Football Loses SAC Opener to Eagles
The Lions lost 62-38 to Carson-Newman in South Atlantic Conference football action Saturday afternoon in the Ammons Family Athletic Center and Meares Stadium.
MARS HILL, N.C. – The Lions lost 62-38 to Carson-Newman in South Atlantic Conference football action Saturday afternoon in the Ammons Family Athletic Center and Meares Stadium. Mars Hill fell to 1-3 overall and 0-1 in the SAC. The Eagles improved to 3-1 on the season and 1-1 in the league.
Austin Brown came off the bench to lead the Lions with 128 yards rushing and one touchdown on the ground averaging 7.5 yards per carry. He threw for 156 yards completing 13-22 passes and one score. The offensive numbers were career highs for Brown as a Lion. Shaikel Davis rushed for 99 yards on 21 carries. He also had a 99-yard kickoff return for a score. Keshaun Taylor caught 10 passes for 127 yards and one touchdown. Johnny Maxey led the Lions' defense with 10 tackles, a fumble recovery and a pass break-up. Christiaan Davis tallied nine tackles while Chris Leamon added eight tackles, a sack and a tackle-for loss.
Damian Baker rushed for 249 yards on 18 carries and four touchdown averaging 13.8 yards per carry. Montavious Taylor carried the ball 12 times for 113 yards and two scores. Jerry Miclisse led the Eagle defense with 13 tackles (11 solo) and an interception. Justin Long added nine tackles, four tackles-for-loss, a forced fumble and a quarterback hurry.
The Eagles scored on their second play in their first possession of the game when Baker broke free for a 64-yard rush with 14:32 on the clock in the first quarter. Dylan Barnas hit a 35-yard field goal with 10:25 on the clock in the first quarter to make the score 7-3. De'Andre Thomas dove in from a yard out with 7:18 left in the opening quarter to give the Eagles a 14-3 lead.
A 3-yard dive by Jamel Harbison with 10:01 left in the half cut the Eagles lead to 14-10. Antonio Wimbush answered for Carson-Newman with a 42-yard scamper for a touchdown with 6:50 left in the second quarter to extend their lead to 21-10. Baker then broke free for a 44-yard score with 4:34 on the clock before Harbison scored his second touchdown of the day with three ticks left in the half to send the teams to the locker room with Carson-Newman ahead, 28-17 at the break.
The Eagles outscored Mars Hill 20-7 in the third frame to take a 48-24 lead heading into the final fifteen minutes of play. Taylor had a three yard run and Baker had scorings rushes of 52 and three yards, respectively, to account for the points. Brown hit Taylor on a 38-yard scoring strike to record the Lions' third quarter points.
The fourth quarter saw both teams score twice. Jason Williams had a 90-yard fumble recovery return with 10:46 on the clock and then Davis returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards for a Lion touchdown. Brown then found the end zone after a 15-yard run with 7:11 left in the quarter before Taylor sprinted 29 yards for the contest's last score with 2:14 left in regulation.
Mars Hill will host North Greenville in the Lions' annual Homecoming game on Saturday, October 3. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m.