Mars Hill drops OT thriller in season opener
The Mars Hill football team (0-1) was defeated in overtime, 30-24, by Chowan (1-0) Thursday night in their home opener.
MARS HILL, N.C. - The Mars Hill football team (0-1) was defeated in overtime, 30-24, by Chowan (1-0) Thursday night in their home opener.
Jimmy Urzua went 14-of-38 for 182 yards and one touchdown. Christopher Roberts led the Lions' run game with 69 yards on 16 attempts. Joraye Morrison picked up 49 yards and one touchdown. Marquis Williams caught five passes for 79 yards. Landon Honeycutt led all players with 13 tackles (three solo, 10 assisted).
Bryce Witt went 17-for-28 for 231 yards with two touchdowns while Jaylon Boyd led all rushers with 70 yards and two touchdowns. Imeek Watkins led the Hawks with 81 yards receiving on four catches. Jalen Burton led the Hawks with 10 tackles (two solo, eight assisted).
The Lions scored 10 points in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 24, highlighted by CJ Thompson's diving catch in the back-right corner of the endzone with 11 seconds to play.
In overtime, Boyd punched the ball in from one-yard out to put Chowan up by six. Honeycutt, on the point after attempt, blocked the kick. On the Lions' possession, Chowan's defense prevented Mars Hill from getting into the endzone, coming away with the win in their first game played since 2019.
The Hawks were up 14-0 after the first 15 minutes of play. Cade Cradlebaugh caught a three-yard pass from Witt to open the scoring 3:46 into the contest. Boyd scored his first touchdown of the game, a one-yard punch-in with 23 seconds remaining in the frame.
Morrison put the Lions on the board with 10:58 remaining in the first half, scoring his first career touchdown on an eight-yard run. With 2:07 left in the half, Luis Orellana's 28-yard field goal put Chowan up 17-7 entering the half.
The teams put up seven points apiece in the third with the Hawks' Laurence King on the receiving end of a 14-yard pass from Witt with 8:20 left to play in the third. Urzua pulled with the Lions back within 10 after a one-yard touchdown run with under two-minutes to play.
Mars Hill returns to action versus Virginia-Lynchburg on Thursday, September 9. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.