Randolph-Macon Tops Shenandoah
ASHLAND, Va. – Host Randolph-Macon emerged victorious over Shenandoah in a 36-29 non-conference football contest Saturday afternoon at Day Field.
The non-league matchup is the final one between the two schools before Shenandoah (1-2) joins the ODAC next season.
R-MC (3-0) got the game-winning score on a 3-yard run by Thaddeus Scruggs with 4:37 to play in the contest.
Scruggs then busted around left end for the two-point conversion that also provided the final margin of victory.
SU failed to convert on fourth down from its own 49 on the ensuing drive, and Macon ended up running out the clock to clinch the contest.
Big plays marked the game – R-MC scored its first two TDs on drives that started thanks to Shenandoah interceptions and SU put itself in position to take a fourth quarter lead by scoring a safety.
That safety, on a tackle of Thaddeus Scruggs, came after Macon held the Hornets on a 4th and 4 from the Yellow Jacket 5.
A holding penalty and a no gainer pushed the ball back to the 2, where Scruggs then slipped in the end zone on a 2nd down sweep.
Following that safety, SU took five plays to drive 60 yards for the go-ahead score. The majority of this distance, 43 yards, came on a Daniel Wright to Rico Wallace pass across the middle.
Wallace finished the day with five catches for 145 yards while fellow wideout Qiydaar Murphy had seven catches for 99 yards.
Wallace had two touchdowns on the day, the first on a 27-yard catch on the first play of the second quarter and the second on a 53-yard catch and run in the third.
This second score gave SU its first lead, 21-14, with 10:46 to play in the third.
Murphy's touchdown, on a 15-yard pass late in the second quarter, sent the two teams headed into halftime tied at 14-14.
Shenandoah outgained its visitors 353-259, including 274 to 57 through the air.
Byron Mitchell paced the defense with 13 tackles with Jujuan Johnson adding 12 and Josh Rogers 11.
SU is off next week and opens USA South Conference play on October 1 with a 7 p.m. homecoming game against Greensboro.
