdowns (20), and total offense (2,198).

Gore caught seven passes for 72 yards and ended with a new school record 1,086 receiving yards in 2010. Prince hauled in six grabs for a game-high 86 yards.

Baker totaled 11 tackles, one tackle for loss, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Rudy Cabral had nine tackles for the Lions.

Mars Hill outgained Brevard 359-266 but had four turnovers compared to only two for the Tornados. Brevard outrushed the Lions 248-90.

In 2010, Michael Pinkerton tied the single-season school record with 42 made point after attempts. The Lions established a new single-season team record for passing yards (2,829).