BRIDGEWATER, Va. – Finally.
In eight previous meetings since re-starting football in 2000, Bridgewater had outscored Shenandoah by an aggregate total of 313-51 with the Hornets coming no closer than 14 points in any of the eight contests.
That all changed Saturday afternoon at Jopson Field.
SU downed Bridgewater 10-6 before a capacity Jopson Field crowd, winning its initial game of the 2008 season and snapping a losing streak that stretched back to 1966 in the process.
(Before reinstating its football program in 2000, Shenandoah sponsored football from 1919-38 and 1964-67. The all-time series includes one result from each of those eras.)
SU got this first victory since a 32-6 win in 1932 by combining a strong defense with another excellent rushing performance by junior Kevin Roberts. The Hornet defense held the Eagles to just 187 yards, including 76 in the second half, and forced three turnovers.
Roberts had 118 yards rushing on 28 carries – this is the second straight week that he has gone over the 100-yard mark.
However, it was sophomore Anthony Cordero that scored the touchdown that would prove to give the visitors a lead they would not relinquish.
Quarterback Vern Lunsford hit Cordero in stride on a drag route at the 11:41 mark of the second and the sophomore rumbled untouched into the endzone for a 51-yard TD.
In the waning moments of the third, SU got some much needed breathing room as it took advantage of a BC personal foul to extend a drive and then hit a 22-yard field goal.
The Hornets had a first and goal from the Eagles 7, but a fumble on 2nd down put the visitors into a field goal situation.
Bridgewater made things interesting with just over four minutes to play when it finished off an eight-play, 61-yard drive with a David Argaud 1-yard run. Shenandoah appeared to have the Eagles stopped earlier in the drive, but BC hit a halfback option pass on 4th and 5 from the SU 35 to give itself a 1st and goal from the 3.
Three plays later, Argaud plunged over for the TD, but BC missed the PAT wide left and the Hornets had the all-important four-point advantage.
The Hornets got a pair of first downs on the next drive, but punted the ball back to Bridgewater with 35 seconds remaining. BC was not able to advance the ball past midfield on its final four offensive plays.
