Football Loses to Catawba

MARS HILL, N.C. – The Lions lost to SAC rival Catawba 33-22 in South Atlantic Conference football action Saturday afternoon at the Ammons Family Athletic Center and Meares Stadium. Mars Hill fell to 2-5 overall and 0-3 in the league. The Indians improved to 3-4 on the season and 3-1 in the SAC.

Jamel Harbison extended his streak of 100+ yard rushing games to six. After his 121 yard rushing performance today, Harbison is now averaging 127.4 yards per game on the season. He is second in the SAC in rushing yards per contest. David Salmon completed 20-35 passes for 237 yards and three touchdowns. Unfortunately, Salmon was picked off twice. Keshaun Taylor caught six passes for 111 yards and one score. Craig Rucker was on the receiving end of four passes for 58 yards and a touchdown. Jamel Brintley led the Lions' defense with 12 tackles (7 solo), a tackle-for-loss and a pass break-up. Jerjuan Edwards, Tray Smith and Chris Daniels followed with nine tackles apiece.

Reid Carlton threw for 205 yards and two touchdowns completing 9-21 passes. Sam Mobley caught both touchdown passes and accumulated 118 yards on four receptions. David Burgess rushed for 38 yards and one score. Jamal Lackey recorded a game high 13 tackles (11 solo), a sack and three tackles-for-loss. Chris Carpenter tallied six tackles (5 solo), three pass break-ups and two interceptions.

Mars Hill wasted little time getting on the board. The Lions scored on their first possession of the game, driving 65 yards on nine plays, capped off by a 23-yard pass from Salmon to Rucker with 12:54 left in the first quarter. Brennan Lambert hit a 31-yard field goal with eight seconds left in the first period to cut the Indians' deficit to four points (7-3).

Second quarter miscues by the Lions led directly to 21 points for the Indians in the frame that ultimately decided the contest. Case Woodard blocked a Lion punt on the MHU 20-yardline and then he recovered his own block in the Lions' endzone with 13:12 left in the second quarter to give Catawba a 10-7 advantage they would not relinquish. After the Lions lost a fumble on their own 29-yardline, Catawba scored five plays later when Mobley caught a 19-yard touchdown pass from Carlton with 3:02 left in the quarter. After Mars Hill threw an interception, Carleton once again hit Mobley, this time for a 44-yard scoring strike with 1:05 left before the intermission. Catawba carried the 24-7 lead into the locker room at halftime.

An 18-yard run by David Burgess extended the Indians lead to 30-7 with 12:03 left in the third stanza. Salmon then found Taylor for a 12-yard scoring pass with 1:43 left in the third quarter before connecting with Harbison on another 12-yard touchdown pass to trim the Indians lead to 30-22 with 7:47 left in the contest. A 25-yard field goal by Lee Brackman with 5:01 left in regulation sealed the win for Catawba as they left Mars Hill with the 33-22 victory. Mars Hill turned the ball over on downs in their final possession.

The Lions will play at SAC foe Lenoir-Rhyne on Saturday, October 21. Kickoff in Hickory, N.C., is set for 2 p.m.