Box Score CLEVELAND, Miss.- The Shorter Football team fell to Delta State on Saturday night at McCool Stadium, dropping a 23-0 decision to the Statesmen. The loss drops the Hawks to 2-3 overall.

 
Both teams traded blows in the opening quarter, with neither side able to gain the upper hand. After forcing a stop, Shorter marched down the field behind a pair of strong runs from David Hill that put the Hawks in great field position. Shorter continued the drive but was unable to convert on fourth down, turning the ball over to the Statesmen. The Hawks' defense remained strong, as both teams entered the second quarter deadlocked.

 
The Statesmen eventually broke through, capping a 14-play drive with a field goal at the 8:53 mark of the second quarter to take a 3-0 lead. After a slow drive from the Hawks, Delta State took over and began to march down the field before DJ Walker stopped their momentum with an interception to give Shorter the ball back. The Hawks continued to pound the ground, as Dreylan Martin broke off two big runs to put Shorter in prime scoring position. Unfortunately, Shorter was unable to capitalize, failing to convert on third down and giving the Statesmen another opportunity with less than two minutes remaining in the half. Shorter's defense once again held strong, forcing Delta State to settle for another field goal as the Hawks entered halftime trailing 6-0.

 
The Hawks began the second half with the ball and drove down the field after Jeb Walls connected with Dennis Sims on a 23-yard reception. Shorter continued to battle but ultimately threw an interception that was returned to the Delta State 45-yard line. The Statesmen capitalized on the short field, finding the end zone to extend their lead to 13-0. Shorter struggled to find its rhythm offensively and threw another interception on the following drive, allowing Delta State to add its third field goal of the night and take a 16-0 lead heading into the final quarter.

 
As the final quarter began, the Hawks made a crucial fourth-down stop to stay within striking distance. Shorter followed with a strong drive, marching into the red zone before the Statesmen came up with another big play. Delta State put the game out of reach late with an 88-yard interception return for a touchdown, as the Hawks fell 23-0.

 
UP NEXT
The Hawks will return to Rome next Saturday as they welcome conference foe Ferrum for a 12 p.m. kickoff.

 
FOLLOW THE HAWKS
For complete coverage of Shorter Football, follow the Hawks on social media at @ShorterUFB on X and Instagram, or visit the official home of Shorter Athletics at goshorterhawks.com.
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