NCWC football downs Shenandoah in conference play, 41-9

Rocky Mount, NC - North Carolina Wesleyan continued its offensive dominance in USA South play on Saturday afternoon, picking up a 41-9 football victory over visiting Shenandoah at the Rocky Mount Athletic Complex. Sophomore Teron Bush (pictured) scored two touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving, to pace the Blue & Gold offensively.  Wesleyan (5-2, 4-0) won for the fifth straight time and will now prepare for a much-anticipated showdown next week at defending champion Christopher Newport. The two teams are both undefeated in the league, with the winner having a significant leg up in the race for an NCAA playoff berth.

Shenandoah (1-6 , 1-3) was looking for its second straight win, but was done in by two first quarter turnovers.  NCWC scored touchdowns off of both miscues to help itself take a 21-0 lead before the contest was 10 minutes old. Brian Haywood scored the initial touchdown on an eight-yard scamper.

After the Bishop defense forced a three-and-out on the Hornets' next drive, Wesleyan took just six plays to drive 70 yards.  Senior quarterback Cedric Townsend hit Teron Bush for a 10-yard TD pass to cap the drive.

On the ensuing kickoff, Shenandoah fumbled the short kick back to the Blue & Gold.  Townsend immediately hit tight end Steven Burant for a 23-yard score, the first of his career.

Up 21-0 at the end of the first quarter, Wesleyan added to its lead in the second with 1-yard TD runs by Bush and Townsend to go up 34-0. 

SU did not fold and was able to crack the scoring column just before the half.  Senior Steven King capped a six-play, 25-yard Hornet drive with 4-yard run to make the score 34-7 in favor of the Bishops. 

Shenandoah actually started the drive on its own 45 and advanced to the Wesleyan 30 before SU quarterback Vern Lunsford threw an interception. The Hornets maintained possession, however, as wide receiver Raphael Amey forced a fumble following the pick.  SU recovered on the NCWC 25.

After Shenandoah missed an 31-yard field goal early in the third, Haywood scored his second rushing touchdown of the afternoon on a 40-yard run. The junior tailback took a delayed handoff from backup quarterback Josh Dunigan and outraced a host of SU defenders down the right sideline for the score.

The final score of the game came when Wesleyan took an intentional safety at the 14:43 mark of the fourth.

Townsend finished the day 14-of-22 for 175 yards and two TDs despite taking the final quarter-and-a-half off.  Haywood racked up 120 rushing yards on 13 carries and also scored two TDs.  As a team, Wesleyan's offense amassed 467 yards on the day.

Defensively, Justin Augustin led the Blue & Gold with 10 tackles, while Quinderra Spellman added six tackles and one sack.  Jamal Meekins, Quentin Pope, Damian Hopkins, and Demetrious Whitehead each recorded an interception.

Next week's game at CNU is slated for a 1:00 p.m. start.