3
Averett AUC 0-7 , 0-5
48
Winner Shenandoah SUH 6-1 , 4-1
Averett AUC
0-7 , 0-5
3
Final
48
Shenandoah SUH
6-1 , 4-1
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
AUC Averett 0 3 0 0 3
SUH Shenandoah 13 7 14 14 48

Game Recap: Football | | Matt McIntosh '23

Football Defeats Averett on Homecoming, 48-3

WINCHESTER, Va. - The Shenandoah University football team celebrated Homecoming with a dominant 48-3 ODAC win over Averett University on Saturday afternoon at home.

Despite the Cougars (0-7, 0-5 ODAC) holding the ball for twice as long, the Hornets (6-1, 4-1) capitalized by scoring on all three sides of the ball with five offensive touchdowns, a punt return TD, and a scoop-and-score by the defense in the fourth.

RECAP

Shenandoah set the tone on the opening kickoff as Roge't Walker returned the kick for 38 yards, setting the offense up near midfield. Two receptions by Walker for 28 total yards helped set up a 17-yard rushing touchdown by Jalen Redfearn, just six plays into the game.

On the Hornets' next drive, Aidan McCloskey rushed up the middle for 28 yards on the first play. The running back had 21 more yards on the drive, ending with a seven-yard touchdown. The Hornets led 13-0 at the end of the first.

Up by two scores in the second quarter, the SU defense forced a three-and-out behind a big tackle for loss by Tayton Smaldone and a pass breakup by Ryan Apietu. The Cougars' punt only traveled 18 yards, setting up the Hornets inside opponent territory. With the great field position, McCloskey scored from 22 yards out on the fourth play of the drive, putting the Hornets up by 20.

Averett took nearly seven minutes off the clock in the middle of the second before settling for a field goal with 1:19 remaining in the half. SU led 20-3 at the half.

On the opening drive of the second half, Averett was forced to punt. With Sean Perry back to return, the graduate student caught the punt at the Hornets' 32-yard line, broke free from Averett defenders, and went to the house for a 68-yard touchdown.

Down 27-3, Averett attempted a fourth-down conversion inside Hornet territory but was sacked by Phonix Andes-Stowell for a loss of seven and a turnover on downs. Following a 23-yard catch by Caleb Weston and another big run by McCloskey, Mekhi Brown had his only passing TD of the day, with a 10-yard reception by Walker, putting the Hornets up 34-3.

Shenandoah's offense added to lead on its first possession of the fourth quarter with a two-yard rushing touchdown by Bryce Buchanan. The touchdown drive was set up by a Matt Conroy interception near midfield.

The Conroy interception was just the first of three turnovers in the quarter forced by the Shenandoah defense. Connor Moyssiadis picked off an overthrown pass by the Cougars with 8:27 remaining in the game. Then, after a 56-yard punt by Moyssiadis, Andrew Waters forced a strip sack, which was recovered and returned for a touchdown by Victor Vazquez.

The Hornets sealed the win with a sack by Aidan Metzger and Danny Love on the final play of the contest.

The Hornets ran for 201 yards behind McCloskey's 108 yards on 10 carries. Brown passed for 93 yards on eight completions, with Chase Oneil completing one pass. Walker led the way for the receivers with three catches for 38 yards.

Defensively, Conroy had 12 total tackles while Cody Wyatt sat just behind the linebacker with 10. The Hornets got to the Cougars behind the line of scrimmage 14 times, as Andes-Stowell racked up 4.5 tackles for loss, including a sack. 

Carson Gallant, the Hornets' placekicker, made six extra-point attempts, and first-year Dylan Jordan had eight kickoffs for 491 yards.

UP NEXT

Shenandoah heads to nationally-ranked Randolph-Macon next Saturday at 1 p.m. for an ODAC game.

#GoSUHornets
 
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Scoring Summary

Scoring Summary
Scoring Play Visiting Team Score Home Team Score
1st Quarter AUC SUH
SUH
12:17 - SUH - Redfearn,Jalen 17 yd run ( ), 6 plays, 56 yards, TOP 02:35
0 6
SUH
03:25 - SUH - McCloskey,Aidan 7 yd run (Gallant,Carson kick), 9 plays, 81 yards, TOP 04:44
0 13
2nd Quarter AUC SUH
SUH
09:09 - SUH - McCloskey,Aidan 22 yd run (Gallant,Carson kick), 4 plays, 35 yards, TOP 01:29
0 20
AUC
01:28 - AUC - Markulic,Michael 27 yd field goal 15 plays, 65 yards, TOP 07:41
3 20
3rd Quarter AUC SUH
SUH
11:13 - SUH - Perry,Sean 68 yd punt return (Gallant,Carson kick)
3 27
SUH
01:52 - SUH - Walker,Roge't 10 yd pass from Brown,Mekhi (Gallant,Carson kick) 4 plays, 57 yards, TOP 01:53
3 34
4th Quarter AUC SUH
SUH
09:28 - SUH - Buchanan,Bryce 2 yd run (Gallant,Carson kick), 8 plays, 49 yards, TOP 04:04
3 41
SUH
02:57 - SUH - Vazquez,Victor 18 yd fumble recovery (Gallant,Carson kick)
3 48

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