Football | 9/29/2012 6:10:00 PM

Box Score FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The Methodist football team fell, 34-33, to Greensboro College on Sautrday afternoon at Monarch Stadium in a wild affair that saw seven lead changes and 38 combined points in the second half.

The Monarchs (1-3, 0-1 USA South) were in a position to win the game when they took possession of the ball at the Greensboro nine-yard line following a Greensboro (3-1, 1-0 USA South) fumble with 3:04 to play and trailing by one.

Methodist quickly got of the shadow of its own end zone as sophomore quarterback Max Reber hooked up with senior wide receiver James Bevans for a 32-yard gain on the drive's first play to give MU a new set of downs on its own 41-yard line. A 10-yard completion to Bevans then moved the Monarchs across midfield.

On second-and-seven with 1:56 to play, Reber attempted a pass to junior Vaughn Cross in the end zone that the receiver appeared to have momentarily, but was ultimately unable to control setting up a third-down play. Reber went back to Cross for seven yards and a fresh set of downs at the Greensboro 39-yard line and the clock winding down. Reber then ran for six yards on first down, but a sack sandwiched between a pair of incompletions ended the rally, and the Pride ran out the clock for the win.

Methodist came out of the gates quickly, scoring on its third play from scrimmage as freshman John Papillion rumbled 53-yards for a score. Sophomore Cody Ausherman's PAT made it 7-0 Methodist with 12:54 left in the first.

GC responded in kind, with a 77-yard pass from Ryan Throndset to Antwan Thorpe on its third play of the drive. Mark Bush's kick knotted the game at 7-7.

The Monarchs inched ahead, 9-7, when Greensboro, backed up deep in its own territory, snapped the ball over the punter's head and through the end zone for a safety.
The Pride took their first lead of the contest on their next possession as Throndset capped a 6-play, 80-yard drive with a 14-yard scoring strike to Tyler Fearrington. Bush missed the ensuing PAT, leaving the score at 13-9 in favor of GC.

Late in the second quarter, Methodist took control at the GC 10-yard line following a blocked punt that was scooped up by senior Malcolm McCoy. Three plays later, Reber found Cross for a 15-yard touchdown that gave the Monarchs a 16-13 lead heading into the break.

Following a big kick return by Cross that gave the Monarchs possession at the Greensboro 36-yard line to begin the second half,  Reber found him for a 36-yard scoring strike two plays later as MU extended its lead to 23-13.

GC would score on its next three possessions, wrapped around a third Reber to Cross scoring strike, this one from 31 yards out, to assume a 34-30 lead on a five-yard pass from Throndset to Dexter Russell with 14:55 to play in the fourth quarter.
 
Methodist inched to within one (34-33) when it elected to kick an 18-yard field goal with 9:45 to play which set up the game's frantic final minutes.

Reber finished 17-of-31 through the air for 247 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. Cross hauled in seven passes for 108 yard and three scores and Bevans added 88 yards receiving on six catches. Papillion led the rushing attack, gaining 97 yards on 13 carries with the one touchdown.

Defensively, sophomore Bryan Bing led the Monarchs with 10 tackles and a fumble recovery. Junior Antjuan Jones added nine stops, including two for loss and sophomore Keltcey Richardson intercepted Throndset three times while chipping in four tackles.
Throndset finished with 398 yards through the air on 26-of-41 passing. He threw five touchdowns and the three interceptions. Antwan Thorpe was one of two Greensboro receivers to go over 100 yards on the day as hauled in nine passes for 195 yards and a score. Dexter Russell added 106 yards on eight grabs and scored twice. Warren Scott gained an even 100 yards on the ground on 18 carries.

Travis Welch led the Greensboro defense with 11 tackles, including three for loss and a quarterback sack. Julina Cinotti added 10 tackles and James McClease had four tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery.

Methodist returns to action next Saturday as it travels to N.C. Wesleyan. Kickoff is set for 1:00 pm.