ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University football team exploded for 60 points for the second straight home game as it rolled to a 62-31 win over Wheeling Saturday afternoon in a Mountain East Conference game at Callaghan Stadium.
With the score knotted at 7-7 just two minutes into the game, Concord (7-2, 6-2 MEC) scored 35 of the next 44 points in the contest to take a 42-16 lead with four minutes elapsed in the third quarter.
The Mountain Lions scored on consecutive possessions to end the first quarter as senior quarterback Jack Mangel found sophomore wide receiver Mack Simmons in the back of the end zone on a three-yard completion to cap a 63-yard drive. The following possession, senior running back Kris Copeland took a swing pass from Mangel and ran 12 yards to push Concord ahead 21-7 with 4:24 remaining in the first quarter.
Junior wide receiver Jarod Bowie was responsible for the next two CU touchdowns. Bowie capped a quick 24-yard drive—that was set up on an interception by graduate linebacker Ty Maust—on a nine-yard touchdown reception. With 2:05 remaining before halftime, Bowie got loose down the sidelines and raced 50 yards to balloon the lead to 35-13.
To start the second half, Wheeling (6-3, 5-3 MEC) marched down to the edge of the red zone, but sophomore defensive back Kevin Howard jumped a pass attempt, on fourth down, and took off for an 81-yard interception return for a touchdown. The defensive score took the lead to 42-16 with 10:58 remaining in the third.
The Cardinals needed 15 plays and more than seven minutes to get back to 42-23, but the Mountain Lions had an immediate answer as Copeland snared an eight-yard touchdown from Mangel with 2:12 left. The three-play scoring drive was set up on a 58-yard rush from junior running back Thurlow Wilkins.
Copeland was responsible for the final two Concord touchdowns of the day—a 24-yard reception and a 15-yard run.
Though Concord only had the ball for 18:51 and ran just 50 plays, the Maroon and Gray tallied 495 yards of offense, an average of 9.9 yards. Mangel threw for 361 yards and broke his own single-game touchdown record with seven.
Bowie had 224 yards receiving at halftime, and finished with 259 and three touchdowns. The first score came on a 59-yard pass play on the first play from scrimmage. Copeland netted 70 yards of total offense (60 receiving, 10 rushing) and four touchdowns.
Wilkins just missed the century mark with 99 rushing yards on 13 carries.
The Concord defense logged 92 plays, but created two turnovers and had three sacks on the day. To go with his interception, Maust had a game-best 14 tackles. Fifth-year senior defensive lineman Dajor Davenport notched eight tackles and two sacks.
The Mountain Lions play their final home game of the regular season 2:00 p.m. November 5 against Alderson Broaddus at Callaghan Stadium.
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