Sneed throws three touchdowns versus No. 8 Lenoir-Rhyne
The Mars Hill football team (2-2, 1-1 SAC) was defeated by No. 8 ranked Lenoir-Rhyne (4-0, 2-0 SAC) in the Lions' 2019 South Atlantic Conference home opener Saturday afternoon.
MARS HILL, N.C. - The Mars Hill football team (2-2, 1-1 SAC) was defeated by No. 8 ranked Lenoir-Rhyne (4-0, 2-0 SAC) in the Lions' 2019 South Atlantic Conference home opener Saturday afternoon.
Collin Sneed completed 25 of his 43 passes for 345 yards and three touchdowns. Craig Rucker led all players with 10 receptions and 161 yards, scoring twice. Ty Snelson collected two passes for 63 yards and one score. Both Jaden King (three solo, seven assisted) and the reigning SAC Defensive Player of the Week Nigel Bowden (five solo, five assisted) led the Lions with 10 tackles apiece.
Lenoir-Rhyne led 21-7 after the first quarter of play. Opening the scoring with 6:09 gone in the stanza, Drake Starks caught a 17-yard pass from Grayson Willingham. The Lions tied the game up just over three minutes later. Sneed, on the run, was able to get off the pass before getting hit, connecting with Snelson for a 46-yard touchdown pass.
On the very next drive, on the first play, Willingham threw his second touchdown of the day, connecting with Jaquay Mitchell for an 80-yard score. As the clock hit zero, Ameen Stevens punched the ball in from the one-yard line.
Following the first of three lightning delays, Mars Hill pulled back within one touchdown. Faking the handoff, Sneed snuck into the endzone from one-yard out. Just over two minutes later, the Bears once again reestablished their two touchdown lead as Caine Crews ran it in from four yards out. With 1:37 left in the half, Craig Rucker caught his first touchdown of the afternoon from eight yards out.
After the Bears scored twice in the third quarter to go up 42-21, Rucker and Sneed connected as the quarter ended on a 75-yard pass for his second score of the day, pulling back within 14 points. The Bears tacked on 14 more points in the fourth to secure their fourth win of the season.
The teams combined for over 1,000 total yards off offense with the Lions leading the way in the passing game with 345 yards.
Mars Hill hits the road on Saturday, October 5th as they take on Newberry. Kickoff is scheduled for a 4 p.m. start.
