37
Winner Wilkes WUC 7-4 , 4-2
35
Shenandoah SUH 8-3 , 6-2
Winner
Wilkes WUC
7-4 , 4-2
37
Final
35
Shenandoah SUH
8-3 , 6-2
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
WUC Wilkes 14 10 10 3 37
SUH Shenandoah 7 14 0 14 35
FB v WILKES

Game Recap: Football | | Matt McIntosh '23

Football Defeated by Wilkes in Cape Henry Bowl

WINCHESTER, Va. - The Shenandoah University football team's 2025 season came to an end on Saturday with a 37-35 loss to Wilkes University in the Chesapeake Challenge Cape Henry Bowl Game at home.

The Colonels (7-4) hit a 20-yard field goal as time expired to win this year's bowl game. The Hornets (8-3) had taken the lead with just over two minutes left, scoring 14 unanswered points.

RECAP

Wilkes scored a touchdown on the first drive of the game. However, Shenandoah responded one play later with a screen pass to Roge't Walker, who broke through the line of blockers for a 55-yard touchdown.

The Colonels went right back down the field, converting three third-downs, to score another touchdown, as they led 14-7 at the end of the first.

Early in the second quarter, the Hornets lined up for a field goal on a 4th-and-3 from Wilkes' 12-yard line, but ran a fake with Mason Anderson rushing for five yards to pick up the first down. This allowed Aidan McCloskey to finish off the drive with a seven-yard rushing touchdown, tying the game at 14.

Wilkes answered the Hornets once again, this time with a 34-yard passing touchdown to go up 21-14 with eight minutes left in the opening half. The Hornets returned the favor right away and tied the game at 21 five minutes later with a rushing score from Jalen Redfearn. The Colonels took the final 3:41 off the clock in the quarter, kicking a field goal as time expired to carry a three-point lead into halftime.

The Hornets got the ball to begin the second half, but had to punt the ball just a few plays into the third. On the punt attempt, Wilkes broke through and blocked the attempt, giving them the ball at SU's 22. The visitors kicked a field goal to take a six-point lead. Then just three plays later, Wilkes added onto its lead with a pick-six off the Hornets for a 13-point lead.

On the second play of the fourth quarter, Mekhi Brown found Walker in the left corner of the endzone for a 20-yard touchdown to cut the Hornets' deficit down to six. The Hornets kept momentum as Matt Conroy forced a fumble on the defensive side of the ball, allowing SU a chance to take the lead.

The Hornets' offense got the ball all the way down to the Wilkes' one-yard line with a chance to take the lead. However, the Hornets were intercepted by the Colonels on a fourth-down pass from the one. SU's defense forced a quick three-and-out, which gave the ball back to the offense with 5:32 remaining.

The Hornets finally gained the lead as Brown rolled out to his right and fired the throw to Kyle Grant, who found his way into the endzone from 33 yards out. Carson Gallant made the extra-point kick to give SU the 35-34 lead with 2:08 left.
However, Wilkes took a 13-play, 63-yard drive and chewed the final 2:08 to kick the 20-yard game-winning field goal for the win.

Mekhi Brown finished the day from behind center with 240 yards and 3 touchdowns. Jalen Redfearn ran for 81 yards and a touchdown, while Aidan McCloskey ran for 79 yards and one score. Roge't Walker caught three passes for two touchdowns and 76 yards.

Defensively, Matt Conroy led the way with 19 tackles and the one forced fumble. Jaren Mitchell, Ace Heinrichs, and Jahlil Lee each had a pass breakup. 

UP NEXT

Shenandoah awaits postseason awards, starting with All-ODAC in the coming week.

#GoSUHornets
 
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Scoring Summary

Scoring Summary
Scoring Play Visiting Team Score Home Team Score
1st Quarter WUC SUH
WUC
13:20 - WUC - King,Cooper 2 yd run (Volpone,Nick kick), 5 plays, 63 yards, TOP 01:33
7 0
SUH
13:01 - SUH - Walker,Roge't 55 yd pass from Brown,Mekhi (Gallant,Carson kick) 1 plays, 55 yards, TOP 00:11
7 7
WUC
07:14 - WUC - Contella,Ben 2 yd run (Volpone,Nick kick), 11 plays, 75 yards, TOP 05:40
14 7
2nd Quarter WUC SUH
SUH
10:56 - SUH - McCloskey,Aidan 7 yd run (Gallant,Carson kick), 11 plays, 72 yards, TOP 06:34
14 14
WUC
08:03 - WUC - Fears,Juju 34 yd pass from King,Cooper (Volpone,Nick kick) 5 plays, 65 yards, TOP 02:46
21 14
SUH
03:47 - SUH - Redfearn,Jalen 6 yd run (Gallant,Carson kick), 10 plays, 75 yards, TOP 04:16
21 21
WUC
00:00 - WUC - Volpone,Nick 20 yd field goal 13 plays, 67 yards, TOP 03:41
24 21
3rd Quarter WUC SUH
WUC
10:41 - WUC - Volpone,Nick 38 yd field goal 4 plays, 1 yards, TOP 00:58
27 21
WUC
09:23 - WUC - Barbieri,Rob 30 yd interception (Volpone,Nick kick)
34 21
4th Quarter WUC SUH
SUH
14:26 - SUH - Walker,Roge't 20 yd pass from Brown,Mekhi (Gallant,Carson kick) 8 plays, 57 yards, TOP 02:42
34 28
SUH
02:08 - SUH - Grant,Kyle 33 yd pass from Brown,Mekhi (Gallant,Carson kick) 8 plays, 69 yards, TOP 03:24
34 35
WUC
00:00 - WUC - Volpone,Nick 20 yd field goal 14 plays, 70 yards, TOP 02:05
37 35

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