FOOTBALL: JUST ENOUGH

CU HOLDS OFF UPSET-MINDED SETON HILL

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There is no such thing as “style points” in football.  When you outscore your opponent, you win.

Which was a good thing for Concord's Football team on Saturday.

The Mountain Lions didn't excel stylistically, but did enough to hold off winless Seton Hill for an 18-9 victory on a sunny, breezy afternoon at Callaghan Stadium.

The Mountain Lions never trailed, but never led comfortably.  The defense limited the Griffins to 84 yards rushing, and the special teams produced a safety as CU improved to 4-3, 4-1 in the WVIAC.  Seton Hill left Athens at 0-7, 0-5.

Concord took the day's first lead when Chris Rodriguez (above left) plunged in from four yards out for a touchdown with :36 left in the first quarter.

Seton Hill responded with a drive that ended with Josh Cavalier's 27-yard field goal – which barely cleared the crossbar, in the face of a strong 20-mph wind – to pull within 6-3 early in the 2nd quarter.

That score held until after halftime, when CU's special teams came up big.  On 4th and 3 from their own 10, the Griffins were forced to punt.  The snap to Cavalier was high and slipped through his hands.   The SHU punter picked up the loose ball, but Howard Jordan pounced on him for a tackle in the end zone, and the safety pushed the Concord lead to 8-3 with 9:42 to go in the 3rd quarter.

On its next possession, Seton Hill lost the ball on downs at the CU 36.

On the next play, the Concord offense went big.

The Griffins blitzed, but could get to QB Zack Grossi, who lofted a pass down the middle to Ryan Stewart.  The junior wideout made the catch in stride at the SHU 35, and sprinted untouched into the end zone.  The 64-yard play put Concord ahead 15-3 with 14:44 remaining in the game.

The Mountain Lions defense forced a turnover on SHU's next possessions.  After a pass completion to running back Daniel Butler, Mike Hodeib applied a hard hit and jarred the ball free at the Griffins' 30.  Aaron Martinez scooped up the loose ball and returned it to the 14, setting up an 18-yard field goal from Cox (right) for an 18-3 lead with 10:08 left on the clock.

It was Martinez's second takeaway of the day.  The All-WVIAC safety intercepted a Ryan Morris pass in the 2nd quarter.

Seton Hill would reply with a nine-play, 81-yard drive that ended with a six-yard TD pass from Ryan Morris to Tyler McIntosh.  Cavalier's PAT kick clanged off the right upright, however, leaving the score at 18-9.

The Mountain Lions snuffed out the Griffins' faint comeback hopes when Riyadh Richardson intercepted a Morris pass with :37 left.

Rodriguez paced the Concord offense with a career-high 147 yards rushing on 27 carries.  Stewart finished with 126 yards receiving on five catches, while Randall Hawkins hauled in nine receptions for 77 yards.

Zach Gibbins and Jake Lilly each posted 12 tackles to lead the Concord defense.  Martinez added 11 tackles to his two takeaways.  Josh Miller recorded four tackles for loss and two sacks, and Joe Greenway had eight tackles, two of them for a loss.

BOXSCORE/PLAY-BY-PLAY

Up next for Concord is a bye week.  After that, the Mountain Lions will visit WVIAC rival Fairmont State on Saturday, October 29.  Kickoff is scheduled for 2:00 pm at Duvall-Rossier Field in Fairmont, WV.





(photos courtesy of Jennifer Logan / statistics provided by CU SID GA Becky Brouse)

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