Football | 9/7/2013 5:36:00 PM

BUENA VISTA, Va. -- Quarterback Max Reber set the Methodist single-game record for passing yards and Vaughn Cross became MU's all-time leading receiver as the Monarch football team rolled to a 33-20 win over Southern Virginia on Saturday afternoon.
 
Reber completed 27-of-37 passes for 398 yards and four touchdowns to eclipse the previous record for passing yards in a game of 389 yards set by Chris Roncketti in 2005. His four touchdown passes also tied the school record and marked the second time in as many seasons that he had done that. The largest beneficiary of Reber's record day was Cross, who hauled in 11 passes for 109 yards and three touchdowns. His three scores tied the school's single-game record and his 11 grabs give him 130 all-time, two ahead of previous record holder Antonio Wilkerson '03.
 
In the first half, the Monarchs took their second possession of the game and marched 61 yards on seven plays and used just 1:58 of clock before Reber hit Cross with a seven-yard scoring strike. Cody Ausherman's PAT made it a 7-0 game at the 9:00 mark of the first quarter. Late in the period, Ausherman finished off a nine-play drive with a 27-yard field goal to push MU's lead to 10-0.
 
The Knights (0-1) got on the board on the their ensuing drive, grinding out a 12-play, 75-yard drive that chewed up 5:03 and ended in an Andy Jones one-yard plunge.
 
The Monarchs answered on their next drive as Reber and Cross hooked up once again, this time from 29 yards out and MU pulled ahead 16-7 after a failed two-point conversion. Southern Virginia capitalized on an MU miscue to end the half as Justin Gonzales scooped up a blocked field goal and returned it for a touchdown on the half's final play to make the score 16-4 at the break.
 
The Monarchs scored the only points of the third quarter, a 46-yard touchdown pass from Reber to Patrick Jacobs, followed by a 28-yard Ausherman field goal to extend their lead to 26-14 after three quarters of play.
 
With 5:12 to play in the game, the Monarchs effectively put the contest out of reach as Reber found Cross for another seven-yard scoring strike and following an Ausherman extra point led 33-14. The Knights tacked on the game's final score, an 11-yard scoring strike from Jones to Dontrelle Sanfo with just 2:20 to play.
 
The win made MU Head Coach C.J. Goss the first Methodist football coach to win his debut and this is the first season since 2008 that the Monarchs have won their season opener.
 
In addition to Reber and Cross' record-setting days, Darius Page led MU with 85 yards on the ground on 26 carries. Jacobs had 71 yards receiving on three receptions and Devonte Watkins added 67 yards on three receptions.
 
Defensively, the Monarchs were led by Navahri Holden, who had eight tackles, including a sack and 1.5 tackles for loss. Tyler Mitchell had five tackles, all solo, 2.0 for loss (-5) and an interception.
 
For the Knights, Jones completed 13-of-27 passes for 148 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Jerry Washington led the ground attack with 67 yards on 17 carries. Jones finished with 25 yards on 11 carries and the one score. Sanfo wound up with 65 yards on three grabs and one touchdown.
 
Matt Gregory led the defense with eight tackles, including 1.0 for loss. Grant Darrington had eight tackles and four passes defended.