NEWBERRY — A monstrous rainstorm hit Setzler Field just before halftime, changing the momentum and tone of a tight Newberry Wolves’ Homecoming game and an early second half field goal handed a 17-14 win to the visiting Mars Hill Lions on Saturday.
Newberry falls to 3-3 overall and 1-2 in the South Atlantic Conference with the loss, while Mars Hill is now 2-4 overall and 1-1 in SAC play.
The Wolves had a 37-yard field goal attempt blocked on the game’s opening drive, but Nate Sichali recovered a Mars Hill fumble on the next drive to keep the driving Lions off the board.
Newberry then went on a 9-play, 71-yard drive capped by a 6-yard touchdown carry from Kevin Miller to give the Wolves a 7-0 lead with 4:01 left in the first quarter.
The score would stay that way until late in the second quarter when Mars Hill tied the game up on a 12-yard touchdown carry by Shaikel Davis with 4:22 left in the half.
Newberry responded quickly in the first drive for quarterback Raleigh Yeldell since he was injured in the Jacksonville game. Miller capped the drive with a 25-yard touchdown carry up the middle to give Newberry a 14-7 lead with 1:47 left in the half.
Mars Hill tied the game with 36 seconds remaining in the half. The Lions’ drive was aided by 30 yards of Newberry penalties and was capped by Davis’ 5-yard plunge.
The rain began pouring through the halftime break and immediately changed the game. A Wolves fumble at their own 14-yardline on the seventh play of the half handed MHU the ball and while the guests managed only three yards on eight plays, a 28-yard field goal by Dylan Barnas put Mars Hill up 17-14.
From that point on, neither team was truly able to threaten to score. Taylor McDonnell recovered a Davis fumble inside Mars Hill territory but the Wolves then went three-and-out.
Newberry was forced to punt twice in the fourth quarter before long conversion attempts became necessary, but the Wolves were unable to find a tying score.
The Wolves head to eastern Tennessee to take on Carson-Newman (4-2, 2-2 SAC) for a 3 p.m. kickoff on Saturday, October 17.