BELTON, Texas — At times, it wasn't pretty. But it's still a win.
Top-ranked UMHB began its title defense with a 56-15 win against Albright College at Crusader Stadium on Saturday.
The Cru jumped out to a 17-0 lead thanks to Ryan Redding, who completed a 23-yard pass for a score and ran another score in from 9 yards.
However, after a 24-yard field goal, Albright QB Jimmy Lahay connected with Lucas Roselli for a 14-yard score with less than 40 seconds until halftime. UMHB blocked the PAT to carry a 17-9 lead into the locker room.
In the second half, Luke Poorman scored twice early after entering the game, once on a 16-yard pass to Brenton Martin and the other a 4-yard rush.
However, on the final play of the third quarter, Lion QB Mike Jordan threw to Jimmy Lahay for 26 yards on a play the officials originally ruled incomplete because Lahay went out of bounds. An officials' scrum led to the crew overturning the ruling and awarding Albright the score, but on the ensuing 2-point conversion attempt, Jefferson Fritz intercepted a Lahay pass at the two and returned it for the score, making it 33-15.
UMHB out-scored Albright 23-0 in the fourth to seal it.
Next, UMHB opens American Southwest Conference play against Belhaven. Kickoff at Crusader Stadium scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday.