Mars Hill keeps finding ways to win. Saturday’s might have been the wildest yet.
The unbeaten Lions rallied from 10 points down in the final five minutes of regulation, survived four overtimes and finally escaped with a 42-40 win over Tusculum at Meares Stadium.
Mars Hill improved to 5-0 overall and 4-0 in the South Atlantic Conference, while Tusculum fell to 3-3 and 2-2.
🔑 How It Happened
Tusculum took a 31-21 lead with 4:21 remaining and seemed in control, but Lukas Kachilo connected with Greyson Council for a 61-yard touchdown just 72 seconds later. After the Mars Hill defense stopped Tusculum on fourth-and-1, Matthias Newsome tied the game with a 52-yard field goal with 1:12 left.
Kachilo found Brayden Marvel for a 25-yard touchdown on third-and-10 in the first overtime, but Tusculum answered immediately to tie things up again.
Neither team scored in the second overtime before both converted two-point attempts in the third. Tusculum’s Tedros Gleaton threw incomplete on its fourth-overtime try, giving Mars Hill a chance to win it. Rayvon Durant converted the two-point play to end the game.
Numbers That Matter
- 324: Passing yards for Mars Hill quarterback Lukas Kachilo, who completed 23 of 44 passes with four touchdowns and one interception. He also ran for a touchdown, giving him five total TDs.
- 18: Mars Hill’s total rushing yards on 22 attempts — an average of just 0.8 yards per carry. Kachilo officially finished with minus-9 rushing yards after taking four sacks. In the end, it didn’t matter.
- 285: Tusculum’s rushing total. Ja’Von McMahan ran for 123 yards on 21 carries while quarterback Tedros Gleaton added 106 yards and two touchdowns on 27 attempts.
- 478-342: Tusculum’s advantage in total offense. The Pioneers also ran 77 plays to Mars Hill’s 66 and held the ball for 39:32, compared with only 19:10 for the Lions.
- 52: Yards on Matthias Newsome’s game-tying field goal with 1:12 remaining in regulation. It came after Mars Hill gained minus-1 yard on the possession.
- 10: The largest deficit Mars Hill overcame. The Lions trailed 24-14 in the third quarter and again 31-21 with 4:21 remaining before rallying.
- 111: Receiving yards for Ryder Bush-Ivanko on five catches, including a 68-yard touchdown. Greyson Council added 71 yards on just two receptions, including the crucial 61-yard fourth-quarter score.
- 5-0: Mars Hill remains unbeaten overall and improved to 4-0 in SAC play with the victory. The Lions are the last remaining unbeaten in the league with four games left to play.
🏆 What It Means
Mars Hill’s wild win also strengthened its position atop the South Atlantic Conference standings. The Lions improved to 4-0 in SAC play and are the conference’s only remaining unbeaten team after Anderson suffered its first league loss Saturday.
Mars Hill has four games remaining — at Emory & Henry, home against Newberry, at UVA Wise and at Anderson — with a bye on Oct. 24. That gives the Lions control of their own path in the conference race, including late-season games against two of the teams currently closest to them in the standings.
⏭️ What’s Next
Mars Hill’s next step will involve a trip to Emory & Henry on Oct. 10. Tusculum, which fell to 3-3 overall and 2-2 in conference play, travels to Wingate on Oct. 10.
