BRIDGEWATER, Va. – Host Bridgewater College used a fake
field goal and a defensive touchdown Saturday afternoon to key a
38-31 non-league football victory over visiting Shenandoah.
The Eagles (2-0) scored on a Jacob Hutchinson 11-yard run from
field goal formation with 3:16 to play to take a lead they would
not relinquish over the Hornets (0-2).
BC had missed a 40-yard FG on its previous possession and had a
first half attempt blocked prior to faking the fourth quarter
attempt.
Two plays later, Bridgewater widened its lead to 14 points as
Scottie Littles returned a Daniel Wright
interception 35 yards for what proved to be the game-winning
score.
Down the two scores, Shenandoah drove 59 yards in just five
plays and 59 seconds, culminating in a 1-yard Keone Kyle TD run to
give itself a puncher's chance.
Unfortunately for the Hornet faithful, Andrew
Lloyd's ensuing on-side kick attempt was recovered by BC and
Shenandoah did not get the ball back until there was 59 seconds
remaining in the game.
SU ran six plays and threw an interception as time expired.
The first half was a back-and-forth affair that saw the two
teams combine for 23 points in just 12:38 of game action;
Bridgewater did most of the damage in this span with touchdown
plays of 33 and 28 yards in addition to blocking an SU punt out of
the end zone for a safety.
Shenandoah, trailing 16-7 after that safety on the first play of
the second period, got back into it with a 17-yard Wright to Rico Wallace
TD strike with five minutes to play in the second quarter.
The hookup was one of two scoring plays that the duo had in the
first half – Wright found Wallace at 9:08 of the first with a
23-yard fade that knotted the score at 7-7.
SU, which was without the services of starting running backs Kevin Roberts
and Kyle (suspension and injury, respectively) for much of the
first half, gained all but seven of its 124 first-half yards
through the air.
Wallace led the Hornets with eight catches for 165 yards
receiving; this is the second straight week he has eight
receptions.
Corey
Giffing and Blake Campbell
paced the defense with 10 and seven tackles, respectively. Campbell
also forced two fumbles and had a pair of sacks.
Shenandoah is back in action next week at Randolph-Macon. Game
time is 1:00.
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