MARS HILL, N.C. — Quarterback JR Martin ran for three touchdowns to lead Mars Hill University to a 30-3 victory over Tusculum University in South Atlantic Conference football Saturday afternoon at Meares Stadium.
Martin, who carried 10 times for 69 yards, scored on runs of 1, 10 and 34 yards as the Lions (2-3, 2-2 SAC) outgained the Pioneers (0-6, 0-5 SAC) by a 398-150 margin. Martin also completed 13-of-21 passes for 215 yards in the victory.
The Lions scored two touchdowns in the first 5 1/2 minutes to build an early 13-0 lead, and led 23-0 before the Pioneers scored their only points on a career-long 40-yard field goal from John Aiden Pittman in the third quarter.
Kyeandre Magloire led the Lions with 75 yards on 15 carries as Mars Hill piled up 161 yards on the ground as a team. Tusculum had 39 rushing yards on 31 carries, led by 22 yards from Otasowie Dion. Three Pioneer quarterbacks combined to go 9-for-20 through the air for 111 yards, with Lex Dinwiddie the top receiver with two catches for 59 yards.
Mars Hill took the opening kickoff and drove 75 yards in eight plays, with Martin scoring from a yard out with 10:30 left in the first quarter. The extra point attempt from Lon Teachey hit the right upright, leaving the Lions with a 6-0 lead.
On Tusculum’s second play from scrimmage, a pass from Matthew Palazzo was picked off by Charron Holt and returned 40 yards for a touchdown to give the Lions a 13-0 lead with 9:32 remaining in the quarter.
After a Tusculum punt, the Lions had a 23-yard completion from Martin to Edward Louis Jr. wiped out by a penalty. On the next play, the Pioneers recorded their first interception of the season as Rashad Watson made a juggling pick at the 28 and returned the ball to the Mars Hill 2. A dead-ball penalty pushed the Pioneers back to the 17, and on fourth-and-7 a pass from Kamden Wellington to Kemani Brown was just out of reach in the back of the end zone.
Tusculum would come up with a second straight turnover on Mars Hill’s next possession, as Daryl Smith forced a fumble on the Lions’ Malik Laurent at the end of a 39-yard reception, which was recovered by Marquel Pittman at the Pioneer 29. However, Wellington fumbled on third-and-4 and Jaidyn Hicks recovered at the Pioneer 33.
Mars Hill stretched its lead to 16-0 on a 35-yard field goal from Teachey that capped a 10-play, 30-yard drive with 11:45 left in the first half. Tusculum would go for it on fourth-and-1 from its own 40 with 4:01 left in the half, but Joseph Goho was stopped to turn the ball back over to Mars Hill.
On its first drive of the third quarter, the Lions took over at their own 4 and moved 96 yards in 10 plays, highlighted by a 28-yard run by Magloire and a 27-yard completion from Martin to Izaiah Jean-Baptiste. Martin would score on a keeper from 10 yards out with 8:45 left in the third quarter to push the Lions’ lead to 23-0.
The Pioneers would respond with their best drive of the game, moving 51 yards in 10 plays and using 4:53 of the clock before settling for a 40-yard field goal from John Aiden Pittman with 3:46 left in the third quarter to cut the Mars Hill lead to 23-3.
Mars Hill appeared to have scored on the first play of the fourth quarter on a 29-yard pass from Martin to Laurent, but the Lions were flagged for an ineligible man downfield. On the next play, Martin rolled right and took off for a 34-yard touchdown that gave the Lions a 30-3 lead with 14:40 to go.
Laurent led all players with four catches for 80 yards for the Lions, with Beau DeBerry making four receptions for 53 yards and Jean-Baptiste adding three grabs for 49 yards.
Palazzo finished 5-for-11 for 63 yards through the air for the Pioneers, with Wellington going 3-for-6 for 28 yards and Jacob Dennie completing one pass in three attempts for 20 yards.
On defense, Watson led the Pioneers with a career-high 11 tackles (eight solo), while Corey Radcliff and Aidan Dark had five tackles apiece. Dexter Fitzpatrick had a team-high nine tackles (six solo) for the Lions, along with a sack, while Steven Reid had seven stops.
Tusculum punter Stefaan Forbes averaged 47.0 yards on six punts, with a long of 57, while Hunter Bridges punted four times for Mars Hill and averaged 41.0 yards with a long of 46.
Mars Hill was flagged 12 times for 111 yards in penalties, while Tusculum had six penalties for a total of 60 yards. The Lions controlled the ball for 31:38 compared to 28:22 for the Pioneers.
The Pioneers will host Anderson on Saturday, Oct. 26 at 1 p.m. at Pioneer Field. The Trojans are 3-4 overall and 1-4 in the SAC in their first season as a program, and will be coming off a 34-3 loss to Emory & Henry.
