UVA WISE FALLS SHORT OF UPSET, MARS HILL STAYS ATOP SAC
For the second consecutive home game, it was a near miss for UVA Wise against one of the top teams in the South Atlantic Conference as Mars Hill held on for a 20-16 victory at Smith Stadium Saturday.
UVA Wise (2-7, 1-6) trailed throughout the contest but Dane Damron's team had an opportunity to win it in the final moments. Mars Hill's (6-2, 6-1 SAC)Andre Labat booted a 31-yard field goal with 2:56 to play to put the visitors in front 20-16.
The Cavaliers would take over on their own 27-yard line following the kickoff and would quickly pick up a first down when Jakoby Johnson converted a third down and two with a five yard carry to the UVA Wise 40-yard line.
From that point, the Lions defense would rise to the occasion by forcing four consecutive incompletions to seal the victory.
It was the fourth consecutive win for Mars Hill who remained atop the Mountain Division standings and improved to 9-1 all-time against UVA Wise.
A Labat field goal and a 2-yard touchdown run by Ty Snelson put the Lions in front 10-0 halfway through the second quarter.
The Cavs thought they had gotten on the board in the opening period when Dent fired a pass into the end zone for an apparent touchdown; however, Lions' defender Tristan Rankin was deemed to have ripped the ball away before possession by the receiver was made, resulting in an interception.
Damron's crew would get on the board in the second quarter when Dent capped a 13-play scoring drive with a 1-yard touchdown on a quarterback sneak. Kellan Dalton's conversion kick made it a 10-7 affair with 2:27 to play in the half.
The score would remain unchanged until the third quarter when Mars Hill's Jervon Newton would dart in from 26 yards out, the extra point pushed the lead to 17-7 with 4:33 to play in the third period.
UVA Wise answered right back with a 7-play, 44-yard scoring drive that culminated with a 29-yard field goal off the foot of Dalton, cutting the deficit back to one score at 17-10.
After each team traded punts, the Cavs would put together another scoring drive. Dent would hook up with Markel Harrison on a 48-yard completion to move the ball to the Mars Hill 17-yard line for the big play on the drive before Dalton kicked a 22-yard field goal to make it a 17-13 game.
It would be as close as the hosts would get as Labat's field goal with 3:15 to play proved to be the final score of the game and provided the winning margin.
Dent finished the game 24-for-46 through the air for 223 yards. Tyler Kirkess was his favorite target as he hauled in nine catches for a career-high 97 yards. Johnson was the top rusher as he tallied 56 yards to lead a rushing attack that totaled 100 yards in defeat.
Mars Hill quarterback Jimmy Urzua completed 11-of-24 passes for 155 yards with Newton gaining 151 yards on 33 carries on the ground.
Cavs' defensive back Robert Carter picked off his fifth pass of the season in the game to tie the NCAA Division II era program record.
Saturday's game was the final home game of the season for UVA Wise who finishes the year with consecutive road games. Next week, the team travels to Carson-Newman for a 3 p.m. kickoff.
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