Although the Elon Phoenix football team lost on Saturday against Appalachian State University, senior wide receiver Michael Mayers found a way to beat the Mountaineers.

Along with two touchdowns, Mayers had 162 receiving yards and 225 yards returning the ball, compiling 387 all-purpose yards. That mark shattered Appalachian State’s DeVon Fowlkes’ 343 yard game in 2004, which was the previous record for the Southern Conference.

The 225 return yards alone were an all-time high for the Southern Conference, and earned Mayers the title of the Southern Conference Special Teams Player of the Week. Records were not on Mayers’ mind though; he said he had no idea he had even broken the records.

Senior linebacker and special teams player, Tommy Hill, who was a key blocker in Mayers’ big day returning the ball, was quick to compliment his teammate.

“Mike’s got tremendous speed. We know he can always take it the distance,” Hill said.

The Phoenix receiver was able to use his break-away speed to run through and around Mountaineer defenders on his way to conference history.

Whenever Appalachian State would strike, Mayers would strike back. It was his heart and determination that kept the Phoenix in the game. Trey Elder, quarterback for the Mountaineers, ran for a score in the third quarter to put his team up 21-10. Mayers responded with an 83-yard kickoff return, to set up the Phoenix with a first and 10 in the red zone. Three plays later, Elon was back within four points, making it 21-17, after a 6-yard touchdown run by quarterback, Scott Riddle.

When ASU scored again on their next drive, Mayers decided that this time, he would not be stopped. Taking the ball at the goal line, he sprinted ahead, forcing two defenders to run into each other as he sliced through their team, running 100 yards, and flipping into the end zone for a Phoenix touchdown.

“I felt like it brought momentum back,” Mayers said.

That was indeed the case, as that return brought energy to the record-breaking crowd and the Phoenix defense that proceeded to stop the Mountaineers’ running game on the next drive. Even through a loss Phoenix head coach Pete Lembo recognized his player’s strong showing, describing it as his most dynamic performance.

Later in the fourth quarter, Mayers caught a 21-yard touchdown pass, again bringing the Phoenix within 10 points of the No. 5 ranked team in the country.

“We want the ball going to our playmakers. Mike is one of our playmakers,” Lembo said.

Eventually Appalachian State pulled away, but the game was highlighted by the explosive play of Elon’s senior wide receiver.

Nationally, Mayers ranks 13th in receiving yards and fourth in receptions, while his 34.1 yards per kick return is first in the conference and 6th in the country. More impressive though, is that Mayers is averaging almost 200 all-purpose yards [199.8] per game, which is second in the conference, and eighth in the nation.

Reporter: Adam Pittenger - 10/03/07