WINCHESTER, Va. – Shenandoah University had a dominant opening 30 minutes on its way to a 45-0 non-league football victory over N.C. Wesleyan Saturday evening.
Shenandoah (2-0) won for the fourth straight time over the Bishops (0-2) by piling up 419 yards in total offense and holding NC Wesleyan to just 161.
IN DEPTH
After throwing a pick on its opening play from scrimmage, the Hornets scored three touchdowns in a five-minute span midway through the first to take a commanding, 21-0, lead.
Quarterback
Steven Hugney, who only played the first half, threw the first of his four touchdowns on a three-yard pass to Troy Stinnett at the 9:25 mark. That pass completed a five-play, 60-yard drive.
At 5:54, Hugney found
Ethan Bigbee on a 24-yard strike to finish off a four-play, 56-yard march.
Shenandoah, which picked off Wesleyan quarterbacks three times, made the first one a pick-six roughly 90 seconds after Bigbee's touchdown.
Defensive back
Ahvyon Boothe had that pick six, stepping up on a Chaz Hirschman toss and returning it 60 yards for the score.
The Hornets matched that point output in the second, scoring at 10:32, 5:36, and :16 seconds to take the 42-0 lead into the locker room.
Hugney sandwiched touchdown passes to
Carter Runyon and
Bryar Wheeler around a
Rashadeen Byrd Jr. 1-yard TD run. That score extends Byrd Jr.'s program record.
Hornets coach
Scott Yoder went to his bench in the second half, playing four quarterbacks and numerous backups, as the squad completed its first shutout since opening the 2014 season with a 20-0 win at Gallaudet.
Wesleyan had two trips inside the red zone in the second half, but defensive coordinator Kalvin Oliver's defense came up with one fourth down stop and a forced fumble on the second drive to preserve the shutout.
Ben Burgan had 10 of his 12 stops in the first half and finished with four sacks and four tackles for loss.
The final score of the night was a 27-yard
Scott Martin field goal with 2:09 to play in the third.
UP NEXT
Shenandoah makes the long trip south on I-81 to take on Maryville in the ODAC/USA South Challenge.
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