ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University football team built a 28-12 halftime lead before holding off a rally by West Virginia Wesleyan to win 28-25 Saturday afternoon in Mountain East Conference play at Callaghan Stadium.
Playing its first home game in 672 days, the Mountain Lions (1-1, 1-1 MEC) started fast as junior quarterback
Jack Mangel tossed a pair of touchdown passes in the opening eight minutes of the game. The Athens, Georgia native found freshman running back
Justin Lee on an 18-yard swing pass to get CU on the board at the 10:32 mark of the first quarter.
After a WVWC (0-3, 0-2 MEC) three-and-out, Mangel floated a pass to the front left pylon of where fifth-year senior wide receiver
Tywan Pearce was awaiting a 17-yard scoring connecting less than four minutes after the initial touchdown.
Just like CU, Wesleyan scored equally as quick at the end of the first quarter and beginning of the second as the Bobcats reeled off 12 unanswered points within in a 2:05 span of the first half to close within 14-12 at the 13:47 mark of the second quarter.
With neither team building momentum offensively, it was Concord that took advantage of a WVWC fumble. Pearce caught his second touchdown of the day, a 44-yard toss from Mangel, and on the ensuing Wesleyan drive freshman defensive lineman
DJ Thomas pounced on a fumble at midfield.
The Mountain Lions then marched 42 yards in just five plays as Mangel found junior wide receiver
Kris Copeland for a 14-yard score at the 2:45 mark to push the advantage to 28-12 at the break.
Concord was slowed offensively in the second half as Mangel threw for just 50 yards after halftime after a 218-yard performance in the opening half.
The Bobcats got within 28-18 after a muffed punted inside the Concord 30-yard line, needing just five plays to cut the advantage to 10 points. To begin the fourth quarter, Wesleyan had the longest scoring drive of the afternoon as it went on a 14-play, 88-yard drive to get within 28-25.
However, CU's defense stood tall down the stretch. Protecting a three-point lead with under three minutes left in the contest, the Mountain Lions stopped WVWC from getting a first down inside the five-yard line and forced a field goal try from 21 yards that was no good with 1:40 left in the game.
Mangel found Pearce for a 13-yard completion on third down and CU was able to run the final minute off the clock.
The final catch of the day for Pearce, his seventh, pushed him over 100 yards as he tallied his third consecutive 100-yard receiving game, finishing with 107. Mangel completed 19 passes for 268 yards and four touchdowns.
Copeland added 70 yards rushing on just six carries while hauling in 58 receiving yards on four catches.
Fifth-year senior linebacker
Dwain Porterfield paced the defense with 10 tackles. Senior linebacker
Tylen Fowler and senior defensive back
Rashon Lusane each had seven tackles with Fowler recording 2.5 tackles for loss.
CU was outgained by Wesleyan, 407-397, but Concord averaged over six yards per play.
Concord welcomes Frostburg State to Callaghan Stadium 1:00 p.m. Saturday.
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