Rucker ties school record, Lions down Catawba
The Mars Hill football team (5-3, 4-1 SAC) downed Catawba (1-7, 0-5 SAC) by a score of 55-28 on the road Saturday afternoon.
SALISBURY, N.C. - The Mars Hill football team (5-3, 4-1 SAC) downed Catawba (1-7, 0-5 SAC) by a score of 55-28 on the road Saturday afternoon.
Craig Rucker tied the school record for most career touchdown receptions as he hauled in two on the day. His two scores tie him with Dimitri Holmes' 39 career receptions. Rucker also added one rushing touchdown and returned an 84-yard punt for a score. Rucker had 166 yards on five punt returns and 145 yards receiving on six catches.
Jimmy Urzua threw for 294 yards and three touchdowns on the day. Elijah Jett recorded 128 yards on the ground and one touchdown, averaging 7.1 yards per carry. Christopher Roberts scored one touchdown on the day, rushing for 64 yards on 14 carries. Gilbert Johnson's lone catch on the day was a 56 yard touchdown reception. Nigel Bowden led the Lions with seven solo tackles while Carl Robertgeau returned a 67 yard interception for a touchdown.
The Lions offense exploded in the second quarter, outscoring Catawba 35-7. Trailing 7-0 after the first quarter, the Lions tied the contest off of Rucker's one-yard rush. Just over a minute later, Rucker's punt return gave Mars Hill their first lead of the game. With 7:06 left in the half, Johnson's 56-yard grab provided the Lions a 21-7 lead. Less than a minute later, Robertgeau's interception gave the Lions a three-score advantage. With 2:39 to play in the second, Rucker collected a 37-yard pass from Urzua for his first receiving score of the day. The Indians scored their second touchdown of the half with 16 seconds remaining to enter halftime trailing, 35-14.
At the 5:23 mark of the third, Rucker pulled in the record-tying pass, a 73-yard strike from Urzua. Kaylon Wade's third touchdown pass of the day came 1:33 later as the Indians cut the Lions' lead in half. With just over two minutes remaining in the third, Jett's six-yard run gave the Lions their seventh score of the afternoon.
Both teams traded touchdowns in the final quarter, as Roberts punched the ball in from three yards out with 10:23 to play. Wade connected with Dominic Burnam for a three-yard touchdown pass, his fourth of the day with 8:08 remaining.
The Lions put up 501 yards of total offense and converted on four-of-five fourth down attempts. Mars Hill controlled the ball for nearly 36 minutes.
Mars Hill returns to the Hill on Saturday, November 2 when they host Carson-Newman. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
