ROME, Ga. – The Shorter football team played their first home game of the 2021 spring season on Saturday afternoon at the new home of the Hawks – Chris Hunter Stadium. The Hawks celebrated the privilege of playing their first home game since November 9, 2019, by blowing out NAIA opponent Edward Waters College by a whopping 52-5 scoreline.
Saturday's victory was particularly memorable because it was the most dominant home win in the history of the Shorter football program. Their winning margin of 47 points was only topped on September 16, 2006, when the Hawks defeated LaGrange 54-0 on the road. Coincidentally, current Shorter head football coach Zach Morrison was in his second season as a player on the Shorter football team that year.
Throughout Saturday afternoon, the Hawks were dominant in all three phases of the game. The defense made their mark first, as Nemo Reddish intercepted a pass from Edward Waters' quarterback Jayshawn Francis and returned it 46 yards to give the Hawks a 7-0 lead with 3:27 left in the opening quarter.
Shorter starting quarterback Harold Cook was off to a solid start in the first home game of his career, but he was injured after a tough 10-yard run deep in Tiger territory with 2:22 left in the first quarter and missed the remainder of the game. Third-string quarterback Brandon Dickerson was forced to step up to the plate and finished off the drive with a handoff to running back Jaiden Dollard, who took it the rest of the way for a 4-yard touchdown to make it 14-0.
Dickerson had a nice game for the Hawks in Cook's absence. Dickerson finished 9-of-12 passing for 176 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions. The first of his touchdown throws came on the very next drive, as Dickerson hit Kyah Plummer for a 7-yard score.
Edward Waters (1-2) had the most success on offense in the second quarter, as Francis led a solid drive before throwing an interception to Shorter's Tyshawn Jackson. Seconds after coming up with the turnover, Jackson coughed up the ball, and the fumble was recovered by Shorter in their own end zone for a safety for Edward Waters. The Tigers' offense stalled once again in the red zone on the next drive, and the visitors were forced to settle for an Angel Sevier 31-yard field goal to make it 21-5.
Shorter's Dollard did not put up quite the same rushing stats as he did last week, but he made his presence felt in a big way on special teams, as he returned the ensuing kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown. Nick Pope's 31-yard field goal gave the Hawks an additional three points going into the halftime break at 31-5.
Dickerson opened the second-half scoring with a slant pass over the middle to Lanadrick Bradley, who raced past Edward Waters' defenders for a 56-yard touchdown. Dickerson added a 22-yard touchdown pass to Kam King later in the second half. Then, an Edward Waters' muffed punt recovered in the end zone by Shorter's Marcus Cody put the icing on the cake in the 52-5 drubbing.
Shorter's defensive unit, who put on a clinic on Saturday afternoon, was led in tackling by Devonn Lane (11 total) and Cornell Washington (eight total). The stingy defensive performance was a big part of Shorter's historic victory.
The Hawks (2-1) will play their final game of the spring this coming Saturday afternoon, as they will host Fort Valley State at 2 p.m.
