South Atlantic Recap: Lenoir-Rhyne boots Limestone 31-28 in OT

Jake Brown kicked a 20-yard field goal in overtime, and undefeated Lenoir-Rhyne survived a trip to Limestone, 31-28 on Saturday afternoon.

The win lifts the Bears to 6-0 overall, 4-0 in the South Atlantic Conference and gives them sole possession of first place in the Piedmont Division. Limestone drops to 3-1 in the league.

Lenoir-Rhyne came into the game with the second-ranked total defense and scoring defense in Division II. Limestone gashed the Bears at times, outgaining their visitors 516-292. But the Bears bowed up when it counted.

Limestone led 28-21 and lined up for a field goal attempt to go ahead by 10 with less than five minutes to play. But Lenoir-Rhyne, which has blocked five kicks this season, stuffed another one. C’Darius Kelley made the block, and TJ Blanding returned it 84 yards for the tying touchdown.

The Bears had a chance to win at the end of regulation, but Brown missed a field goal attempt from 47 yards with three seconds left, the ball bouncing off the upright and away. Brown got redemption in overtime after Lenoir-Rhyne held Limestone off the board during the Saints’ OT possession.

Dwayne McGee rushed for 130 yards for the Bears and scored a touchdown on his longest run of the day from 39 yards. Quarterback Jalen Ferguson threw a six-yard TD pass to Deondre Lester in the opening period.

Brown kicked three field goals on the day, his other two coming from 35 and 38 yards. He also hit two PATs. Malakei Sumner caught a two-point conversion pass from Sean White. That key conversion tied the game 21-21.

Dustin Noller threw for 263 yards and a pair of scores for Limestone, but he also threw three interceptions. Tre Stewart rushed for 217 yards, the most yards a running back has earned against Lenoir-Rhyne’s normally stout defense.

Devin Hibbit picked off two passes for the Bears, earned eight tackles and had a sack for eight yards. Jon Ross Maye collected 12 tackles, including three tackles for loss. C’Darius Kelley also intercepted Noller.

.

Mars Hill 38, Erskine 3

Tristan Rankin returned an interception for a touchdown, and the Lions stifled the Flying Fleet all afternoon to improve to 4-1 overall, 3-1 in the SAC. Erskine managed just 133 yards of total offense, falling to 0-6, 0-4.

JR Martin threw touchdown passes to Laurent Malik and Simeon Thompson. Laurent and Zachary Smith scored on short runs. Lon Teachey hit a 22-yard field goal.

Landon Honeycutt had nine tackles to lead the Mars Hill defense.

.

Barton 34, Newberry 17

Quarterback Jaquan Lynch passed for four touchdowns and rushed for another score, helping the Bulldogs improve to 5-1 overall and 3-1 in the league, within reach of league-leading Lenoir-Rhyne. Newberry dropped to 3-3, 2-2 in SAC play.

Barton running back Jordan Terrell added 158 yards on the ground, leaving him just 66 yards short of the 1,000-yard plateau. Kameron Johnson caught a 65-yard TD pass. Shane Perry had 12 tackles.

Newberry scored first with a field goal, but Barton netted 20 points in the second quarter to assert command. Gabe Hinceman, Zakvil Smith and Davon Adams caught Lynch’s other touchdown throws.

Newberry got within 20-17 but Barton tacked on two second-half touchdowns to pull away.

.

Wingate 31, Catawba 13

Jaden White blocked a punt and recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown, and the Bulldogs won for the third time in a row. Daniel Morrison had a pair of sacks as Wingate’s defense bent but didn’t break against Catawba’s high-flying passing attack.

Tremel Jones caught a touchdown pass from Brooks Bentley. O’Brien Barnett and Alex Wilson rushed for Wingate touchdowns. Caleb Bonesteel kicked a 37-yard field goal and all four PATs.

Daniel Morrison made 2.5 tackles for loss with two sacks.

Catawba outgained the Bulldogs 342-292. Quarterback Preston Brown had 323 yards through the air and threw touchdown passes to Jordan Mitchell and Conner McCarthy, but the Indians struggled to move the ball on the ground.

.

Tusculum 27, Carson-Newman 21 | Final

Emory & Henry 41, UVA Wise 24 | Final

.

South Atlantic Conference Standings

Mountain

Piedmont

.

More South Atlantic Conference football headlines