Wingate, N.C.----Wingate University senior running back Nestor Lantigua (Wellington, Fla.) celebrated Senior Day in style, rushing for 110 yards and scoring two touchdowns (one rushing, one receiving) as the Bulldogs defeated Mars Hill University 24-7 in South Atlantic Conference football action Saturday afternoon at Irwin Belk Stadium and John R. Martin Field on the Wingate campus.
 
Bulldog junior safety Brandon Hathaway (Smyrna, Tenn.) had three interceptions as the Wingate defense allowed only one third-quarter touchdown to the visiting Lions. Wingate improves to 6-4 overall and 3-3 in the SAC. The Bulldogs visit number 24 Carson-Newman Saturday, Nov. 15 at 1 p.m.
 
"(This was a) great win for our seniors in their last home game," Wingate head football coach Joe Reich says. "Our defense played very consistently all day. Mars Hill is explosive on offense and our defense really played well to control them."
 
Hathaway got things going for the hosts, as he intercepted Mars Hill senior quarterback Matt Layman (Bluffton, S.C.) on the second play from scrimmage. Hathaway returned the errant pass 50 yards to the Lion nine-yard line. Three plays later, Lantigua scored on a four-yard TD run at the 13:06 mark. Redshirt senior place kicker Patrick Smith (Hickory, N.C.) added the PAT to make the score 7-0 Bulldogs.                                                     
 
Mars Hill went three-and-out on its next possession. Wingate responded with a nine-play, 63-yard drive to set up a 20-yard Smith field goal. Bulldog redshirt sophomore quarterback Kyle Johnson (Hickory, N.C.) connected with redshirt senior wide receiver Hunter Haffly (Locust Grove, Ga.) on back-to-back passes of 15 and 25 yards to open the march.
 
Johnson threw two touchdown passes in the second quarter to give the Bulldogs a cushion. The Wingate signal-caller led the hosts on two scoring drives of 80-plus yards. The first march (seven plays, 80 yards) ended when Johnson found Lantigua for a 28-yard touchdown. Smith's extra point gave the Bulldogs a 17-0 lead (12:45 remaining in second quarter).
 
Wingate sophomore wide receiver Jordan Berry (Irmo, S.C.) recorded his team-best fifth TD reception 10 minutes later, as Johnson made a 33-yard scoring connection with the 2013 All-SAC wide-out to complete a nine-play, 88-yard drive. Smith booted the extra point to complete Wingate's scoring with 2:58 remaining before intermission.
 
Mars Hill redshirt sophomore reserve quarterback Trent Miller (Buffalo, N.Y.) helped the Lions score their only touchdown midway through the third quarter. Miller directed a 10-play, 80-yard scoring production, completing the movement with a 10-yard TD pass to sophomore wide receiver Chris Trimmings (Brunswick, Ga.). MHU freshman place kicker Tyler Stewart (Thomaston, Ga.) added the PAT to complete the day's scoring with 7:30 to play in the third quarter.
 
Johnson completed 19-of-35 passes for 273 yards and two touchdowns. Berry and redshirt junior wide receiver Jiwan Funderburk (Pageland, S.C.) caught four passes each, while Haffly and redshirt senior tight end and 2013 Capital One Academic All-America® Brandon Ellington (Wilmington, N.C.) snagged three receptions each.
 
"Our offense played well in the first half," Reich says. "I thought we did some good things in the second half despite not scoring. We moved the chains and won the field position battle."
 
Wingate won the field position battle by a whopping 18 yards (Wingate 39 to Mars Hill 21 average starting point) and the time of possession clocking (31:51-28:09). Bulldog redshirt freshman punter Chandler Phillips (Lutz, Fla.) booted four balls inside the MHU 20-yard line to give him 18 kicks inside the 20 this season. Sophomore place kicker Caleb Baird (Kinston, N.C.) had three touchbacks in five kick-offs, holding Mars Hill to eight yards on two kick-off returns.
 
Mars Hill redshirt sophomore running back Jamel Harbison (Charlotte, N.C.) was a bright spot for the Lions, carrying the ball 22 times for 103 yards. MHU freshman wide receiver Keshaun Taylor (Homestead, Fla.) caught eight passes for 103 yards. Lion senior wide receiver Dimitri Holmes (Athens, Ga.) broke the SAC career receptions record held by Wingate great Chris Bowden (Forsyth, Ga.) in the third quarter. Holmes has 265 career receptions, compared to 263 for Bowden.
 
Wingate snaps a three-game losing streak to Mars Hill with the victory. The Lions had won the last three games in the series after the Bulldogs won four of the previous five contests. Mars Hill leads the modern-day series between the two schools 16-13. Mars Hill is 4-5 overall and 3-3 in the SAC. The MHU Lions host Tusculum Saturday, Nov. 15 for a 1 p.m. Senior Day contest.