Fayetteville, NC. – The Shenandoah University Football team opened its season for the 6th straight season against Methodist, and the Hornets (1-0) have won all six of those contests, including a total of ten in a row, against the Monarchs (0-1).
SU's ground game propelled them offensively, gaining 187 yards on the ground, while the Hornets' defense came up with 5 sacks and 1 takeaway, while forcing 9 punts.
How it Happened
- First Quarter: It didn't take long for the Hornets to get on the board. As the Monarchs put a bit of a drive together, the Hornets' young safety, Jaren Mitchell, captured his first interception and ran it back for a 62-yard touchdown. After forcing a punt on the ensuing drive, the Hornets' offense looked to their speedster, Roge't Walker, twice on third downs to keep their drive alive, gaining 22 yards. The drive would be capped off with a 19-yard touchdown pass from Mekhi Brown to Jackson McFarland.
- Second Quarter: After chipping away at the Hornets' defense on a 48-yard drive, the Monarchs would be forced to settle for a 40-yard field goal to get themselves on the board. After trading punts, the Hornets grabbed their best starting field position of the first half, opening at the Methodist 42-yard line. A hard count on 3rd and long early on gave Shenandoah a free play, and a pass completion to Caleb Weston gained 19 yards. Aidan McCloskey would finish the drive with a 21-yard touchdown run up the middle. The extra point would be blocked. Shenandoah went into the locker room with a 20-3 lead on Methodist.
- Third Quarter: The Hornets garnered some early momentum with the likes of McCloskey and McFarland, but a bad snap forced SU out of field goal range, and they were forced to punt. The Monarchs' pressure continued, as they intercepted a pass over the middle by Brown, giving them great starting field position inside the Hornets' 30. The defense would respond in a big way, blocking the field goal attempt. With the air game struggling, the Hornets turned to the ground. Aidan McCloskey started the drive with a 44-yard carry, and he and Bryce Buchanan combined for all 66 yards on the scoring drive that ended in a Buchanan 6-yard score.
- Fourth Quarter: After the Hornets' drive stalled, Carson Gallant would make his first field goal of the year: a 35-yard boot. Chase Oneil would take over the quarterbacking duties at the 8:40 mark, and multiple runs by Kellen Lewis would bring the Hornets over 200 yards rushing in the game, a mark they only hit once last season (201 at Averett). Shenandoah would use the entirety of the drive to run out the clock and secure a 30-3 victory.
Game Statistics
- Passing: Mekhi Brown finished his day completing 14 of 25 attempts for 108 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception
- Rushing: Aidan McCloskey carried the ball 11 times and gained 138 yards, scoring once. Bryce Buchanan completed the tandem with 47 yards on 12 attempts with a score.
- Receiving: Jackson McFarland was the team's leading receiver, catching half of Brown's passes for 61 yards and the lone score through the air.
- Defense: Ace Heinrichs led the tackles column with 9 total. Eric May came right behind him with 8. Phoenix Andes-Stowell opened his season with 2 sacks. Jaren Mitchell had the lone takeaway for the Hornets, an interception he returned for a touchdown.
- Special Teams: Carson Gallant went 3/4 on extra points - the lone miss was blocked - and made his one field goal attempt from 35 yards out. Connor Moyssiadis punted 4 times averaging 40.3 yards per punt.
UP NEXT
The Hornets host their 2026 home opener against Geneva (PA) on Saturday, September 12th, with kickoff slated for 7 pm.
#GoSUHornets
