BUCKHANNON, W.Va. – The Concord University football team scored all 34 points in the first half as it survived a second-half comeback from West Virginia Wesleyan, 34-32, Saturday afternoon in a Mountain East Conference game at Cebe Ross Field.
After a back-and-forth first quarter, Concord (3-0, 2-0 MEC) took command by scoring 21 of the second quarter's 24 points to lead 34-17 at halftime.
Trailing 14-13 four minutes into the second quarter, senior quarterback
Jack Mangel led the Mountain Lions on an eight-play, 76-yard drive that was capped with Mangel getting flushed from the pocket and finding freshman wide receiver
Tyson Jarrell wide open for a 23-yard touchdown.
The Bobcats (0-3, 0-2 MEC) trimmed the deficit to 20-17 on the next possession.
On the next CU possession, the Maroon and Gray was pinned deep at the 12-yard line. After getting near midfield on a completion from Mangel to junior wide receiver
Jarod Bowie, senior running back
Kris Copeland raced 50 yards for his second rushing touchdown of the season to up the lead to 27-17.
Mangel capped a near-perfect first half with a scoring drive in the final 50 seconds of the first half. Bowie got loose for a 61-yard reception before redshirt freshman wide receiver
Solomon Butler hauled in his first career CU touchdown from seven yards out with six seconds left in the half.
However, WVWC held Concord scoreless in the second half.
Wesleyan scored nine points in the third quarter, and got to within 34-32 on a touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter. The two-point conversion failed as fifth-year senior defensive lineman
Dajor Davenport stuffed the attempt.
With both teams trading field position, Wesleyan drove to the CU 43-yard line before senior defensive back
Marcellus Saint intercepted a pass with 1:13 left to seal a third Concord win of the season.
Mangel tossed two first-quarter touchdowns six minutes apart as he found Bowie for a 67-yard strike, and hit junior wide receiver
Cayden Chambers from 11-yards away. Mangel finished the day with 27-for-35 with 368 yards and four touchdowns and an interception.
Copeland had just 10 offensive touchdowns (six carries, four receptions), but accounted for 120 yards. Bowie exploded for his second career 200-yard receiving game as he hauled in nine receptions for 206 yards and a score. The Martinsburg, West Virginia native had two catches over 60 yards.
The Mountain Lions rolled up 575 yards of offense—the most for Concord since November 2016. CU had to overcome five turnovers.
Graduate linebacker
Ty Maust led CU's defense with 10 tackles. Senior defensive back
John Merica tallied nine tackles against his former team. Saint and graduate linebacker
Tylen Fowler both had seven tackles. Saint had his second interception in as many games. Fowler chipped in two tackles for loss.
Off to its their 3-0 start since 2014, the Mountain Lions visit fellow 3-0 Frostburg State 1:00 p.m. next Saturday.
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