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By Jim O'Hara

ROME, Ga. – Playing a game for 11 weeks in a row can take a toll on any football team, especially when winning comes hard.

Don't tell that, however, to the Shorter Hawks.

In spite of having to endure a season that had produced just one victory in 10 previous outings, not to mention more than their share of injuries that has spread throughout the roster and this week even a coach, the Hawks enter their regular-season finale Thursday night in LaGrange against NAIA foe Point University with same optimism and confidence they've had since August – a pair of traits that head coach Phil Jones feels makes them winners in life's overall picture.

"They've been resilient all year," Jones said about the Hawks, who take a 1-9 record into the game played at Callaway Stadium against the 3-6 Point Skyhawks, "and I feel they've even gotten better.

"I'm so proud of this team. They just don't quit," he added.

Not quitting has undoubtedly become the trademark for the Hawks in a year that started with them already knowing the schedule was the toughest in the program's nine-year history and grew to become even tougher when injuries began to tear holes in the starting lineup and on the depth chart – of the original 22 starters on both sides of the ball in the season opener, 13 have sidelined for part of or all of
the year.

And the Hawks understand that their unyielding trademark is needed even more against Point as they are determined to finish up with something positive to take into the off-season.

"They're good on both sides of the ball and they're well coached," Jones said of the Skyhawks, who are guided by first-year head coach David Rocker, a former All-American and All-SEC standout at Auburn who took over the second-year program whose schedule included tests against NCAA Div. I FCS and Big South foes Presbyterian and Gardner-Webb. "They're very physical, play and well-organized."

When the Skyhawks have the ball, they have shown they are well-organized running out of an I-formation, with junior tailback Rufus Mason doing most of the damage. Entering Point's final game, Mason has rushed for 1,372 yards on 244 carries, averages 152 yards a game and has eight touchdowns.

All told, Mason accounts for nearly half of the 350 yards Point averages and nearly all of the 199 yards they roll up on the ground each time out.

"He's a very good player and strong," Jones said of Mason. "He's been their top threat all season."

Point, however, has shown it can move the ball through the air as well thanks to a pair of quarterbacks. Freshman Jeremy Uzee has thrown for 838 yards and six TDs and sophomore Kier Houston has added 523 yards and five TDs.

Defensively, the Skyhawks set up in a 4-3 look with linebacker Matt Hicks leading the team with 66 total tackles, six tackles for losses and 3.5 sacks, while safety Rodrick Tolen has added 54 tackles. Point, however, has had trouble stopping opponents are averaging 40 points and 411 yards a game against the Skyhawks.

In the first meeting between the two teams last year at Barron Stadium, a game in which the Hawks took a 21-0 halftime lead and went on to claim a 35-13 decision, Shorter controlled both sides of the ball by rolling up 408 yards while holding Point to just 68 rushing yards.

In that game, Bradley Moon paced Shorter's ground game that gained 340 yards, leading the Hawks with 132 yards on 17 rushes, two that went for touchdowns. Roderick Jones ran for another 98 yards on just four carries, while quarterback Eric Dodson added 42 more yards and a touchdown.

Moon and Jones, now seniors and involved in the injury process earlier this season, are back and eager to repeat last year's performances, especially knowing that Dodson's availability to play is questionable.

In last week's loss to West Alabama, Dodson – the junior was leading the Hawks with 1,700 yards in total offense – went down late in the first half. Sophomore Zach Payne stepped in to take over behind center in that game and this week stands ready to answer the call again if needed.

"They played extremely hard last year," Jones said of Point. "I was impressed and knew they would continue to get better. This year they're very physical, play and well-organized.

"But our kids will play hard," he added, "until that clock is all zeroes, just as they've done all year."