The Lenoir-Rhyne Football Team dominated St. Augustine’s to open the 2023 season on a perfect Saturday night at Moretz Stadium, winning 45-7. The Bear defense suffocated the Falcons and held SAU to three first downs and two rushing yards on 27 attempts.

The Bears scored the first 28 points of the game and never looked back in the dominating victory. LR outgained the Falcons 378-52 and held the ball for 36:37 of the game. Kelin Parsons scored from one yard out on a swing pass to get the Bears on the board at the 3:03 mark of the first quarter. Just 1:34 later, DeAree Rogers took a punt 41 yards back to the house for his first career touchdown.

The lead swelled to 21-0 with another special teams score. James Ussery blocked a punt in the end zone that was recovered by Tye Roberson for a touchdown. Parson’s second TD of the first half made it 28-0 on the same swing pass. Parson’s two TDs covered three total yards.

St. Augustine’s scored their lone TD of the game on a 37-yard catch and run with seven seconds left in the first half. The first TD of the second half went to Zyheir Dillard on a 6-yard run and Zayvion Turner-Knox punched in a 1-yard TD to make it 42-7.

Jake Brown’s first career FG — a 19-yarder — made it a 45-7 final.

Sean White went 16-for-21 for 129 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Songa Yates had a career-high five grabs for 58 yards.

Jon Ross Maye led the defense with 9 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss. Zeke Nance had three tackles and two sacks. The Falcons went 9-for-16 in the passing game for 50 yards.

Parsons topped 100 career catches with his second grab of the night.

The 5.6 yards gained per completion for the Falcons are the second-lowest allowed by the Bears in the NCAA era. The 52 total yards allowed are also the second fewest.

LR managed just 12 first downs in the game with 10 coming through the air.

The Bears move to 56-34-4 all-time in home openers. LR is now 19-4 since 2010 when scoring a special teams touchdown.

LR is 1-0 on the season and will hit the road for their first road test at Fayetteville St. next Saturday at 6 p.m.