Lions drop heartbreaker versus No. 23 C-N
The Mars Hill football team (1-3, 1-2 SAC) was defeated by No. 23 Carson-Newman (6-0, 4-0 SAC) by a score of 28-27 at home Saturday afternoon.
MARS HILL, N.C. - The Mars Hill football team (1-3, 1-2 SAC) was defeated by No. 23 Carson-Newman (6-0, 4-0 SAC) by a score of 28-27 at home Saturday afternoon.
With no time remaining, on fourth and goal at the one, Jayden Sullins completed the come-from-behind victory for the Eagles, scoring his second of the day. Tied at 27, Carson-Newman hit the extra point to remain undefeated on the season.
Mars Hill, with 5:36 left in the third quarter, went back up by 10 as Malik Laurent caught an 11-yard pass from JR Martin. They expanded the lead in the fourth as Lon Teachey hit his second field goal of the game, a 28-yarder.
After cutting the lead back down to six, Carson-Newman recovered an onside kick with 1:36 remaining, leading to the game-winning score.
The Lions held the Eagles scoreless after 15 minutes of play, leading 17-0 entering the second quarter. Jon Gullette's 10-yard rush opened the scoring 3:54 into the quarter. With 3:30 remaining in the frame, Izaiah Jean-Baptiste hauled in a 12-yard pass from Martin to put the Lions up by two scores. Teachey tacked on a 36-yard field goal with 39 seconds left in the quarter.
Carson-Newman responded in the second, cutting the Lions' lead down to three entering the half. Sullins capped off an 11-play, 70-yard drive with a four-yard rush into the endzone. With less than a minute to play in the first half, Zane Whitson connected with Cam Ferguson on a 19-yard strike to score the Eagles' second touchdown of the quarter.
Martin threw for 218 yards and two scores while rushing for 77 yards. Gullette added 66 yards on the ground. Laurent led all players with 75 receiving yards and one score while Jean-Baptiste caught all three targets for 65 yards and a score.
Defensively, Dexter Fitzpatrick led all players with 14 tackles followed by 13 from Jaidyn Hicks.
The Lions outgained Carson-Newman 375 yards to the Eagles' 285 with 218 coming in the air. Mars Hill possessed the ball for just over 35 minutes.
Mars Hill returns to action on Saturday, October 19 when they face Tusculum. Kickoff inside Meares Stadium is set for 2:30 p.m.
