Hickory, N.C. – The Lenoir-Rhyne University Football Team (3-1) scored the first 26 points of the game en route to a 32-16 win over North Greenville (0-4) Saturday night at rainy Moretz Stadium.  The Bears, with three wins in their first four games of the year, are off to their best start since 2005.

L-R, who came into the game ranked second in NCAA Division II in rushing, gained 377 yards on the ground while the Bears’ defense limited the Crusaders to just one first down and 20 yards of total offense in the first half in building a 20-0 advantage.

Lenoir-Rhyne took control on the game’s first possession as a five-yard run by senior quarterback Justin Sanders (Monroe, N.C.) ended a six-play, 61-yard drive and the Bears held a 7-0 advantage just 2:27 into the game.

An interception by L-R junior defensive back Carl Brooks (Raleigh, N.C.) set up a 32-yard field goal from sophomore placekicker Colin Corpe (Ocala, Fla.) for a 10-0 lead with 5:10 remaining in the first quarter.

Lenoir-Rhyne added 10 points in the second quarter – a five-yard run by sophomore running back Byron Darby (Gastonia, N.C.) and a 22-yard field goal from Corpe – to push the lead to 20-0 going into intermission.  Darby’s run was set up by a 33-yard punt return from sophomore Jamont Jones (Washington, N.C.)

Lenoir-Rhyne extended its lead to 26-0 on a six-yard touchdown run from junior halfback Andrew Courman (Beaufort, N.C.) early in the third quarter before North Greenville finally got on the board with a 36-yard field goal from Zach Sears (Anderson, S.C.) later in the stanza.

L-R would push its lead to 32-3 on a three-yard touchdown run from sophomore quarterback Major Herron (Kingsland, Ga.) before North Greenville scored twice to cut the margin to 32-16 but it wasn’t enough.

The Crusaders capped the scoring with Isaiah Johnson’s (Fort Lawn, Wisc.) 79-yard punt return for a touchdown with 49 seconds left.

Herron led the Bears with 88 yards rushing and 47 yards through the air while junior running back James Pone (Wilson, N.C.) and Darby followed with 86 and 79 yards rushing, respectively.

Lenoir-Rhyne held a 471-160 advantage in total yards in the first-ever meeting between the two schools.

Lenoir-Rhyne opens South Atlantic Conference play next Saturday when it hosts Brevard beginning at 7 p.m.