November 1, 2008

MARS HILL, N.C. - The Lions lost their final home contest to SAC rival Tusculum College, 33-28 Saturday afternoon at the Ammons Family Athletic Center and Meares Stadium. MHC fell to 6-4 overall and 3-3 in the SAC. TC improved to 7-3 on the season and 4-2 in the league.

The game did not start in the Lions favor as the Pioneers put two touchdowns on the board in the first five minutes of play. Corey Russell (Speedwell, Tenn.) found a seam and scampered 53 yards for Tusculum's first score, 34 seconds into the game. Gareth Rowlands (Wales, Great Britain) missed the PAT kick and TC led 6-0. On the Pioneers next possession, Jarrell NeSmith (Russellville, Ala.) pulled in a 13-yard strike from Russell with 10:20 left in the opening quarter. Rowlands PAT kick was good and TC led 13-0. Tyrea Allen (Murphy, N.C.) brought the Lions within six points of TC with 1:39 left in the first frame after he caught a 26-yard strike from Ricky Spradling (Roan Mountain, Tenn.).

Spradling found John Brown (Homestead, Fla.) at the 9:34 mark in the second quarter on a 25-yard scoring pass and after a successful PAT kick by Michael Pinkerton (Bogart, Ga.), MHC enjoyed their only lead of the contest, 14-13. Russell again led the Pioneers back on top hitting Calvin Britt (Augusta, Ga.) on a 21-yard touchdown pass with 7:56 left in the first half. After Rowlands hit the point after, TC led 20-14. After MHC turned the ball over on downs, Russell connected with Nate Binder (Maidstone, Ontario, Canada) on a 67-yard scoring pass with 2:30 left before the intermission. TC went into the locker room with a 27-14 advantage.

The only score in the third stanza came at the 9:09 mark when Elroy Harris (Orlando, Fla.) plunged in from three-yards out to bring the Lions within six points (27-21) after Pinkerton split the uprights on the PAT attempt. NeSmith caught a 10-yard pass from Russell with 12:48 left in the final period to end the scoring for the Pioneers. Rowlands kick failed but TC led 33-21. Allen found the end zone on a reverse with 7:02 left in regulation and after Pinkerton again nailed the point after, MHC trailed only 33-28.

On the ensuing kickoff, Binder fumbled on the Pioneer 21-yardline and Jermaine Johnson (Thomasville, Ga.) recovered the ball with 6:50 left in the contest. MHC could not move the ball on their first three downs and on fourth and 10 from the Pioneers' 21 yardline, Spradling was picked off by Jeremy Thompson (Rome, Ga.) at the TC four yard line. The Tusculum offense picked up two first downs to run out the clock and leave Mars Hill with the five-point victory.

Russell led the Pioneers with 101 yards rushing and 256 yards in the air. He threw for four scores and ran for one to account for all of the Pioneers points on the day. Binder caught four passes for 90 yards and one score while NeSmith also pulled in four catches for 30 yards and a pair of touchdown receptions. Justin Scott (Jamestown, S.C.) led the Tusculum defense with 10 tackles (8 solo), three for loss, a forced fumble and two sacks. Thompson followed with seven solo stops and the interception that halted the Lions' final drive.

Spradling led the Lions' offense with 68 yards rushing and 157 yards passing. He threw a pair of touchdown passes to Allen and Brown. Zach Johnson (Newland, N.C.) led Mars Hill's defense with seven tackles (4 solo), two for loss and a sack. Jeff Pell (West Jefferson, N.C.) followed with six tackles (5 solo). Stan Galbraith (Birmingham, Ala.) also had six stops, two for loss, and the same number of sacks.

Prior to the game, MHC recognized their 18 senior players. At halftime of the contest, MHC recognized the 2008 inductees to the Mars Hill Athletic's Hall of Fame. Ed Hoffmeyer, Derek Thomas, Randy Whitson and Jennifer Wiggins were the 2008 inductees.

MHC will finish the 2008 campaign at Wingate University on November 8 at 1:30 p.m. Tusculum will host Carson-Newman College next Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

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