Wingate, N.C. - The Wingate University Football Team (6-2, 4-1) remained tied for first place in the South Atlantic Conference with a 27-24 win over Lenoir-Rhyne University (5-4, 2-3) Saturday afternoon at Irwin Belk Stadium.

Wingate quarterback Cody Haffly (Locust Grove, Ga.) threw three first-half touchdown passes to go along with 300 yards passing and RP Lopez (Lakeland, Fla.) kicked two fourth quarter field goals as the Bulldogs defeated the Bears for the sixth straight year.

Lenoir-Rhyne had a chance to force overtime but junior placekicker Colin Corpe's (Ocala, Fla.) 47-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Wingate's Terrence Stephens (Queen Creek, Ariz.) with 23 seconds left and the Bulldogs held on for the victory.

L-R opened the scoring early in the first quarter when junior quarterback Major Herron (Kingsland, Ga.) ran it in from one yard out after redshirt freshman Graham Duncan (Gainesville, Ga.) returned a muff snap on a Wingate punt 31 yards to the Bulldog one.

Wingate tied the contest at seven on the first play of the second quarter when Haffly found Chris Bowden (Forsyth, Ga.) for a 34-yard touchdown reception.? The drive, four plays and 70 yards, was set up by Haffly's 50-yard completion to Bowden on third and 19.

Herron broke the seven-all tie with his second touchdown of the game, a four-yard run, that finished off a seven-play, 69-yard drive with 8:36 remaining in the second quarter for a 14-7 Bear advantage.? Herron's 44-yard pass to sophomore wideout Artis Gilmore (Asheville, N.C.) was the key play in the drive.

Another Haffly-to-Bowden touchdown pass (20 yards) tied the game once again at 14-14 before Corpe gave the Bears a 17-14 advantage with a 25-yard field goal at the 2:25 mark of the second half.

Wingate, however, took the lead on Haffly's third touchdown toss of the contest - 15 yards to Perry Floyd (Gastonia, N.C.) - with just five seconds remaining before intermission.? The play was set up by Tyrone Scott's (Jacksonville, N.C.) 29-yard interception return to the L-R 16-yard line.

Lenoir-Rhyne went ahead once again at 24-21 after taking the opening kickoff of the second half and marching 72 yards and 11 plays that was capped off by senior running back James Pone's (Wilson, N.C.) seven-yard touchdown run.

Wingate tied the game at 24 with Lopez's 23-yard field goal with 10:17 left in the contest before his 25-yarder on the Bulldogs' next drive with 3:48 remaining proved to be the game-winner.

L-R was led by junior fullback Byron Darby (Gastonia, N.C.), who rushed for a career-high 127 yards on 22 carries, while the Bears' defense finished with six quarterback sacks including 2.5 by redshirt freshman defensive lineman Brandon Martin (Roebuck, S.C.).

Bowden caught four passes for 122 yards and two scores while Jared Seate (Charlotte, N.C.) led all tackles with 17 on defense for Wingate.

Lenoir-Rhyne remains on the road next weekend when the Bears travel to Jefferson City, Tenn., to take on the Eagles of Carson-Newman College Saturday at 2 p.m.? Wingate, meanwhile, hosts Mars Hill next Saturday beginning at 1:30 p.m.