GAME NOTES

By Jim O'Hara
 
ROME, Ga. – Since they arrived on the scene two years ago, the Shorter Hawks were considered as a small bump in the road by the well-established teams in the Gulf South Conference.

Those days may be over.

On Saturday afternoon in Florence, Ala., the Hawks will be taken very seriously when Shorter squares off against the nationally-ranked and GSC power North Alabama Lions in a showdown between two teams that while sharing something in common – both lost heartbreakers last week – will take the field at Braly Stadium for the 4 p.m. (EST) kick-off focusing on each other differently.

The Hawks, which have been beaten by UNA in the two previous meetings by identical 41-0 outcomes, enter the game hungry to kick the conference door wide open after having proven this season they can hold their own against some of the best GSC squad.

And that has the Lions focused even on Shorter as North Alabama, which suffered its first loss of the season last week and dropped from the No. 3 spot in the Division II national rankings to No. 15 this week, will be out to make sure they remain in the hunt for a conference title and a postseason berth.

"We have a lot of respect North Alabama," Shorter head coach Phil Jones said this week as the Hawks, now 3-5 overall and 1-4 in the GSC after falling 34-30 last week on the final play to Florida Tech, prepared for the Lion.

"They are a very, very good team and a well-coached team," he said about UNA, the preseason pick to win the conference championship this season. "We have respect for them, but our mindset is to prove that we are at that point. This is a tremendous opportunity for us."

What the Hawks will face is a North Alabama team that is seeking to get back on track toward another GSC title and the opportunity to advance into the Division II playoffs for the 10^th time in 12 years after the Lions (7-1, 4-1) were handed their first defeat of the season last week at Delta State, 33-28, in a turnover-filled game they never led.

Still, the Lions have perhaps dangerous quarterback in the league as junior Luke Wingo has the ability and experience – he's been behind center for the last two years and led UNA to the Division II quarterfinals in 2013 – to put his team back on track with his arm.

This season, despite missing two games due to an injury, Wingo has thrown for 1,309 yards and 10 touchdowns, three of them coming last week.

"He's a heady player who makes plays and gets the ball to the right people," Jones said of UNA's signal-caller, "and they all the players and factors a team needs to be successful."

Averaging a balanced 421 yards a game – 200.9 on the ground and 220.8 via the pass – the Lions' offensive arsenal that operates behind a big and veteran line includes receiver Delvon Carpenter, who leads the team with 570 yards on 30 catches with five touchdowns, and running back Lamonte Thompson, who has rushed for a team high 695 yards and eight touchdowns on 133 carries.

Defensively, North Alabama gives up 326 yards to opponents and has forced foes into 24 turnovers, with senior linebacker Steven Rich leading the unit with 66 total tackles.

"They can fly to the ball," said Jones.

What UNA will face, however, is a Shorter offense that turned in its best performance of the season against Florida Tech, one that saw the Hawks produce the most points (30) and the most yards (411) and score a season-high 20 fourth-quarter points that gave them what proved to be a short-lived lead with seconds to play.

Senior quarterback Eric Dodson leads the team accounting for 547 yards and five touchdowns on the ground and 628 yards and six touchdowns through the air, but the Hawks of late have formed into a well-balanced machine that averages 320 yards a game and 242 of that on the ground.

Sophomore B.J. McCoy (397 yards) and senior Kirk Wilson (396) continue to be ground threats for Shorter while the slotback tandem of junior Devin Helvie and freshmen Aaron Bryant and Frank Griffin have combined for 374 more yards. Freshman fullback Aki Coles threw his hat into the Shorter run game hat last week when he led the Hawks by rushing for 116 yards.

When the Hawks do put the ball in the air, they have a deep group of receivers to throw to, with junior Trey Lawhorn and Darius Turner leading the corps with six receptions each for a combined 249 yards.

Despite a disappointing second half last week, the Shorter defense know it can stymie some of the top GSC offenses as was the case against Florida Tech when they shut out what was another high-powered offense in the first half.

Junior safety Jordan Shaw leads the Hawks with 62 tackles and a conference-best eight interceptions, while the linebacking duo of freshman Jevaris Jones and Zach Butts have recorded respective 48 and 48 tackles and each have 4.5 tackles for losses.

"We want to finish strong and we have to have a tremendous effort." Jones said, "and do everything we can to give us a good shot at winning, and I think they can do it."