HICKORY, N.C. – Thanks to a 36-7 victory over Miles in the First Round of the NCAA Playoffs, the Lenoir-Rhyne Football Team improved to 12-0 for the first time in program history. LR was 11-0 in 2014 before losing to Valdosta St. in the playoffs and also started 11-0 in 1962 before falling to Central Oklahoma St in game 12.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: No. 6 Lenoir-Rhyne 36, Miles 7
Records: Lenoir-Rhyne (12-0), Miles (9-3)
Location: Hickory, N.C. | MoretzStadium
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STATS OF THE GAME:
• The LR defense dominated Miles, holding the Golden Bears to just 125 yards of total offense and 33 yards through the air. Miles averaged just 2.7 yards per rush and completed only five of their 19 pass attempts.
• Meanwhile, the Bears grinded out 323 yards rushing on 63 attempts. The Bears were led by
Ameen Stevens who pounded out 128 yards on 18 carries and added a score. Prior to today, the most individual yards rushing in a playoff game was 120 by Miles Freeman but Stevens topped that mark with a 17-yard TD run in the fourth quarter.
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Jaquay Mitchell added 78 yards rushing on 13 carries and
Dareke Young totaled 36 yards on five carries.
• The Bears started fast in this one and never looked back. After Miles won the toss and elected to receive, the Golden Bears went three-and-out. On LR's first possession, Mitchell scampered for a 21-yard TD run to cap a 3-play, 43-yard scoring drive.
• The defense and special teams unit would also pay dividends today.
Amarrian Brown blocked a punt in the first quarter that
Tre Luttrell recovered in the end zone to put LR up 14-0. After a
Josh Ramseur TD catch,
Trevis Robinson tackled a Miles rusher in the end zone for a safety to give the Bears a 23-0 advantage.
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Chase Allbaugh booted a pair of field goals and is now 7-for-8 in field goal attempts in his career during the playoffs. Punter
Michael Owen was a standout as well, dropping all four of his punts inside the 20 with three coming inside the 10.
• Donte Edwards led Miles offensively with 80 yards on 15 carries including a 38-yard TD run to account for the visitors only score. On defense, Mitchell Smiley had 14 tackles and Ozzie Williams added 10 and a forced fumble.
•
Sherrod Williams had a team-high seven tackles for LR and
Jaquan Artis added six and a pair of tackles for loss. True freshman
Trevis Robinson had five tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss, including the safety.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
• This was the 14th straight home win for the Bears, giving them sole possession of the longest current home winning streak in Division II. It also matches the longest home winning streak in program history which occured from 1958-61.
• Lenoir-Rhyne improves to 24-2 over the past two seasons under head coach
Drew Cronic. In that stretch, LR is outscoring opponents 1075-505.
• The 33 yards passing allowed is the lowest amount allowed during the Cronic era as is the seven first downs allowed.
• Lenoir-Rhyne is now 7-4 all-time in the NCAA Playoffs. All five of the Bears NCAA appearances have come since 2012.
• The 9-win season for Miles is the best in program history. This was the second NCAA Playoff appearance for the Golden Bears and the first time they ever faced Lenoir-Rhyne.
• The Bears are now 4-1 in their NCAA Playoff opener with the only loss coming in 2014 to Valdosta St.
• LR is one of only two number two seeds to advance on an upset-riddled opening weekend. Ouachita Baptist and Tarleton St. were sent home as two seeds.
UP NEXT:
LR advances to take on a familiar foe in Carson-Newman in the Second Round of the NCAA Playoffs. The game will take place inside Moretz Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 30 with game time to be announced. The Bears and Eagles have met twice in the NCAA Playoffs with each team winning once. Most recently, LR defeated CN 27-20 in the second round in 2013.
