Football | 10/13/2012 9:55:00 PM

Box Score FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The Methodist football team saw a late-game rally fall just short in falling, 28-24, to Maryville at Monarch Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The visiting Scots (3-3, 2-1 USA South) scored 15 straight points over the third and fourth quarters to turn an 18-13 deficit into a 28-18 lead then held off a late charge from the Monarchs (2-4, 1-2 USA South).

After Cody Ausherman gave the Monarchs an 18-13 lead with a 35-yard field goal as time expired in the first half, Maryville scored the only points of the third quarter when Evan Pittenger found Ed Johnson for a 59-yard touchdown pass with just three seconds remaining in third for a 19-18 lead. Pittenger then plunged in from two yards out for a successful two-point conversion and a 21-18 lead.

The scoring came furious and late in the fourth quarter. With Methodist in possession and looking to drive for a potential winning score Maryville's Ruben Rogers picked off Max Reber and returned it 28 yards for a touchdown and a 10-point lead (28-18) following Dylan Miller's kick with just 1:55 to play.

Undeterred, the Monarchs promptly moved 49 yards in four plays, capped by a nine-yard pass from Reber to Patrick Jacobs to trim the lead to 28-24 after Ausherman's kick was no good with 1:24 to play. However, the Monarchs were unable to come up with the ensuing onside kick and Maryville ran out the clock to seal the four-point win.

Methodist opened the scoring at the 12:05 mark of the first quarter on a Reber to Gerry Gillis 15-yard pass that gave the Monarchs a 6-0 lead after Ausherman's kick failed. Late in the first period, MC tied the contest at 6-6 when Blake Williams hauled in a 27-yard pass from Pittenger at the 4:22 mark. The PAT try was blocked by the Monarchs.

MU then inched ahead 9-6 on a 32-yard Ausherman field goal with just under a minute left in the first quarter. In the second quarter, the Scots took their first lead, 13-9, on a Pittenger 20-yard scamper followed by a good PAT from Miller.

Methodist regained the lead, 15-13, on a 17-yard pass from Reber to James Bevans with 5:30 showing on the clock in the second quarter.

For the game, Reber finished 21-of-45 for 279 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. He also gained a team-high 26 yards on the ground. Bevans finished with 123 yards receiving on seven catches and Vaughn Cross added 78 yards on six grabs to lead the receiving corps.

Defensively, Bryan Bing led the Monarchs with 10 tackles, including 2.0 for loss. Keltcey Richardson totaled nine tackles, including eight solo efforts, and he tied the single-season record at Methodist for interceptions with his sixth pick of the year. He had entered the contest tied for third in all of Division III with five interceptions through his first five games.

Maryville, which had entered the game as the league's top rushing offense, was led by Pittenger, who completed 20-of-32 passes for 215 yards with two picks and two touchdowns. He also gained 61 yards on 17 carries with one touchdown. Travis Felder added 59 yards on 17 carries. Johnson finished with 78 yards on four grabs and Williams had five catches for 58 yards and each caught one touchdown.

Dylan Wolfenbarger finished with 11 tackles, 10 solo, and two sacks to lead the Scots' defense. Andew Jenkins added six tackles and a pass breakup.

The Monarchs are back in action on Saturday when they host Ferrum at 1:00 pm.