Football Wins Big on Senior Day

MARS HILL, N.C. – The Lions defeated Wingate in South Atlantic Conference football action 42-24 on Senior Day in the Ammons Family Athletic Center and Meares Stadium. Mars Hill improved to 5-5 overall and 4-2 in the SAC. The Bulldogs fell to 6-4 on the season and 3-3 in the league. Prior to the game, Mars Hill recognized their 18 senior players. At halftime, MHU recognized the 2015 Mars Hill Athletic Hall of Fame inductees and the 1985 SAC-8 Championship Team.

Keshaun Taylor led the offensive attack for the Lions with nine catches for 188 yards and one touchdown reception. He also returned a kickoff 90 yards for another score, his career high. Matt Layman completed 11-20 passes for two touchdowns. Shaikel Davis rushed 19 times for 141 yards and two scores while Jamel Harbison carried the ball a season high 25 times for 106 yards. Harbison also scored a touchdown. Chris Moseley recorded nine tackles (8 solo), a tackle-for-loss and an interception to lead the Lions' defense. Jerjuan Edwards tallied seven tackles, two sacks, three tackles-for-loss and a forced fumble. Markece Cunningham added five stops, a forced fumble and a recovered fumble. The Lions racked up 528 yards of total offense in the win, 259 on the ground and 269 in the air. The point total against Wingate was a season high for the Lions. Mars Hill also set a season mark in sacks against Wingate with eight.

Kyle Johnson threw for 296 yards completing 20-40 passes and one touchdown. Jordan Berry was on the receiving end of seven of those passes for 145 yards and one score. Charlie Hosea and Eric Maples led the Bulldogs' defense with eight tackles apiece.

Layman and Gilbert Johnson gave the Lions a 6-0 lead on the Lions' first play from scrimmage when they connected on an 83-yard scoring pass. The PAT kick attempt failed. Lawrence Pittman gave the Bulldogs a 7-6 advantage with 10:12 left in the first quarter when he dove in from a yard out. Taylor gave MHU the lead for good (13-7) with 4:19 left in the opening period when he caught a 73-yard scoring pass from Layman. A 41-yard field goal by Caleb Baird with 2:15 left in the first stanza trimmed the Lions' lead to 13-10. Shaikel Davis then broke loose on a 92-yard rush to give MHU a 19-13 lead after another failed PAT kick.

The Lions exploded for 21 second quarter points to seal the win. After a 40-yard field goal by Baird, Taylor returned the ensuing kickoff return 90 yards for a touchdown to put the Lions up 26-13. Seven minutes later Davis found the end zone on a 5-yard rush to extend the Lions lead to 33-13. Harbison crossed the goal line after a three-yard rush to make the score 40-13 with 54 seconds left in the half before Baird hit a 32-yard field as time expired in the first half to send the teams into the locker room at the intermission with the Lions leading 40-16.

The only score of the third frame came at the 6:01 mark when Berry caught a 64-yard touchdown strike from Johnson to bring the Bulldogs within 16 points (40-24) of the Lions. A bad snap by the Bulldogs on a punt attempt with 8:10 remaining in the contest led to a MHU safety that accounted for the game's final score. The teams traded possessions before the Lions ran out the clock to make the final tally 42-24 in favor of the Lions.

As the Lions' home season came to an end, Michael Ashley, Adrian Bentley, Christiaan Davis, Trey Clark, Shaikel Davis, Trevor Gilmore, Foluke Gordon-Lamar, Jeremy Hughes, Drew Huskey, Zach Lappin, Matt Layman, Martay Mattox, Johnny Maxey, Jerome Maybank, Michael McDavid, Jr., Chris Reeder, Richard Taylor and Marquez Williams played their final game in Meares Stadium. Jared Turbyfill and Bobby Walters, MHU senior football student assistant coaches will also be sorely missed.

Mars Hill will face Brevard next week on the road. The game will be aired by WMYA-TV 40. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.