It's Senior Day at Mars Hill College as Wingate and Mars Hill tangle in South Atlantic Conference football action. The two clubs share identical 6-3 records, with 4-2 marks in SAC play.Avery County's Josh Johnson is one of the seniors recognized this afternoon in his final home game for the Lions.
We'll be providing action throughout the afternoon from Meares Stadium in Mars Hill!
Update 1: Wingate is on the board quickly, taking the opening kickoff and taking only two plays to score. A 59-yard touchdown pass gives the Bulldogs the early 7-0 lead just 49 seconds into the contest.
Update 2: After a Mars Hill punt, Wingate gets on the board again on a four-yard pass play from Cody Haffley to Phillip Thomas. The PAT makes it 14-0 Bulldogs. Mars Hill drives into Bulldog territory, but Jonas Randolph is stripped of the football and Wingate recovers. Bulldogs looking to get firm control of this game early on.
Update 3: Vince Jordan rushes into the end zone from a yard out, taking advantage of the Mars Hill turnover to take a commanding 21-0 lead over Mars Hill with 6:50 left in the first quarter.Mars Hill answers the third score with a six-yard touchd0wn run by RB Jonas Randolph, capping a strong 8 play, 77 yard drive to stem the Wingate momentum. With 2:31 to play in the first period, Mars Hill cuts it to 21-7.
The Mars Hill defense picks up a huge break when a Wingate pass is tipped at the line and intercepted at the Wingate 30-yard line. On the first play following the turnover, Josh Johnson completes a wide receiver pass for one yard to the quarterback Jon Richt. Randolph rushes to the one yard line as the first quarter clock expires. Mars Hill trails 21-7 after one quarter, and scores on a Richt touchdown run of a yard on the first play of the second quarter. The PAT cuts the lead to 21-14 Wingate.
Update #4: Wingate answers the Mars Hill TD with its own score, a TD pass from Haffley to Antonio Cotton to cap a 9 play, 70 yard drive. Wingate again takes a 14-point advantage at 28-14 with 11:12 to play in the second quarter.
Mars Hill takes advantage of a pair of pass interference penalties to march into Wingate territory, but the Lions were denied on a fourth down pass play to turn the ball over on downs back to the Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs kick back to Mars Hill and Randolph breaks off a long run for the Lions, only to be stripped again of the football. Wingate recovers the loose pigskin to again gain possession. The Bulldogs again cash in on the turnover when quarterback Cody Haffly sneaks across from a yard out. With 32.8 seconds left before halftime, Wingate leads it 35-14 at halftime. Josh Johnson has a single first half reception for 7 yards, while Zach Johnson has four tackles in the first half.
Update #5: Following a Mars Hill punt on its first drive, Wingate scores on a touchdown pass to Chris Bowden. The eight-yard touchdown pulls the Bulldogs ahead 42-14 with exactly 8:00 left in the third period. Mars Hill coughs up the ensuing kickoff and Wingate recovers at the Mars Hill 15-yard line. Wingate scores three plays later on an 11-yard pass to receiver Ryan Webber. The PAT gives the Bulldogs a 49-14 lead with 6:57 to play in the third quarter.
Update #6: Mars Hill moves downfield with the ensuing kickoff, but a fumble after a completed pass is recovered again by Wingate. Turnovers are absolutely killing the Lions this afternoon, fumbling four times and losing each one of them. Wingate has done a great job at capitalizing on the mistakes. This time the Mars Hill defense holds at the four-yard line to turn the football over on downs.
Update #7: End of the third quarter and the Lions trail Wingate 49-14. Looking more and more like the Lions' playoff hopes in Division II play have been dashed by the Bulldogs today. One more quarter left to play.
Update #8: Josh Johnson has two catches on Mars Hill's first drive of the fourth period as the Lions drive into Wingate territory. Jonas Randolph scores on a five-yard run with 9:52 left in the fourth quarter to give the Lions their third TD of the day. Wingate leads it 49-21.
Update #9: Mars Hill recovers an onside kick to get the offense the football back. Jon Richt scores on a one-yard sneak to cut the Bulldogs lead to 49-28 with 5:52 left in the game. Following an unsuccessful onside kick, Wingate running back Vince Jordan dashes through the Mars Hill defense for 33 yards to put the Bulldogs over the half-century mark. 5:35 remains in the game and the Bulldogs double up the score, leading Mars Hill 56-28.
Update #10: Mars Hill's Jonas Randolph breaks off a couple of gains to get inside the Wingate 5-yard line. Randolph has gained 180 yards on 27 carries, sitting within 70 yards of the South Atlantic Conference single-season rushing record. Randolph caps the drive with a five-yard touchdown run to draw the Lions to within 56-35 with 2:58 left in the final quarter.
Update #11: The Lions recover their second onside kick of the half, and Richt hits Johnson for his fifth catch of the day, a 20-yard completion to move inside WU territory. Another Johnson catch nets six yards to put Mars Hill at a fourth and inches. A QB sneak was unsuccessful on fourth down, turning the ball back over to Wingate to essentially seal the Bulldogs win.
Mars Hill falls 56-35 in a shootout to the Bulldogs at Meares Stadium. Josh Johnson finishes his Senior Day home finale unofficially with a team-leading 6 receptions for 64 yards. Zach Johnson caps the day with four tackles. Mars Hill finishes its regular season at 6-4, with a 4-3 South Atlantic Conference mark. Wingate improves to 7-3, and 5-2 in conference play.
UT UPDATE: Here in Knoxville, the Volunteers are dominating the Tigers of Memphis 42-7 behind the arm of Johnathon Crompton has had a hand in 5 touchdowns, 4 passing and 1 rushing. The Avery-Journal Times Sports Blog will have a full recap later this weekend. Thanks for reading!
