ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. – USA South Conference leader N.C. Wesleyan continued its offensive dominance Saturday afternoon in a 41-9 football victory over visiting Shenandoah.

The Bishops (5-2, 4-0 USA South) won for the fifth straight time, and set themselves up for a likely championship contest next week at defending champion Christopher Newport. The two teams are both undefeated in the league and the winner will have a significant leg up in the race for a berth into the NCAA playoffs.

Shenandoah (1-6 , 1-3) was looking for its second straight win, but was done in by two first quarter turnovers.

NCWC scored touchdowns off of both miscues to help itself take a 21-0 lead before the contest was 10 minutes old.

Brian Haywood scored the initial touchdown on an eight-yard scamper around left end before the defense held SU to a three-and-out.

Wesleyan took just six plays to drive 70 yards after receiving the punt, with quarterback Cedric Townsend hitting Teron Bush for a 10-yard TD pass. It went for bad to worse for the visitors on the ensuing kickoff, with the Hornets fumbling the short kick back to their hosts.

Townsend, who finished the day 14-for-22 for 175 yards and two TD's despite taking the final quarter-and-a-half off, immediately hit tight end Steven Burant for a 23-yard score and Shenandoah found itself in a deep hole.

However, SU did not fold, and was able to crack the scoring column in the final minute of the second.

Senior Steven King capped off that six-play, 25-yard drive with 4-yard run to make the score 34-7 in favor of the Bishops.

Shenandoah actually started the drive on its own 45 and advanced to the Wesleyan 30 before SU quarterback Vern Lunsford threw an interception. The Hornets maintained possession however, as wide receiver Raphael Amey forced a fumble following the pick and SU was able to recover on the NCWC 25.

Lunsford set up King for the TD by hitting Amey for 23 yards on 4th and 14, and two plays later King trotted in from the 4.

After Shenandoah missed an 35-yard field goal early in the third, Haywood scored his second rushing touchdown of the afternoon on a 40-yard run. Haywood took a delayed handoff from backup quarterback Josh Dunigan and outraced a host of SU defenders down the right sideline for the score.