Gents Score In Final Seconds To Record Thrilling Comeback Win At Lyon, 28-21

Batesville, Ark. - The Centenary football team scored the winning touchdown with 15 seconds remaining to record a thrilling comeback victory over the Lyon College Scots by a score of 28-21 on Saturday afternoon in a Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference contest at Pioneer Stadium.

The Gents (3-4, 3-2 SCAC) picked up their second win this season over the Scots (1-6, 0-5 SCAC) after beating them at home 35-14 on Oct. 5. Centenary is now 2-2 on the road this season while Lyon is 0-4 at home. 

How it happened:

Lyon won the toss and elected to receive and nine plays and 67 yards later, Jaylin Babers scored on a four-yard touchdown run to five the Scots a 6-0 lead and Jesus Romero-Castillo's PAT made it 7-0 with 9:54 remaining in the first quarter.

Centenary then went on a lengthy and impressive drive which ended in a one-yard TD run by junior QB Zin'Tavious Smith (Coushatta, La.). Sophomore LB/P/PK Vance Feuerbacher (Plano, Texas) added the PAT to tie the score at 7-7 with 2:14 on the clock. The Gents' scoring drive featured 15 plays and covered 77 yards.

The Scots drove to the Gents' 26-yard line on their next possession but Babers fumbled and sophomore DL Kris Mesloh (Bossier City, La.) recovered and returned it 10 yards. Four plays later, it was Lyon's turn to make a big play as Feuerbacher's punt was blocked by Aeden Huntsman and recovered by Mark Brown who returned it 22 yards for a TD. Romero-Castillo's PAT was no good, but the Scots took a 13-7 lead with 9:55 left before halftime.

Centenary was not deterred and answered immediately on its ensuing possession as junior RB Josh Ware (Shreveport, La.) scored on a 4-yard TD run with 6:13 on the clock and Feuerbacher added the PAT for a 14-13 Centenary lead, capping a 9-play, 75-yard drive.

The Gents punted on their first possession of the second half and Romero-Castillo missed a 34-yard field goal attempt as the Scots also came up empty on their initial drive of the third quarter. Following another punt by Centenary, Lyon found the end zone as Grayson Johnson scored on a 24-yard TD run and the Scots tacked on a 2-point conversion to take a 21-14 lead at the 5:55 mark of the third period.

The teams traded punts for the next few possessions until the Gents drove to the Lyon 23-yard line and faced a 4^th and 14. Instead of attempting a long FG, Centenary opted to go for it but Smith was sacked and the Maroon and Whit turned the ball over on downs with 5:12 remaining in the game. The Gents' defense stiffened and held the Scots to just one yard on three plays and forced a punt.

Facing a seven-point deficit with only 3:35 remaining in the game, the Gents quickly moved 64 yards in only six plays in 1:41 and junior RB Bobby Shanklin Jr. (Macon, Miss.) capped the drive with a 3-yard TD run and Feuerbacher added the tying PAT to knot the game at 21-21 with just 1:54 left in the game.

Centenary's opportunistic defense then came up with a game-defining play on Lyon's next possession as freshman DB Jacob Wilson (Shreveport, La.) intercepted Joe Galay and returned it 24 yards. The Gents took over at their own 35-yard line with only 53 seconds left in the game and moved 34 yards in five plays and faced a 2^nd down and 10 at the Lyon 26-yard line. Smith then connected with junior WR Kobe Chambers (Greenwood, Miss.) for a 26-yard TD with 15 seconds left. Feuerbacher's PAT was good and the Gents led 28-21.

Senior K Enrique Hernandez (Beaumont, Texas) kicked off and it was returned by Javarion Williams 18 yards to the Lyon 40-yard line. Freshman DB Jacob Black (New Orleans, La.) then sealed the comeback win as he picked off Galay on the first play as the Gents earned their second win of the season over the Scots.

By the Numbers:

FIRST DOWNS:

CENTENARY – 24

Lyon – 17

RUSHING YARDS:

CENTENARY – 31 ATTEMPTS FOR 80 YARDS

Lyon – 37 ATTEMPTS FOR 141 YARDS

PASSING YARDS:

CENTENARY – 310 YARDS

Lyon– 171 YARDS

TOTAL OFFENSE:

CENTENARY – 72 PLAYS FOR 390 YARDS

Lyon – 61 PLAYS FOR 312 YARDS

CENTENARY – 72 PLAYS FOR 390 YARDS

TIME OF POSSESSION:

CENTENARY – 29:34

Lyon – 30:26

Gents' Individual Statistical Leaders:

RECEIVING: Chambers – 9 catches for 134 yards and 1 TD

RUSHING: Ware – 9 carries for 41 yards and 1 TD

PASSING: Smith – 29-41 for 310 yards and 1 TD 0 INT

TACKLES: Feuerbacher – 8 solo tackles (10 total tackles with 1 sack and 2 TFL)

Centenary returns home next Saturday to face the Austin College 'Roos in SCAC play for its Homecoming contest. The 'Roos (1-6, 1-4 SCAC) fell 55-17 at home to Texas Lutheran University on Saturday. The Gents posted a 36-17 win over the 'Roos in Sherman, Texas on Sept. 21.

For more information about becoming a Centenary football season or per game sponsor, please contact Assistant AD/Strategic Communications Patrick Meehan at 318-865-5092 or pmeehan@centenary.edu OR Collin Taylor, Development Officer for Athletics, at 318-869-5052 or cbtaylor2@centenary.edu

See the complete Gents' season schedule here: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/fball/2024-25/schedule

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