WINCHESTER, Va. - Shenandoah University earned its first-ever football victory over Guilford College Saturday afternoon with a 47-31 ODAC win over the Quakers on the Sprint Field at Shentel Stadium turf.
Shenandoah (3-2, 1-1 ODAC) picked off Guilford quarterback Matt Pawlowski three times in the contest, including two that were run back for touchdowns.
The Hornets led for all but 14 seconds of the contest as freshman Dieon DuPont returned the opening kick 92 yards for the hosts' initial score of the game.
The TD via kick return is just the second in program history and the first since BJ Smoot turned the trick versus Ferrum on September 27, 2008.
The Quakers (4-1, 1-1) were forced to punt on their first possession after gaining one first down (thanks to an SU pass interference penalty) and Shenandoah needed just six plays and 99 seconds to drive 69 yards to put itself up 15-0 by the 10:13 mark of the first.
Another short GC drive (six plays) that ended with a 20-yard punt led to the Hornets third score of the opening quarter.
It was sophomore Cedrick Delaney's turn on this drive as he finished off a seven-play, 64-yard drive with a 23-yard scamper around left end.
The game was not 10 minutes old and Shenandoah had a 22-0 lead.
Guilford answered with the initial two scores of the second quarter, a 39-yard Tyler Hunt FG and a Josh Jurgevich 1-yard run, before SU closed out the half by seeing freshman Jacob Newton nail a 44-yard field goal at the 6:27 mark.
The first of two 'pick sixes' for the Hornets started the second half as Josh White snagged Pawlowski's first pass of the third quarter and returned it 35-yards for the score.
The INT is the fourth this season for White and marks three straight games in which he has had at least one interception. It also snapped a string of 242 consecutive attempts for Pawlowski without an interception.
After the Hornets threatened to turn it into a rout following a Drew Ferguson to Leonard Scott 67-yard TD pass, the Quakers clawed back in it by scoring 21 of the game's next 24 points.
GC was able to cut its deficit to 10, 41-31, with 2:04 to play but was not successful on an ensuing on-sides kick and then saw Cedrick Bridges pick off Pawlowski at the 50 on the final play of the game and weave his way through a host a Quakers for the touchdown.
Guilford had 521 yards in total offense to the 350 for SU. Pawlowski was 24 for 43 for 460 yards and three touchdowns but threw the career-high three interceptions and was sacked eight times.
Delaney, with 118 yards on 18 carries, became the first Hornet running back to crack the 100-yard barrier on four straight occasions.
Malik Sims had 10 tackles and one interception to lead the defense.
Jake Payne had 1.5 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss among his nine stops.
Shenandoah travels to Catholic next Saturday for a 1 p.m. kickoff.
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