FOOTBALL: TAKE IT AWAY

SIX TAKEAWAYS, LATE DRIVE LEAD TO VICTORY AT WEST LIBERTY

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After its first eight games of the season, the Concord Football team posted a turnover margin of +1.63 per game – the third-best mark in all of NCAA Division II.

The Mountain Lions kept up the pace on Saturday, forcing six takeaways and rallying for a come-from-behind 32-29 victory at West Liberty.

CU's defense scored three touchdowns – the first on a fumble return and two on interceptions – as the Mountain Lions (6-3, 6-1) snapped a four-game losing streak to the Hilltoppers and moved into first place in the WVIAC.

Ethan Perry provided Concord's first big play.  With WLU facing 1st and 10 at its own 10, the senior linebacker burst through the line unblocked, grabbed QB Ben Rogers' option pitch at the 8 and ran it in for a touchdown with 5:58 left in the 1st quarter.

The Hilltoppers tied the game at 7-7 on Alec Wood's 74-yard fumble return later in the quarter, but CU's defense would strike again.  And again.

Zach Gibbins intercepted an L.D. Crow pass at the 'Toppers' 46, and returned it for a touchdow

n to put the Mountain Lions ahead 14-7 with 2:57 remaining in the quarter.

West Liberty drove into CU territory on its next possession, but Joe Greenway picked off a Crow pass and returned it 80 yards for another TD (right) and a 21-7 lead with 13:27 to go before halftime.

WLU would pull within 21-17 midway through the 3rd quarter.  Concord pushed its lead to 24-17 on John Scritchfield's 27-yard field goal with 14:13 remaining in the 4th.

West Liberty (1-9, 1-7) would score touchdowns on its next two possessions – but missed the PAT kicks, one of them blocked -- to take a 29-24 lead with less than seven minutes to play. 

But the Mountain Lions' offense answered with a brilliant drive that saved the game.

Concord embarked on an efficient 13-play march that took 5:34 off the clock.  QB Zack Grossi completed five of five passes for 39 yards, and Brian Kennedy and Chris Rodriguez combined to rush eight times for 29 yards.  Kennedy capped the drive with a four-yard touchdown run (below left), Grossi passed to Garrett Hammett for a two-point conversion, and Concord went in front 32-29 with 1:13 left in the game.

With all three of its timeouts left, West Liberty drove into Concord territory.  But Greenway picked off Crow again (upper left) at the CU 33 with :33 left.  The Mountain Lions then ran out the clock to secure its first win over the Hilltoppers since a 27-23 victory at Callaghan Stadium on September 23, 2006.

Dwane Stokes and Josh Clark also grabbed interceptions for Concord.

BOXSCORE/PLAY-BY-PLAY

Up next for Concord is a WVIAC matchup with West Virginia Wesleyan next Saturday, November 12, at Callaghan Stadium. 

The Bobcats (9-1, 6-1), ranked 11th in this week's American Football Coaches Association poll, suffered their first loss of the season Saturday afternoon at the University of Charleston.

A win by Concord next week would secure the Mountain Lions' first WVIAC championship since 1990.

Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 pm.

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