Box Score
Mount sophomore kicker Shane Kelly (Cincinnati, OH/Turpin) kicked a 32-yard field goal with 15 seconds left to play in the game, giving the Lions a three-point lead, en route to a 16-13 home win in their 2013 HCAC and home opener against Hanover College. The Mount, 1-1 overall, 1-0 in the conference, resumes action on Sept. 28 when they host HCAC-opponent Bluffton University (1-2, 1-0).
Kelly's go-ahead field goal, his third field goal of the game, culminated a 10-play, 55-yard, 2:03 drive which started on the Mount 30-yard line. Behind the passing of quarterback Caleb Watkins (Middletown, OH/Middletown) and the running of Antonio Banks (Middletown, OH/Middletown), the Lions drove down the field, having only to convert one, third down play for a first down to keep the drive alive. Kelly then nailed the 32-yard attempt with 15 seconds showing on the clock. Hanover returned the subsequent kickoff 39 yards, to the their 42-yard line, but had time for just one play completing a pass to the Mount 30 as time ran out.
The Panthers had jumped out to a 13-0 lead in the game, scoring on a one-yard run in the first quarter and then adding two field goals in the second quarter. The Lions got on the scoreboard with three minutes left in the second quarter, when Kelly converted a 24-yard field goal. The Mount cut the deficit to 13-10 in the third quarter, when Watkins hooked up with wide out Eric Love (West Jefferson, OH/West Jefferson) on a 50-yard pass play and Kelly added the PAT kick. Neither team could generate much offense the rest of the game, before Kelly knotted the score at 13-all with 3:03 left in the game, nailing a field goal attempt from 44 yards out. Mount defense back Aaron Abbott (Kettering, OH/Fairmont) stopped short one Hanover drive, early in the fourth quarter, at the Hanover 48 with an interception.
The Lions held the edge in first downs, 20-18, yards rushing, 154-114, passing yards, 210-187 and total yards, 364-301. Watkins finished 17-of-27 passing for 176 yards, and one TD. Leonard Riston (Cincinnati, OH/Withrow) had a team-high six receptions for 77 yards while teammate Denzel Norvell (Dayton, OH/Thurgood Marshall) had five receptions. Banks had 13 caries and 74 yards rushing (5.7 yards per carry) while David Fulcher (Cincinnati, OH/Mason) chipped in six carries for 63 yards rushing (10.5 yards per carry).
Three Mount players recorded eight tackles each in the game: Konnor Blevins (Cincinnati, OH/Lakota West), Brent McCleerey (Mooresville, IN/Monrovia) and Garrett Breiner (Louisville, KY/Male). Blevins and Adam Bigelow (Cincinnati, OH/Anderson) each recorded a sack, while Keith Wells (Gainesville, GA/Gainesville) forced a fumble and McCleerey had a fumble recovery.
