MARS HILL, N.C. – Saint Augustine's College suffered a heartbreaking football loss to Mars Hill College on Saturday.
The Falcons led 14-0 in the game's first five minutes, but the Lions recovered to gain a 20-14 non-conference victory at Meares Stadium. The contest was sealed when the Lions held the Falcons on downs on their final possession in Falcon territory with under a minute remaining.
The Falcons scored first when Richard Boone (Sr./Petersburg, Va.) took the opening kickoff 99 yards untouched into the end zone. Adison Daniels (Sr./Raleigh, N.C.) added the extra point for a 7-0 lead. After holding on downs, the Falcons scored on their first offensive possession when Joaquin Green (R-Fr./Pittsboro, N.C.) found Tyron Laughinghouse (Fr./Greenville, N.C.) for a 43-yard touchdown pass. Daniels booted the extra point to extend the lead to 14-0 with 9:55 left in the first quarter.
The Falcons threatened to score on their second possession, but they missed a 28-yard field goal. The Lions got on the scoreboard when Jonas Randolph scored the first of his two touchdowns on an 11-yard run in the second quarter. The score pulled the Lions within 14-6 at halftime.
The Lions closed the gap to 14-12 when Demetruis Smedley returned a blocked punt 38 yards for a touchdown. They eventually grabbed the lead in the fourth quarter on Randolph's 13-yard scamper one play after a Falcons' punt netted 0 yards. Smedley scored on the two-point conversion, which made the score 20-14 Mars Hill.
The Falcons responded by driving twice inside Lions' territory but failed to score, with the second drive ending in an interception. They eventually gained possession for one last chance after a Lions' drive ended at the Falcons' 24 with 42 seconds remaining in the game. The Lions sacked Green on fourth down and 10, however, to kill any comeback attempt.
Randolph led the Lions a game-high 216 yards on 43 carries, while Walter Sanders (Jr./Baltimore, Md.) rushed 23 times for a season-high 128 yards. After winning Division II national offensive player of the week honors following a six-touchdown performance last week, Green was 13-for-36 for 141 yards, one touchdown and one interception for the Falcons. His counterpart, Jon Richt, was 9-for-23 for 94 yards and three interceptions for the Lions.
Jamel Moore (Jr./Fayetteville, N.C.) picked off two Richt passes for the Falcons, who gained 248 total offensive yards and allowed 313 offensive yards. Mark Hall (Jr./Suitland, Md.) was the Falcons' top tackler with 9 total tackles, and Michael Robinson led the Lions with seven tackles.
The Falcons dropped to 0-3 for the season, and the Lions upped their record to 2-1. The Falcons open CIAA play on Saturday (Sept. 19) at home against Virginia State University. Game time is 1:30 p.m. at Broughton High School.
