WISE - - Reigning South Atlantic Conference Offensive Player of the Year Craig Rucker caught 12 passes for 185 yards as Mars Hill University upended UVa-Wise 21-14 in the South Atlantic Conference football opener for both schools Saturday at Smith Stadium.
It was a game of missed opportunities for UVa-Wise (1-2, 0-1). Dane Damron's team scored on just 1-of-4 trips to the red zone in the contest.
On the opening possession, Tanner Bernard found Kadarius Singleton or a 53 yard completion on the first play from scrimmage. A play later, the Cavaliers fumbled at the Lions' 17-yard line ending the threat.
Mars Hill (2-1, 1-0) would move the ball 76 yards on eight plays before Marquis Hamilton's second interception of the season ended the drive.
After the two schools traded punts, UVa-Wise would take over at the Mars Hill 44-yard line. The momentum was short lived as a holding penalty thwarted any scoring attempt.
Following a touchback off a Drew Vermillion punt, the Lions would move the ball 80 yards on six plays for the game's first points. Javon Harbison hauled in a 9-yard touchdown pass from Jimmy Urzua and Tanner Fox booted the conversion kick to give the guests a 7-0 lead with 3:48 to play in the opening quarter.
Demetrius Mann would get the Cavs on the board when he returned his second punt of the season for a touchdown with 49 seconds to play in the first quarter. Mann's 48 yard punt return score preceded Daaryian Basco's PAT to tie the game.
UVa-Wise would appear to be on the cusp of taking its first lead of the game when the team had the ball first and goal from the 10-yard line early in the second quarter. Again, the team would fail to score as a fumble would be recovered by Mars Hill keeping the score knotted at 7-7.
On the ensuing Mars Hill possession, UVa-Wise would block a punt and recover it at the Lions' 9-yard line.
Again, the red zone possession would net zero points as a 24-yard field goal would sail wide right leaving the score tied.
The momentum quickly shifted as Urzua would hook up with Ty Snelson on an 80-yard touchdown connection on the play following the missed field goal to give Mars Hill a lead it would not relinquish.
Senior Bryce Harty put a spark in the home side when his strip sack of Urzua gave UVa-Wise the ball at the Mars Hill 29-yard line just one play into the second half.
As was the story all afternoon, the Cavs would be unable to capitalize. The Lions would drive the hosts backwards, forcing a Vermillion punt.
Mars Hill would move the ball to the UVa-Wise 26-yard line on the following possession before being faced with a 4th-and-18. Urzua would find Rucker for a 25-yard completion moving the ball to the 1-yard line. A play later, Urzua would find the end zone, making it a two score game at 21-7 following the PAT.
The score would remain unchanged until the fourth quarter when Garrett Cropp provided a boost to the Cavs' offense. The new signal caller completed 3-of-5 attempts while rushing for 24 yards, including a 6-yard score to make it a one score game at 21-14 with 5:01 to play. The 13-play, 96-yard scoring drive was the longest of the season to date for UVa-Wise.
After forcing the Lions to punt, the Cavs would get the ball back down seven with 1:47 to play.
Cropp would complete six passes on the drive getting UVa-Wise to the Mars Hill 11-yard line. The Cavs briefly thought they had tied the game when Darrien Newton came down with a completion in the back of the end zone but, the receiver was out of bounds on a third down play.
Cropp would attempt to hit Newton again on the fourth down play but, the pass would fall incomplete preserving the victory for Mars Hill.
Urzua finished the game 21-for-41 with 403 yards and two touchdown passes while Harbison joined Rucker with over 100 receiving yards as he caught four balls for 102 yards and a score.
Jamal Fisher finished with five catches for 51 yards in the loss. AJ Felton Jr. blocked two kicks in the game while Drew O'Bryan and Austin Hicks had six tackles each in defeat.
The Lions' Nigel Bowden led all players with 11 tackles while teammate Landon Honeycutt added an interception.
Penalties played a big role in the game, UVa-Wise was penalized eight times for 79 yards. Vermillion had a big day punting as he established a new season-high for the second consecutive week. The freshman finished with a 44.9 yards per punt average over seven punts. Four of his punts landed inside the 20, including the season-long 56-yard boot.
Next week, the Cavs travel to Carson-Newman University for the school's first ever road SAC contest.
