Shenandoah Dominates N.C. Wesleyan
ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. – Shenandoah University completed its USA South Conference football run with a 28-7 league victory over N.C. Wesleyan Saturday afternoon in the season finale for both schools.
Senior wideout Rico Wallace helped the Hornets (6-4, 5-2 USA South) to a 21-0 halftime lead with six receptions for 125 yards and two touchdowns.
Wallace scored the squad's first TD on 36-yard strike from classmate Daniel Wright at the 5:07 mark of the first before taking a screen pass 51 yards midway through the second quarter to make it 14-0.
Wright, who finished the day 23 for 32 for 307 yards and two touchdowns, closed out the first half scoring with a 2-yard run 35 seconds before the halftime gun.
The Hornets outgained NCWC (2-8, 2-5) 310-65 in the first half, including 229 to 36 through the air.
SU also held the ball for 21:11 of the first 30 minutes.
The victory completes Shenandoah's football membership in the USA South. The Hornets finish 11 years of USA South Conference football play with 32 wins and two championships (2003 and 2004) and are one of three schools to have won at least one game in all nine* league venues.
Next year, SU joins the Old Dominion Athletic Conference in all sports.
The sixth win of the season also gives the Hornets a winning season football record for the first time since earning that second USA South co-championship in 2004.
Wallace, an All-America candidate, had eight receptions for 154 yards and two TDs in his final game in a Shenandoah uniform. He holds every major game, season and career receiving record at SU.
John Redmond and Josh Rogers both had six tackles with Nick Erdman adding two sacks to lead the defense.
SU outgained the Bishops 433 to 153 with 307 of the Shenandoah yardage coming through the air. Wright completed balls to five different receivers.
The Hornets open their 2012 season on September 1 at Stevenson.
*This total includes Chowan University's membership in the Dixie/USA South from 2001-03.
