FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- Despite a season-high 172 rushing yards from E'Montie Dears, the Methodist football team fell to Huntingdon, 47-14, on Saturday afternoon at Monarch Stadium during Homecoming Weekend.
 
Dears' rushing total came on 24 carries, but his big day on the ground could not keep MU from falling behind 21-0 in the first quarter and 41-7 by halftime. Huntingdon, the nation's top-ranked offense entering the game, totaled 540 yards of total offense. The Hawks' offense was pretty balanced as they gained 289 yards on the ground and 251 through the air.
 
Luke Bailey hooked up with Zach Camp for passing touchdowns of 27 and 27 yards less than three minutes apart in the first period for a 14-0 lead by the 10:27 mark. John Iwaniec scored on a four-yard run at the 6:55 mark to make it 21-0.
 
MU go on the board when Malik Freeman hauled in a six-yard touchdown pass from Xavier Adams to cap an 11-play, 75-yard drive with 2:24 left in the first. E'Mond Brown had a key 11-yard reception on a 3rd-and-5 play from near midfield and Dears added a 19 yard carry to get the ball into the Huntingdon red zone.
 
Following the MU score, Bailey answered with a seven-yard run to paydirt for a 28-7 lead just 10 seconds into the second quarter. Chase Young added field goals of 32 and 20 yards as MU's defense stiffened in the red zone before Camp hauled in his third touchdown reception, from five yards out, for the aforementioned 41-7 lead at the break.
 
In the second half, Bailey threw his fourth touchdown of the game, a six-yard pass to Nick Haas for a 47-7 lead late in the third quarter. Nick Wilkerson blocked the Hawks' PAT.
 
MU's Keshawn Smith capped the scoring with a 69-yard interception return with 4:50 to play.
 
Adams finished 14 of 23 passing for 130 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions. Dylan Cummings had four receptions for 37 yards. Tyree Stidem totaled 171 all-purpose yards, including 141 yards on five kick returns.
 
Defensively, Kris Evans, Daniel Smith and Windell Palmer led MU with six tackles apiece. Smith had a sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery, while Evans added a half sack. Shyheim Simpson added four stops, including one for loss.
 
Bailey was 13 of 19 passing for 244 yards and four touchdowns without an INT. Iwaniec led the ground attack with 141 yards rushing on 18 carries. Camp had five catches for 98 yards.
 
On the defensive side of the ball, Demetrius Brown had nine tackles, and Trey Hayes added six stops with 2.5 for loss.
 
Methodist is back in action on Saturday at Ferrum beginning at 1:00 pm.