ROME, Ga. – The Shorter Hawks played their second-straight home game on Saturday afternoon, as they welcomed the Choctaws of Mississippi College to Barron Stadium. Though the weather and festivities could not have been better for Shorter's Homecoming game, the scoreboard was not nearly as pleasant for the Hawks, as the visitors left Rome with a 20-7 win.
The Hawks started strong, as they received the opening kickoff and scored on their first possession, as quarterback Aeneas Dennis capped off an 11-play, 65-yard drive with a 1-yard rushing touchdown to make it 7-0 with 9:37 left in the first quarter. After forcing back-to-back punts on Mississippi College's first two offensive possessions, the Hawks were driving again and looking to reach paydirt for the second time.
However, the Choctaws' defense came up with a huge play, as Dennis' pass was intercepted by Nicholas Walker in the visitor's end zone for a touchback. Mississippi College got on the board minutes later, as Choctaws' quarterback DeAnte Smith-Moore threw a 61-yard touchdown pass to Marcus Williams to tie the game up at seven with 4:28 left in the first half. That ended up being the score at halftime.
Smith-Moore only threw the ball six times in the game but made the most of his aerial opportunities (4-of-6 for 149 yards with the aforementioned touchdown), was deadly with his legs (142 yards on the ground) and managed the Choctaws' option offense well on the afternoon. Smith-Moore's counterpart Dennis finished with 105 yards through the air on 10-of-19 passing with the first-half interception. Dennis also accounted for 52 rushing yards and the early touchdown on the ground.
Mississippi College (3-3, 2-2) continued to frustrate the Shorter offense in the second half and kept them off the scoreboard, while adding two more scores of their own via touchdown runs of five yards and 26 yards by Williams and teammate Cole Fagan, respectively. (One of the extra points was missed. That is how the 20-7 final scoreline was reached).
Outside of Dennis, the offensive production for the Hawks was led by Jaiden Dollard at running back with a team-high 53 rushing yards on nine carries. Wide receiver Raekwon Burch led the Hawks in receiving with 51 yards on two catches. Defensive end DJ Walden led Shorter in tackles with 14 total including two for loss. Teammate Chip Williams finished second on the team with 10 total tackles.
Shorter (2-5, 0-4) will be back in action next Saturday, as they will travel to Pensacola, Fla., for a tough road matchup against the University of West Florida at 4 p.m.
