Football Wins SAC Opener

MARS HILL, N.C. - The Lions' football team recorded 512 yards of total offense and held SAC rival Brevard College to just 124 total yards to obtain a 38-0 victory at the Ammons Family Athletic Center and Meares Stadium Saturday afternoon. Mars Hill improved to 1-2 overall and 1-0 in the SAC while the Tornados fell to 0-3 on the season and 0-1 in the league.

Jon Richt completed 10-16 passes for 218 yards and three touchdown passes to lead the Lions' offense. Deunta Jennings was on the receiving end of three of those passes for 124 yards and one score including a 73-yard scoring reception. Anthony Lewis led the Lions rushing attack with 132 yards on 13 carries including an 88-yard touchdown rush in the fourth quarter. Shaikel Davis tallied 98 yards rushing on 15 carries. Logan Jensen had three catches for 47 yards and a 28-yard scoring catch. Mam Nyang led the Lions' defense with three sacks, five tackles and one quarterback hurry. Troy Harris added nine stops, a tackle-for-loss, a forced fumble and a hurry. Jasper Mason added eight tackles in the win.

MHC opened the scoring on a 34-yard field goal by Victor Yurco with 6:53 left in the first quarter. Three minutes later Richt found Jennings on a 73-yard scoring strike to extend the Lions' lead to 10-0 (3:46). With 4:17 on the clock in the second frame, Richt hit Colt Austin for an eight-yard scoring pass to give MHC a 17-0 advantage. Jensen then hauled in his 28-yard touchdown pass from Richt with 35 ticks left in the first half to send the Lions into the locker room at the intermission with a 24-0 lead.

The Lions scored a touchdown a quarter in the second half to make the final tally, 38-0. Richt dove in on a quarterback sneak from a yard out with 11:12 left in the third quarter and then Lewis scampered 88 yards for a score with 10:37 left in regulation.

Derek Church led Brevard with 37 yards on the ground. The Tornados completed only one pass for seven yards in the contest, due in large part to solid defensive performance by the Lions. Michael Gruber led the Tornado defense with 17 tackles and one tackle-for-loss. Devon Holmes and Billy Mustatello recorded 11 tackles apiece.

Mars Hill will play at North Greenville next Saturday. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.