WINCHESTER, Va. - Randolph-Macon took advantage of big plays on
special teams and a couple of costly Shenandoah turnovers to down
host Shenandoah 17-14 in non-league football action Saturday night
on Sprint Field at Shentel Stadium.
Junior Keone
Kyle ran for 151 yards on 27 carries for the Hornets
(1-2), but it was not enough as Macon (1-2) blocked both a punt and
a field goal and benefited when SU fumbled the ball as it appeared
headed for its first touchdown of the night.
Still, the Hornets found themselves looking at a 23-yard FG in
the waning moments to tie the game at 17-17 only to see the Yellow
Jackets come up with their second blocked kick of the evening.
Following this block of the Travis
Bishop 23-yard attempt, Shenandoah threw two picks in the
final 3:47 of the contest to seal the victory for the visitors.
The first block, on a Nic Hoover punt
with 10 seconds to play in the first quarter, made it 14-0 R-MC.
Ian Overstreet blocked it for Macon at the Hornets 24 and Brandon
Harrison took it the final 20 yards for the TD.
The endzone fumble came next, as Rico
Wallace coughed it up at the Yellow Jackets 8 after
hauling in 43-yard completion from QB Vern Lunsford. The
ball rolled into the end zone and out, giving R-MC the ball on a
touchback.
Shenandoah then got itself back in it with Anthony
Cordero touchdown runs of 2 and 1 yards at the 3:59 and
2:46 marks of the second and third, respectively. These two scores
knotted the game at 14-14, setting the crowd up a fast final 4:56
of the contest.
Macon drove 51 yards in nine plays before facing a 4th and 3 at
the SU 8 with 4:56 remaining. Rather than try and convert a fourth
down for the second time, the Jackets called on a Josh Storm to try
a 25-yard FG from the right hash. Storm nailed his attempt and
Macon had a lead it would not relinquish.
SU answered the score by driving all the way to the Jackets 6,
where Bishop's game-tying attempt was blocked at the line.
Shenandoah outgained R-MC 323-182 and had a 15-12 advantage in
first downs, but could not overcome the three turnovers and the two
blocked kicks.
The Hornets are off next week and open USA South play on October
3 at Christopher Newport.
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