LEXINGTON, Va. — The Shenandoah University football team is postseason-bound for the first time since 2004 after defeating Washington and Lee, 28-21, on the road in ODAC play Saturday afternoon.
The Hornets (8-2, 5-2 ODAC) rushed for 246 yards and sealed the win over the Generals (6-4, 5-2) with an interception by Liban Farah. With this victory, Shenandoah tied the 2022 and 2003 teams for the most wins in a single season and finished second in the conference, its best placement since joining the ODAC.
GAME RECAP
A 27-yard punt on Washington and Lee's opening drive gave Shenandoah excellent field position at midfield. On the fifth play of the ensuing drive, Jalen Redfearn broke free for a 13-yard gain before running straight up the middle for an 18-yard touchdown.
The Generals responded with a promising drive that brought them inside the red zone, but the Hornets' defense held firm, stopping three consecutive run plays. Washington and Lee missed a 24-yard field goal attempt, keeping Shenandoah ahead 7-0 early in the second quarter.
After forcing an SU punt, Washington and Lee looked poised to tie the game. However, Jake Lengle forced a fumble on the punt return, which Nolan Riley recovered. On the very next play, Steven Hugney powered through multiple defenders for a 33-yard run, extending the Hornets' lead to 14-0.
Following a quick three-and-out by the Generals, Shenandoah embarked on a methodical 12-play drive spanning six minutes, culminating in another rushing touchdown for Hugney. A sack by Corey Kidwell ended W&L's final drive of the half, giving SU a commanding 21-0 lead at halftime.
The third quarter saw limited possessions, with Washington and Lee controlling the first 7:30 en route to their first touchdown. Shenandoah responded by running the clock down on 11 rushes during the first 12 plays of the drive that consumed the remainder of the quarter.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Hugney connected with Broden Domenico for a 21-yard gain, setting SU up inside W&L's five-yard line. Domenico was Hugney's favorite target, finishing with five receptions for 55 yards. Three plays later, Hugney executed a run-pass option, finding Braden Holt wide open in the back of the end zone for Shenandoah's fourth touchdown, extending the lead to 28-7.
The Generals rallied with two quick touchdowns, cutting the deficit to 28-21 with 2:09 remaining. After stopping Shenandoah on a fourth-and-short, Washington and Lee had 17 seconds to travel 95 yards with one timeout remaining. On the first play of the drive, W&L attempted a deep pass, but Farah intercepted it, sealing the victory for the Hornets.
The Shenandoah defense recorded five tackles for loss, with Cody Wyatt contributing two. Wyatt and Ahvyon Boothe led the team with 13 tackles each.
Offensively, Redfearn led the ground attack with 127 yards on 24 carries. Hugney added 74 yards on 11 attempts, while Bryce Buchanan chipped in 46 yards. This marked the fifth game this season in which Shenandoah rushed for at least 240 yards.
UP NEXT
Shenandoah awaits its postseason fate, with the NCAA set to announce its 40-team tournament field tomorrow at 5 p.m. on NCAA.com. If the Hornets are not one of the 12 at-large bids in the NCAA Division III Football Championship, they will represent the ODAC in the Chesapeake Challenge Bowl Series next Saturday at Salem Stadium in Salem, Virginia.
