Randolph Sets SAC Records in Win at Tusculum
Lions win 47-37
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. - Jonas Randolph rushed for a league-record 373 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Mars Hill College football team to a 47-37 win over Tusculum College Saturday afternoon at Pioneer Field.
The Lions (7-2, 5-1 in South Atlantic Conference) accounted for 565 yards offensively as Mars Hill records its first win in Greeneville since 1998, ending a five-game road drought to the Pioneers (2-7, 1-4 SAC).
Randolph's 373 yards (T-9th in NCAA II history) breaks the previous SAC single-game record of 344 yards, set by Lenoir-Rhyne's Leonard Davis against Gardner-Webb in 1993. Randolph's 49 carries was also a new SAC single-game mark, surpassing the 48 posted by Elon's Bobby Hedrick against Newberry in 1978. Randolph also tied his own school record with four rushing touchdowns in the win.
Tusculum quarterback Torrey Slaven passed for 306 yards and two touchdowns as he went 20-for-36 with zero interceptions. Deonte Gist posted eight receptions for 90 yards, while running back Brian Marshall finished with five catches for 79 yards and a touchdown. Marshall also led the team with 58 rushing yards on seven carries and a score. Rashaad Carter added 93 yards on four receptions and a touchdown.
Mars Hill signal caller Luis Cruz, who was starting in place of the injured Jon Richt, went 13-for-23 for 189 yards and two touchdowns. Cruz's favorite target was Josh Young, as he posted five catches for 109 yards and a TD.
MHC kicker Michael Pinkerton spotted the Lions to a 6-0 lead with a pair of first half field goals, covering 25 and 26 yards.
Tusculum answered at the 9:15 mark of the second quarter when Slaven found Marshall on a 48-yard reception down the near sideline. Logan Cornelius' kick put the Pioneers ahead 7-6.
The score would remain that way until 3:52 remaining before halftime as Mars Hill made a fake reverse with Randolph out of the Wildcat formation, who tossed the ball back to Cruz on a flee flicker and found Young all alone in the Tusculum secondary for a 76-yard touchdown to go ahead 13-7 into the locker room.
Mars Hill fumbled on its first possession, which was recovered by Tusculum's Nick Smith at the MHC 39. TC's drive would stall at the MHC 17 as Cornelius came aboard to connect on 34-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 13-10 at the 11:39 mark of the third quarter.
Mars Hill and Randolph answered two plays and 27 seconds later as he rambled 53 yards for his first touchdown of the day. Pinkerton's extra point attempt was blocked by Nick Smith, for his school record seventh block of the season to keep the score at 19-10.
On its ensuing possession, Slaven completed a 12-yard pass to freshman tight end Wesley Powell and a 15-yard toss to Gist to get to the MHC 4. Two plays later, Fred Jones punched it in from four yards out to trim the deficit to 19-17 with 8:15 left in the quarter.
The Lions responded with an eight-play, 70-yard drive, capped off by a four-yard TD run by Randolph as Mars Hill increased its lead to 26-17 at the 5:22 mark of the third stanza.
Tusculum struck back quickly thanks to a 47-yard touchdown pass from Slaven to Carter. Cornelius made the extra point as TC trailed 26-24.
MHC took over at its own 40-yard line after the kickoff went out bounds and Randolph wasted little time as he rumbled 60 yards up the middle for his third touchdown of the quarter and a 33-24 advantage with 3:41 left in the quarter.
Tusculum's next possession got into Mars Hill territory, thanks to a 39-yard completion from Slaven to Gist. Slaven was sacked for the only time of the afternoon due to a bad snap. TC would be forced to punt, but punter Andy Rosetti bobbled the snap as he was hit in the backfield at the TC 43 as Mars Hill took over on downs late in the period.
Mars Hill took advantage of the short field and pushed ahead 40-24 with 11:40 left in the game on Cruz's 10-yard scoring pass to Dimitri Holmes.
Xzanvion Smith got a great kickoff return of 43 yards to the MHC 37. Eight plays later, Marshall rushed in for a one-yard touchdown to with 9:22 left in the contest. Tusculum two-point conversion try was unsuccessful as TC trailed by 10 (40-30).
Anthony Lewis returned the kickoff 51 yards for Mars Hill to the TC 41. Randolph took over from there and covered the remaining distance on six carries, including his eight-yard touchdown with 5:50 left and a 47-30 lead.
Tusculum answered one more time with an eight-play, 60-yard scoring drive, capped off by a one-yard TD run by freshman BJ Spradlin. The big play of the possession came on a 23-yard pass play from Slaven to Xzanvion Smith on first-down and 20 following a Tusculum penalty.
With Tusculum behind 47-37 with 3:26 to go, the Pioneers attempted the on-side kick, which was hauled in by Josh Crumpton in the middle of the field and returned 20 yards to the TC 19. Mars Hill would run out the clock from there to preserve the win.
Nick Smith led the Pioneers with his career-best 10 tackles, including a sack and fumble recovery. Justin Arrington and Brian Alexander added nine tackles each, while Raphel Finley posted seven stops.
Mars Hill's Kevin Johnson led all players with a dozen stops, while Rudy Cabral, Brandon Edmond and Jasper Mason tallied eight tackles apiece.
In the third quarter alone, Randolph rushed for 167 yards on 11 attempts and three touchdowns.
Slaven continues to be the model of consistency as he has yet to throw an interception in his first 180 career pass attempts.
Gist also finished the game with 180 all-purpose yards for his seventh straight 150-yard performance.
Gist and Carter combined for 12 receptions on Saturday, giving them 391 catches combined for their career. That tally is eight from the NCAA Division II record of 399 career receptions by two players from the same team.
MHC will enjoy an open week before hosting Carson-Newman in its last regular-season game on November 12. Kickoff against the Eagles in the Lions' annual Hall of Fame Game is set for 1 p.m.
