ETSU Buccaneers

ETSU avoids upset at hands of Mars Hill

Published Sep. 1, 2018 11:21 p.m. ET

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (AP) — Logan Marchi tossed three touchdown passes and East Tennessee State dominated the second half in a 28-7 victory over Division II Mars Hill in a season opener on Saturday.

Mars Hill grabbed a 7-0 first-quarter lead on Austin Brown's 15-yard scoring strike to Craig Rucker. The Mountain Lions maintained the lead until Marchi, who transferred from Temple, connected with Kobe Kelley from 14 yards out to knot the score with 30 seconds left in the half.

The second half was all ETSU. Marchi hooked up with Quan Harrison for a 30-yard score to put the Buccaneers up 14-7 with 1:06 left in the third quarter. Quay Holmes 10-yard TD run 58 seconds into the final quarter pushed the lead to 21-7 and Marchi capped the scoring with a 9-yard strike to Evan Wick with 4:03 remaining.

Austin Brown passed for 143 yards and a TD for Mars Hill, but the Mountain Lions managed just 14 yards rushing on 34 carries.

The two schools were playing for the first time since 2002. ETSU leads the series 8-2-1 with both of Mars Hill's victories coming in the 1920s.

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