Mars Hill downs Cavaliers in SAC opener

WISE, Va. - The Mars Hill football team (2-1, 1-0 SAC) came away with a 21-14 win over UVa-Wise (1-2, 0-1 SAC) Saturday afternoon to spoil the Cavaliers' South Atlantic Conference debut.

Jimmy Urzua threw for 403 yards and two touchdowns, also adding a rushing score.  Craig Rucker caught 12 passes for 185 yards while Javon Harbison brought down four receptions for 102 yards and one touchdown.  Ty Snelson's lone reception was an 80-yard score.  Christopher Roberts led the Lions rushing game with 60 yards on 16 carries.  Nigel Bowden recorded 11 tackles (six solo, five assisted) and one sack while Jaden King pulled down an interception

The Lions struck first with less than four minutes to play in the opening quarter.  Harbison collected a nine-yard pass from Urzua to put the Lions up 7-0 with his third touchdown reception of the season.  With less than one minute to play in the quarter, Demetrius Mann returned a 47-yard punt for the Cavaliers' lone score of the first half.

With 6:23 to play in the second quarter, the Lions wasted no time doubling their lead.  The first play of the drive saw Snelson receive the Urzua pass and gallup his way into the end zone to give the Lions the seven-point lead entering the half.

The lone score of the third quarter saw Urzua punch the ball in from less than a yard to put Mars Hill up 21-7 with 5:45 remaining in the stanza.  Following a change at quarterback, the Cavaliers' Garrett Cropp cut into the Mars Hill lead with 5:09 left in the game off of a six-yard run.  The Cavaliers, with less than two minutes remaining, stormed down the field and converted on two fourth and longs to get the ball to the 11-yard line.  With less than 10 seconds remaining, facing another fourth and long, the Cavaliers' attempted one last throw into the end zone with the receiver unable to corrale it.

Mars Hill hosts Lenoir-Rhyne on Saturday, September 28th as they look to "Fill the Hill" against their conference foe.  Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.