GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Mars Hill's Gilbert Johnson hauled in the game-winning 82-yard touchdown reception with 3:49 remaining, while the Lions scored 17 points off of five Tusculum turnovers as MHU came away with a 31-24 South Atlantic Conference victory over Tusculum Saturday afternoon at Pioneer Field.
Mars Hill (4-5, 3-2) recorded four interceptions, including two by Chris Moseley and one each by Germell Jenkins and Carl Mattox. Jenkins returned his pick for a 60-yard touchdown, while Carl Mattox brought his back 69 yards to set up a short field for a MHU score.
Mars Hill quarterback Matt Layman passed for 176 yards and a touchdown as he went 10-for-22 on the day. Keshaun Taylor made seven receptions for 67 yards, while Johnson tallied two grabs for 100 yards, including the game-winning score.
MHU running back Jeremy Hughes led all ball carriers with 81 yards and a TD, while Jamel Harbison ran the football for 60 yards on 21 attempts and a TD.
Tusculum signal caller Luke Lancaster passed for 369 yards on the day as he went 38-for-59 with one touchdown toss and four interceptions, which are tied for the second-most picks in a game by a Pioneer.
The loss spoils the record-breaking day for TC senior wideout Justin Houston. Houston finished the game with 16 receptions for 129 yards. His first catch broke the program's all-time record for career receiving yards, which now stands at 3,057, the eighth-most in SAC history. He also became TC's all-time leader in career all-purpose yardage with 4,515 yards.
The Pioneers fumbled the opening kickoff as Martay Mattox caused the turnover and was recovered by teammate Robert Morgan, Jr. at the TC 34. The miscue put the Lions into immediate scoring position as kicker Tyler Stewart connected on a 23-yard field goal and an early 3-0 Mars Hill lead.
Later in the first quarter, Mars Hill capped off a nine-play, 62-yard drive with a Hughes six-yard touchdown as the Lions led 10-0 with 56 seconds remaining in the opening quarter.
Tusculum answered in the second quarter with back-to-back touchdowns to take a 14-10 lead. TC's first score of the day came on a seven-yard TD run by Isaac Robinson with 10:22 left in the half for his team-leading eighth touchdown carry of the season. After the Pioneer defense held MHU to a three and out, Tusculum mounted an 11-play, 65-yard march as Josh Jackson ran up the middle and crossed the goal line for a seven-yard TD with 5:07 left before the intermission.
TC forced another punt and was driving to midfield, but Lancaster was picked off at the MHU 40 by Jenkins who returned the interception up the far sideline for a 60-yard touchdown as the Lions regained the lead 17-14 at the 2:03 mark of the quarter. That would be the score at halftime.
In the third quarter, Tusculum moved down the field once again to the MHU 25, but Carl Mattox intercepted Lancaster and ran the pick back 69 yards to the TC 22. Tusculum was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct on the play as Mars Hill took over at the 11-yard line. Two plays later, Jamel Harbison scampered in from 11 yards and diving to the right pylon to extend the MHU lead to 24-14 at the 5:17 mark of the quarter.
But three plays later Tusculum gained the momentum back as Lancaster connected with Ken Drummond on a 61-yard touchdown as the Pioneers trimmed the deficit to 24-21.
The Pioneers tied the game in the fourth quarter when freshman Will Tommie kicked a 26-yard field goal to knot the contest at 24-24 with 6:47 left.
Both defenses bowed up and forced punts on consecutive three plays and out possessions.
Mars Hill took over at its own 18-yard line after a Tusculum punt. On the first play from scrimmage, Layman heaved a toss down the near-sideline as Johnson out-jumped the TC coverage with a spectacular catch and ran down the field for the 82-yard TD with 3:49 remaining.
Trailing by a touchdown, the Pioneers drove to the MHU 35, but the possession stalled there. On fourth-down and 10, Lancaster went to the end zone as Houston got behind the coverage. But the pass was just off the fingertips of the diving Houston with 1:43 left as Mars Hill took over on downs.
Mars Hill kept the ball on the ground to run time off the clock, but Tusculum utilized its three timeouts and L'Keith Brown tackled Harbison in the backfield for a four-yard loss on third and short with 1:25 remaining.
Tusculum took over at its own 29-yard line, but after an incomplete pass, Moseley made his second interception of the afternoon to end the game.
The Pioneers out-gained the Lions in total offensive yards by a 469-316 margin and ran 94 offensive plays (29 more than MHU's 65).
Martay Mattox led all players with 18 tackles, including 15 solo hits. Colby Price finished with 10 tackles, while Trey Clark added nine stops to his SAC-leading total this year.
Tusculum's Marlon Joyner posted a career-best nine tackles, including one for loss, while Akeem Peoples added eight tackles.
Jackson led the Pioneers in rushing with a season-high 72 yards on 15 attempts.
Houston's 129-yard performance marks his 13th career 100-yard game, which are the most ever by a Pioneer. His 303 career receptions are already a TC and SAC record and becomes only the seventh player in NCAA II history with over 300 catches (6th in NCAA II history).
The Pioneers returns to action next Saturday when they host SAC front-runner Catawba for a 1:30 p.m. contest. Next week is Senior Day for Tusculum as well as Family Weekend.
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