TIGERVILLE, S.C. — The Shorter football team fell to No. 22 North Greenville, 31-3, on Saturday afternoon at Younts Stadium. The loss drops the Hawks to 2-5 overall and 1-3 in conference play.
Shorter opened the contest with a promising drive, moving into scoring position behind several strong plays from quarterback Devin Edmunds. The Hawks advanced to the North Greenville 19-yard line but were unable to convert on fourth down, giving possession back to the Trailblazers. Both defenses settled in early, preventing either team from establishing a sustained offensive rhythm. After forcing a punt, Shorter made a key special teams play when long snapper
Karson Griffith delivered a hit that jarred the ball loose before recovering the fumble. The turnover gave the Hawks possession at the North Greenville 33-yard line late in the first quarter.
Shorter had another opportunity to score early in the second quarter but came up short on a 46-yard field goal attempt. North Greenville eventually broke through with a 14-play, 72-yard drive, capped by a three-yard rushing touchdown to take a 7-0 lead. The Hawks continued to battle but struggled to establish their running game against the Trailblazers' defensive pressure. North Greenville added a field goal before halftime to take a 10-0 advantage into the break.
The Hawks' defense opened the second half with a stop, giving the offense another chance to get on the scoreboard. Behind more strong play from Edmunds, Shorter moved into scoring range, and Bermudez connected on a 44-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 10-3. North Greenville responded late in the third quarter, driving down the field before finding the end zone early in the fourth to extend its lead. The Trailblazers added two more touchdowns in the final period, pulling away for the 31-3 victory.
Defensively,
DJ Walker and
Dean Paulson led the Hawks with 10 tackles apiece. Paulson also recorded a tackle for loss.
UP NEXT
Shorter will face another challenging test next week when the Hawks travel to take on former Gulf South Conference opponent No. 17 Valdosta State. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
FOLLOW THE HAWKS
For complete coverage of Shorter football, follow the Hawks on X and Instagram at @ShorterUFB or visit the official home of Shorter Athletics at goshorterhawks.com.
