Late Rally Lifts Tusculum Over Football
Tusculum scored the game-winning touchdown with 33 seconds left for a 38-35 victory over Mars Hill
MARS HILL, N.C. - A touchdown with 33 seconds remaining allowed the Tusculum Pioneers to earn a 38-35 come-from-behind victory over the Mars Hill Lions in the 2014 season finale at Meares Stadium and Ammons Family Athletic Center. Mars Hill concludes the season at 4-6 overall and 3-4 in the league; Tusculum completes the 2014 campaign at 6-5 and 4-3.
Prior to the game Mars Hill honored 12 seniors: Lyle Allen, Nick Allison, Major Duckett, Shaquille Gatlin, Dimitri Holmes, Marvin James, Johnathan Jones, Drew Martin, Jasper Mason, Blake Moffitt, Rashard Simmons and Chris Wilson.
Jamel Harbison ran for 181 yards and two touchdowns on 41 carries. Trent Miller completed 15 of 32 passes for 285 yards and two touchdowns. Chris Trimmings caught four passes for 58 yards and a touchdown to lead the receiving corps. Keshaun Taylor caught two passes for 56 yards, Marquez Williams hauled in two passes for 50 yards and Holmes caught two passes for 49 yards. Harbison, Gatlin and Allen each caught one pass, with Allen's reception doubling as a touchdown reception. Chris Leamon led the Lion defense with nine tackles, with Eliott Polycarpe and Trey Clark each recording an interception. Leamon and Christiaan Davis each had two sacks. Mars Hill outgained Tusculum 511-463.
Kyle Dickey was 15-25 for 311 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions under center for the Pioneers. D.J. Haney ran for 85 yards and a touchdown. Johnathan Diliberto caught seven passes for 189 yards and two touchdowns. Mike Mosah and Akeem Peoples each had 10 tackles.
After receiving the opening kickoff the Lions capped a nine play, 68-yard drive with a two yard Williams rushing touchdown followed by a Tyler Stewart point after for a 7-0 lead. Miller and Holmes gained 41 yards on a completion that took the lions from their own 47 to the Tusculum 12-yard line.
Tusculum answered quickly as Dickey found Dilibert down the left side for an 87-yard touchdown pass on their second play from scrimmage. Logan Cornelius' point after was good, tying the game at 7.
Harbison scored his first touchdown of the game with just under four minutes to play in the quarter as he capped a 57-yard drive with a three yard run. The Lions used a long pass to set up the score as Miller found Trimmings for a 39-yard completion that took the Lions from their own 46 to the Pioneer 15. The Pioneers answered with a Dickey touchdown pass to Wesley Powell to even the game at 14 as the first quarter came to a close.
The Lions pulled ahead 21-14 on a Harbison nine yard scamper with 8:20 to play in the opening half. Following a Tusculum three-and-out, the Lions drove to the Pioneer 18 before Stewart missed a 35-yard field goal with 59 seconds remaining in the half. Tusculum advanced to the Lion 29-yard line, but their drive ended as Polycarpe picked off Dickey at the Mars Hill 13 to preserve a 21-14 lead at halftime.
Cornelius cut the Lion lead to four, 21-17, thanks to a 28-yard field goal with 8:03 remaining in the third quarter. It would be the only score of the frame. Mars Hill pulled ahead 28-17 with just under 12 minutes to play in the game thanks to a Miller five-yard touchdown pass to Trimmings. On the next Pioneer drive, Dickey was sacked on what would have brought up a 3rd and 19 for the visitors except for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the Lions. Tusculum took advantage of the field position and capped the drive with a Haney touchdown run. The two-point conversion pass was incomplete, making the score 28-23 in favor of Mars Hill with 8:39 to play.
Miller and Allen connected on an eight-yard strike to give the Lions a 35-23 lead with 3:29 to play. Tusculum again trimmed the Lion advantage to five, this time on a Dickey touchdown pass to Diliberto with 2:08 remaining.
Taylor recovered the onside kick for Mars Hill, but Tusculum forced a three-and-out and took over at their 37-yard line with 1:38 remaining. A defensive pass interference penalty pushed the Pioneers across midfield, with Dickey finding Ken Funnye to put the visitors inside the redzone. Following a Mason sack and an incomplete pass, Dickey connected with Deon Hicks from 21 yards out to give Tusculum a 38-35 lead with 33 seconds remaining. Mars Hill advanced to their own 47 and on the final play of the game, Miller threw toward the end zone but the pass dropped incomplete as Tusculum held on for the win.
Holmes completes his Mars Hill career as the South Atlantic Conference leader in career receptions (267) and career receiving yards (4,157).
