Maryville Falls in Tale of Two Halves

Box Score Game Statistics

MARYVILLE – Maryville stormed to a 14-point halftime lead against Huntingdon, the USA South defending champion and this year's pick to repeat that finish.
 
But the Hawks displayed championship credentials in the second half and rallied for a 42-28 decision over the Scots.
 
Final yardage totals were nearly equal. Huntingdon outgained Maryville 367-347 and held a narrow 30:13 to 29:47 time of possession edge. But 283 of Maryville's yards and all 28 points came in the first half, when the Scots led 28-14.
 
Huntingdon solved that dilemma by scoring 14 points in the opening 1 minute and 22 seconds of the third quarter. The Hawks went on to outgain Maryville 214-64 in the second half and limit the Scots to just three first downs.


 
Great First Half
"The struggles that each team had in both halves were the result of the other team playing well," Maryville head coach Ben Fox said. "In the first half, our guys did a good job of tackling the football and forcing turnovers. We were excellent at capitalizing, executing and hitting plays – doing things right. It was great.
 
"Quite frankly, in the second half, I got outcoached. We adjusted but they showed championship-caliber heart. They made some big plays and kind of stunned us in the momentum, and I didn't have enough answers for our team."
 
Fox recognizes that the team continues to play well, despite how the 1-4 overall record looks.
 
"We played hard enough to win this game – that's what the players control," Fox said. "Playing well enough to win is the coaches' job, and ultimately that's my job. Against these really good teams, I've got to make sure we are prepared to play and prepared to play for 60 minutes. Not 15, not 30, not 40. For 60 minutes."


 
After Huntingdon's two quick touchdowns in the third quarter, Maryville's defense held the Hawks at 28-28 until turnovers proved decisive. Three second-half interceptions led to two touchdowns – a complete reversal of the first half when Maryville turned a pair of Huntingdon miscues into touchdowns.
 
Scots QB Bryson Rollins threw for 269 yards and three touchdowns but had four interceptions and completed just 16 of 42 attempts. He was Maryville's leading rusher with 44 yards on 16 carries.
 
Sparkling Receivers
First-year receivers Steph Carter Jr., and Kevon Samuels were excellent. Carter finished with four catches for 68 yards and a touchdown and Samuels went for three and 87, including a 68-yard catch and run from Rollins in the second quarter that made it 21-14 Scots. Carter opened the scoring with a 19-yard TD catch in the first quarter.
 
Huntingdon quarterback Landon Cotney passed for 272 yards on 12-of-26 with three TDs and one interception. The Maryville defense sacked Cotney five times, with sacks from Tyler Bost, Devon White, Mike Bethea, Taylor Thomas and Jonathan Harris.


 
Maryville at 1-1 in the USA South now looks to LaGrange, which lost 37-22 Friday night at North Carolina Wesleyan. The Panthers are 1-3 overall and 0-2 in the USA South. Kickoff next Saturday is 1 p.m.
 
"I told our seniors after the game that they have a chance to leave a real legacy and leave a really firm foundation for what they want this place to become," Fox said. "A place they can be really proud 10 years and 20 years from now when they come back with their wives and their kids.
 
"We've got five games left, and we were picked sixth in the league, so most of the games we have left are against teams picked ahead of us."
 
Maryville's next home game is Oct. 22 for Homecoming against North Carolina Wesleyan. Kickoff is 1 p.m.