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MOUNTAIN LIONS TAKE THRILLER AT LENOIR-RHYNE TO IMPROVE TO 2-0

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If you go to a Concord Football game against Lenoir-Rhyne, don't leave early.

Last year, Concord prevailed in a wild 52-45 overtime final at Callaghan Stadium.

This year, the thrills continued to the last play in the Mountain Lions' gritty 20-17 victory at Moretz Stadium in Hickory, NC.

Last year, the CU defense stopped the Bears on downs to secure the victory.

This year, the Mountain Lions' D stopped L-R's last-play Hail Mary before it got started, on Andrew Halafihi's sack of Bears QB Major Herron as time expired.

Brian Kennedy spearheaded the Concord offense by rushing 28 times for 172 yards and two touchdowns. The junior from Centreville, VA did the bulk of his best work in the second half, with 16 carries for 107 yards and both of his scores.


All-American Thomas Mayo led the Lions' receivers with eight receptions for 131 yards and a touchdown.

QB Zack Grossi alternated between brilliant and inconsistent, completing 26 of 42 passes for 299 yards and the touchdown pass to Mayo, but also throwing three interceptions.

Jimmy Keating led Concord's defense with 11 tackles. Aaron Martinez totaled 10, with Zach Gibbons and Davon Marion adding nine each.

CU starts the season 2-0 for the second consecutive year. L-R falls to 1-1.

Boxscore/Play-by-Play:  www.lrbears.com/stats/10fb/lru02.htm

The Mountain Lions took the opening kickoff and marched to the L-R 17, but the drive ended when Bears' LB Chris Carter intercepted a Grossi screen pass intended for Kennedy.

The Bears moved 50 yards to the Concord 20, but came away empty when Colin Corpe missed a 38-yard field goal attempt wide right.

CU responded with an eight-play, 80-yard scoring drive. A 25-yard pass from Grossi to TE Jared Brown got Concord to the Bears' 19, and Mayo hauled in a touchdown pass on the next play to put the Lions ahead 7-0 with 4:26 left in the first quarter.

Lenoir-Rhyne got on the board on Corpe's 28-yard field goal with 7:37 left in the second quarter.

On its next possession, Concord drove to the L-R 33, but Jamont Jones intercepted a Grossi pass in the end zone. Four plays later, RB Gaston Miller broke free for a 65-yard touchdown run and the Bears took a 10-7 lead into halftime.

Concord reclaimed the lead on its second possession of the third quarter. A 19-yard Grossi-to-Mayo pass took the ball to the L-R 15, then Grossi connected for a nine-yard pass to Kennedy. On the next play, Kennedy fought through the Bears defense for a six-yard touchdown and a 14-10 CU lead with 5:55 to go in the third quarter.

The Bears answered by going 81 yards on 15 plays, capped by James Pone's 21-yard touchdown run on 4th and 1 that electrified the home crowd and put L-R ahead 17-14 with 14:14 left in the fourth quarter.

The Mountain Lions replied with a long drive of their own (14 plays, 83 yards, 4:07) but came up empty when Brandon Strupp's 21-yard field goal attempt bounced off the left upright and touched off more raucousness among the Bears' faithful.

But Concord's defense quickly silenced the building. On a 2nd down play from the L-R 22, Joe Greenway forced Herron to  fumble, and Davon Marion recovered at the 11.
Two plays later, Kennedy plunged in for a two-yard touchdown to put CU ahead, although Strupp's PAT kick again bounced off the left upright. Concord led 20-17 with 9:42 remaining.

The CU defense again came up big on L-R's next possession, stopping Miller a yard short on a 4th-and-2 rush to the Concord 46.

The Lions drove to the Bears' 10, but Mike Harold blocked Strupp's 27-yard field goal try with 4:12 to keep the game close.

Lenoir-Rhyne moved to Concord's 34, but seemed out of hope when Corpe's 51-yard field goal attempt came up short with 1:06 left.

However, L-R had two timeouts left, used them both after Concord took a knee, and forced CU to punt with :10 left.

The Bears lined up at their 38 for a Hail Mary pass, but Halafihi sacked Herron to end the game.

Concord has a bye next week, then opens its WVIAC schedule with a visit to West Virginia Wesleyan on Saturday, September 18. Kickoff is set for 1:00 pm at Cebe Ross Field in Buckhannon, WV.

The CU-WVWC game will be broadcast on ESPN Radio 102.3 FM The Ticket (Hinton/Princeton/Beckley), with the webcast at 12:30 on www.theticket102.com/.

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