MEMPHIS - The Rhodes College football team returned to action on Saturday evening as they welcomed in the Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens. The Lynx defense was dominant all evening, forcing four turnovers in a 28-7 win under the lights.

The Lynx move to 2-0 on the season and have now won 12 straight contests at Crain Field, including a 2-0 home record so far in 2015.

Rhodes got off to a rough start on the opening drive of the game. After a three and out from the offense, the Lynx dropped their first punt of the evening, giving the Sagehens field position inside the 15. 

Pomona-Pitzer would move to the 1-yard line and looked as though they would strike first. However, senior Michael Shield made an unbelievable play, quickly jumping the edge and snatching the football from the Sagehen quarterback before he could cross the goal line. The first turnover of many for the Lynx and an absolute huge stop early in the contest. 

Later in the first quarter, with neither team able to get on the scoreboard, the Lynx broke through with another turnover. This time, senior Wyatt McRae rushed the edge and forced the second fumble of the day with junior Patrick West jumping on the loose ball.

On the first play of the new drive, junior Austin Henyon found junior Mason Windatt in the endzone for a 27 yard score and an early 7-0 lead. 

On the following drive, Pomona responded with a 10-play drive ending in a  29-yard touchdown pass to tie the game up at 7 a piece.

In the second quarter, the Lynx would use two long drives, 14 plays, and eight plays, to take control of the game and move ahead 21-7 at the break. During the 14 play drive, Henyon found junior Brandon Box for a huge 42-yard completion to the 1-yard line. Two plays later, senior Casey Jospeh pounded it in for a 14-7 lead. 

On the next drive, junior Roc Sherrell rushed four times for 29 yards to move the ball down the field. Henyon would finish things off with a two-yard score with less than 30-seconds remaining before half.

Pomona-Pitzer would drive down the field and look to set up a 52-yard field goal to end the half. The kick would not have the distance, but senior Jonathan Wiener was there to receive and return the kick and provide some excitement going into the break, bringing it back 80-yards, but being stopped short of the goal line.

In the second half, the Sagehens controlled the clock, but had nothing to show for as the Rhodes defense would stand strong and continue to keep Pomona off the scoreboard. 

The Lynx would wrap the game up with a huge 17-play, 61 yard touchdown drive which took time off in both the third and fourth quarters. Henyon wrapped the drive up with a four yard rushing touchdown to put Rhodes in total control.

The Rhodes defense would force two more turnovers and run the clock out for the second win of the season.

The offense struggled as it finished with only 239 yards of total offense, but did what it needed to do to preserve the win. Henyon finished 5-for-21 with 198 yards passing and a touchdown. He also added 11 carries for 37 yards for two scores. Sherrell led all rushers with 97 yards on 24 carries. Windatt led all receivers with two catches for 42 yards.

Defensively, Shield finished with 13 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, a sack, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery as he was outstanding throughout the entire game. Junior Jack Ingalls added 12 stops while McRae was a monster on the defensive line with eight tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. Senior Trey Hooper added three tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks while senior Christian Labenberg had two sacks and a forced fumble. 

All four of the Sagehen turnovers were via fumble. The Lynx held Pomona to 274 yards of total offense.

Rhodes will prepare to hit the road for the first time this season as they will head to Rome, Ga. to open Southern Athletic Association play with Berry College. Kickoff is set for Saturday afternoon at 12 p.m.