Â鶹´«Ã½

Thousands of students, alumni, supporters and community members flooded the parking lot and practice field on either side of Moretz Stadium for food, music and tailgating before the Bears 6 p.m. kickoff against Emory & Henry.

It was a perfect day for the home opener, too. The game time temperature was right at 80 degrees with sunny skies and a gentle breeze.

Danielle Dempsey is an occupational therapy grad student at LR. She spent the afternoon in the student section of the parking lot. She said she moved to Hickory for the program this summer and is pleasantly surprised at the school’s football culture and game day experience.

“Everybody is out here, wearing the colors, supporting the school, I love that about LR,� Dempsey said. “This is my first LR game, but I really love it so far … I had no idea this was a thing.�

Addison Blair is in the OT program with Dempsey. She is from Hickory so she knew all about LR football before this weekend.

“I know how game day is and it’s the best,� she said.

Not knowing what you’re missing

On the other side of the stadium, Matt and Melia Stover were sitting under a tent watching children and families play catch on the practice field.

They have lived in Catawba County for 12 years, but this was their first LR game day. Their son, Josh, was a standout football player for Maiden and is a freshman at LR this season. Josh is still recovering from an offseason ankle surgery, but he hopes to be cleared to play in another four to six weeks.

Melia said she didn’t realize how special the game day experience is at LR.

“It’s like a great big family reunion and we just met everybody,� she said.

Matt said the community support along with the athletic facilities and coaches and the university were the biggest draw for his son Josh.

A reputation for success

Davis Russell is a junior from Charlotte. He said the community experience on Saturdays is the biggest draw for him.

“Look at the tailgate, everybody pops out, everyone has a great time. Also a winning football team. Having a good football team makes you want to keep coming out.�

Russell acknowledged the Bears’ loss to West Florida in the opener, but pointed out they were going against one of the top teams in the country in that game.

“All I can say is, they’re going to bounce back,� he said. “Everyone around the Hickory community supports the Bears, which is what I love.�

When the whistle blows

On the field, LR kicker hit a buzzer-beating field goal to send Emory & Henry home with a 31-28 loss.

LR hit the Wasps hard and fast in the early going. On the first play of the game, quarterback Khamoni Robinson took a quarterback keeper through a hole between the left guard and the left tackle and into the secondary. The Emory & Henry defense was caught off guard and the play quickly turned into a track meet. Robinson outran the Emory & Henry secondary for a 83-yard touchdown strike to give the Bears a quick 7-0 lead.

Running back L.J. Turner seemed to take Robinson’s run as a personal challenge. He took the handoff on the first play of LR’s next drive, bounced to the outside and went 73 yards to the end zone. The run was called back after officials determined that he stepped out of bounds near midfield. Three plays later, though, Zion Agnew was in the end zone again. Robinson hit him with a 38-yard touchdown pass to give the Bears a 14-0 lead with 9:54 remaining in the first quarter.

By halftime, the score was 28-3, but Emory & Henry regrouped after the break. The Wasps put 25 unanswered points on the board in the second half to tie the score at 28 with 5:35 remaining.

The Bears ran out the rest of the game on a 15-play, 57-yard drive that ended in the game-winning field goal.

The tale of the tape

LR dominated the game offensively, picking up 444 yards from scrimmage compared to 291 by Emory & Henry. Penalties and turnovers hurt the Bears in the second half, though. LR was flagged eight times during the game for 80 yards and two second-half interceptions and a fumble allowed Emory & Henry back into the game.

Robinson dominated the game for LR. He finished with 154 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries and threw for 180 yards and another touchdown on 10-of-17 passing.

LR will travel to Carson-Newman next week. The Eagles are 1-1 and coming off a 31-24 loss to Mars Hill on Saturday.