Harbison Carries Lions to Homecoming Victory Over Brevard
In his third career start at running back, sophomore Jamel Harbison ran for 290 yards and three touchdowns as Mars Hill defeated Brevard 37-31 on Homecoming at Meares Stadium and Ammons Family Athletic Center.
MARS HILL, N.C. - In his third career start at running back, sophomore Jamel Harbison ran for 290 yards and three touchdowns as Mars Hill defeated Brevard 37-31 on Homecoming at Meares Stadium and Ammons Family Athletic Center. Mars Hill improves to 2-3 on the season and 2-1 in the South Atlantic Conference; Brevard falls to 0-6 and 0-3 in the league.
Harbison's 290 yards came on 41 carries and is the best performance by a Lion running back since Jonas Randolph ran for 373 yards at Tusculum on October 29, 2011. Foluke Gordon-Lamar ran for 46 yards and a touchdown on six carries. Trent Miller was 9-for-15 with 124 yards. Keshaun Taylor had four catches for 91 yards. Mars Hill ran for 362 yards and finished the afternoon with 505 total yards. On defense, the Lions were led by Chris Reeder and Rashard Simmons, each with 10 tackles. Reeder had seven solo tackles and a forced fumble.
Andre Overholt led Brevard with 135 yards on 13 carries. Tanner Wright ran for 124 yards and three touchdowns and completed three of five attempted passes for 61 yards. Jordan Ollis ran for 77 yards and a touchdown
Trailing 21-17 in the third quarter, Harbison fumbled the Lions' first play from scrimmage in the second half with Brevard recovering at the Mars Hill 37. Wright ran for his third touchdown of the game and the successful point after gave Brevard a 28-17 lead. After Mars Hill was stopped on fourth down, Brevard took over at their 22-yard line and faced a fourth-and-two from their own 30. Reeder stuffed T.J. Lett for a loss of four yards at the Tornado 26-yard line, giving Mars Hill the ball. The Lion offense made Brevard pay for their fourth down decision as Harbison scored from three yards out to cut the Tornado lead to 28-24, which would be the score at the end of the frame.
Brevard extended their lead to 31-24 on a 24-yard field goal by Alex Noboa eight seconds into the fourth quarter. On their next drive, the Lions tied the game on a Gordon-Lamar rushing touchdown for 10 yards out. The Mars Hill defense forced a three-and-out deep in Brevard territory, with Mars Hill taking over on the Tornado 46-yard line. Harbison began the drive with a 36-yard dash before the Lions sent out Tyler Stewart for a 21-yard field goal to give Mars Hill a 34-31 advantage with 8:58 to play.
Stewart added a 37-yard field goal with 4:11 remaining after the Lion defense forced a Brevard punt. On the ensuing drive Wright took the Tornados from their own 23 to the Mars Hill 25 via a 52-yard run. Ollis gave Brevard second-and-three from the Lion 18 and was called on to run the ball for the second straight play before Reeder forced a fumble at the Mars Hill 11 with Elliott Polycarpe recovering for Mars Hill with 2:11 to play. Miller found Taylor up the middle for a 46-yard gain before Harbison was called on to run out the clock for Mars Hill's second win of 2014.
After winning the opening coin toss the Tornados drove 64 yards for a 7-0 lead via a Wright 17-yard rushing touchdown. Mars Hill tied the score following Harbison's first rushing touchdown of the game and a Stewart extra point. The teams traded touchdowns on the next two drives before Wright put Brevard up 21-14 thanks to a one-yard scamper with 56 seconds to play in the half. In his first collegiate attempt Stewart drilled a 28-yard field goal as the first half ended, giving Brevard a 21-17 halftime advantage.
Mars Hill will make the short trip to Tigerville, S.C. next week for their final non-conference game of 2014 against North Greenville. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.