The Mars Hill College Lions lost their regular season finale to SAC rival Wingate University, 56-35 Saturday afternoon at the Ammons Family Athletic Center and Meares Stadium. The Lions dropped to 6-4 overall and 4-3 in the SAC with the loss. Wingate improved to 7-3 on the year and 5-2 in the league.Prior to the game, MHC recognized their 11 senior players. Avery High School alumnus Josh Johnson (WR), Antonio Lyerly (DB), Dominique Moore (DL), Kadeem Morgan (LB), Antwon Murchinson (DL), Deshun Nesbitt (DB), Jeff Pell (DL), Keadran Pinckney (DB), Joe Sims (OL), Josh Sims (OL) and Jake Walsh (DB) were honored for their contributions to the program.
The teams combined for 972 yards of total offense. Wingate accumulated 520 yards while MHC tallied 452 total yards. Wingate recorded 293 in the air and 227 on the ground. MHC threw for 263 yards and rushed for 189. While Wingate took good care of the ball, Mars Hill fumbled the ball five times and lost possession on four of those miscues.
Wingate quarterback Cody Haffly completed 18-30 passes to account for Wingate's passing yardage. He had five touchdown passes in the victory. Delric Ellington was Haffly's favorite target catching five passes for 114 yards and one score. Vince Jordan ran for 123 yards and two scores averaging 6.2 yards per carry. Luis Alvarez and Robert Fletcher led the Bulldog defense with nine tackles apiece. Alvarez forced a fumble while Fletcher recovered a Lion fumble.
Jonas Randolph had another stellar day rushing for the Lions. Already Mars Hill's single season rushing leader, Randolph ran for 186 yards and three scores, averaging 6.2 yards per attempt. Randolph closed his season with 1,804 yards rushing and 19 touchdowns, both school records.
Josh Johnson caught six passes for 64 yards to lead the Lions' air attack. Mars Hill quarterback Jon Richt threw for 209 yards completing 16-28 pass attempts. Josh Baker led the MHC defense with nine stops. Jeff Pell followed with seven tackles, a tackle-for-loss and a sack.
Wingate came out of the gates scoring 21 unanswered points in the first quarter and never looked back. Haffly hit Ellington and Philip Thomas on touchdown strikes at the 14:11 and 11:02 mark before Jordan dove in from two yards out with 6:50 left in the first frame. Randolph finally put the Lions on the board with 2:39 left in the first quarter on a six-yard scamper.
Richt scored on a quarterback sneak with 14:56 left in the half to bring the Lions within 21-14 of the Bulldogs, but that was as close as MHC would get. Haffly responded by finding Antonio Cotton on a 12 yard scoring pass, and then ran the ball in from a yard out to give Wingate a 35-14 halftime advantage.Wingate scored the only points in the third stanza. Haffly hit Chris Bowden with exactly eight minutes left in the period and then he threw a 10-yard scoring pass to Ryan Webber with 6:57 left in the third quarter to push the Bulldogs lead to 49-14.
MHC won the final quarter 21-7, but the damage was already done. Randolph ran in from five yards out before Richt had another one-yard rushing score to make the score 49-28. Jordan answered for Wingate with a 35 yard run with 5:35 left in regulation to end the Bulldogs scoring at 56 points on the day. Randolph ended the Lions scoring on another five-yard rush with 2:58 on the clock to make the final tally 56-35.
For Johnson, the journey to Mars Hill has been a winding one. Recruited by Appalachian State University, Johnson played three seasons as a wide receiver and occasional punt returner for the Mountaineers, winning two national championships and was part of one of the greatest upsets in sports history with ASU upended the University of Michigan in 2007.
Following last season in Boone, Johnson chose to transfer to play at Mars Hill College and found a second family and an atmosphere that he learned to appreciate and care for deeply.
“I can’t say enough about this place. It’s such a family atmosphere. You don’t ever think about this day until it gets here. I can’t say enough about the coaches here and the players and teachers. Mars Hill is beyond words,” an emotional Josh Johnson said after the game. “In four years of football, I have never felt the appreciation and understanding with the players and the coaches all being on the same page with the same goals as I have this season. I am so grateful for the opportunity to finish my career here.”
Josh was joined by his parents, Gary and Annette Johnson, as well as his sister, grandparents, and uncle. A number of well-wishers from Avery County made the trek to Madison County to support him and his teammates.
“I don’t know if anyone has a family like I have. Life is full of adversity and it seems like every one of them has been through something I’ve been through and been available to offer me advice,” Johnson said. “From my parents, my grandma and grandpa, my sister, my aunts and cousins, I appreciate and love them all so much.”
Josh was joined on this season’s team by fellow Avery
Viking standout player Zach Johnson. Zach enjoyed having his former Viking offensive teammate back on the same team for a final season together.“It was great having Josh on the team this season. The coaches purposely put our lockers next to each other and he fit right in with us,” Zach said of his teammate. “We’ve known each other since babies, and from the get-go everyone got along with him because he’s such a great guy. I’m gonna miss him a lot. It will be tough to lose him and all the seniors from our team.”
Special thanks to Avery County native and Mars Hill College Sports Information Director Rick Baker for content used in this story.
