Athens, W.Va. ? The Concord University Football Team (2-0) outlasted Lenoir-Rhyne University (1-1), 52-45, in overtime Saturday evening at Callaghan Stadium in Athens, W.Va.? With the win, Concord defeated L-R for the first time in seven tries and the 97 combined points were the second-most in L-R single-game history.

Concord wide receiver Thomas Mayo caught a six-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Zack Grossi in the extra frame that proved to be the game-winner.? The Mountain Lions held on the Bears? overtime possession to preserve the win.

Mayo finished with 16 receptions for 253 yards, both school records, to go along with three touchdown catches as Concord rolled up 617 yards of total offense in the win.

Lenoir-Rhyne finished with 487 yards of offense, including 406 on the ground, despite the loss.? Both teams combined for 1,104 yards of total offense in the contest.

Bear senior quarterback Justin Sanders (Monroe, N.C.) rushed for a career-high 163 yards while Grossi, Concord?s signal caller, finished with 371 yards passing and four scores.

Concord took control early as it scored touchdowns on its first three possessions of the first quarter.

Grossi hit Mayo for a 12-yard touchdown pass on the game?s opening possession and a successful two-point conversion gave Concord an 8-0 advantage 4:23 into the contest.

However, Lenoir-Rhyne cut the lead to 8-7 when Sanders scored on the game?s next play with a career-long 76-yard touchdown run.

Concord answered with back-to-back scoring drives culminated by a 14-yard touchdown run by Brian Kennedy and a 1-yard touchdown run from Dennis Cole for a 21-7 lead with 29 seconds left in the first stanza.

The Bears cut the margin to 21-14 just before half when freshman wide receiver Artis Gilmore (Asheville, N.C.) scored on a reverse from 12 yards out with just 31 seconds remaining before halftime.? The score was set up by a 38-yard fumble return from junior defensive back Marcus Shuford (Newton, N.C.).

L-R kept the momentum going with a touchdown on the opening drive of the second half.? Sophomore tailback Jasper Thomas (High Point, N.C.) ran it in from 17 yards out to tie the game at 21 at the 11:07 mark of the third quarter.? The run finished off a seven-play, 50-yard drive.

The teams then traded touchdowns as Grossi found Rashid Baker for a three-yard touchdown reception before L-R sophomore Jamont Jones (Washington, N.C.) returned the ensuing kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown with 2:05 remaining in the third to deadlock the game at 28.

The kickoff return for a touchdown was the first by a Bear in six years (Christopher Winford in 2003 versus Catawba).

Concord and L-R matched scores again at the start of the fourth quarter with Mayo?s second touchdown catch of the game (a 27-yarder from Grossi) and an eight-yard run from Bear sophomore running back Antwain Ross (Grover, N.C.) with 13:23 left.

After holding the Mountain Lions on downs at the Bear 38, L-R answered with redshirt freshman running back Kai Oliveira?s (Fort Myers, Fla.) one-yard touchdown run for a 42-35 lead with 9:10 left.? The score was set up by Sanders? 61-yard pass to sophomore wide receiver Justin McCombs (Newton, N.C.) on the play before.

Concord would tie the game for the fourth time on the ensuing possession with Kennedy?s second touchdown of the day, a 24-yard jaunt, which made it 42-all with 7:58 left.

The teams then exchanged field goals, including a 35-yarder from Concord?s Brandon Strupp with 24 seconds left to force overtime before Mayo?s heroics.

Lenoir-Rhyne played in its first overtime game since September 24, 2005, when it defeated Newberry on the road by a 27-24 score.

Lenoir-Rhyne hits the road again next Saturday when it travels to Davidson, N.C., to face Davidson College beginning at 1:00 p.m.