Hawks show some positives in loss

Delta State takes advantage of a pair of turnovers on the way to an early lead.

Shorter football displayed improvement in its second Gulf South Conference game of the season. The final score still was not ideal, but there was improvement.

The Hawks fell behind 27 points in the first half before ultimately losing 47-7 against Delta State on Saturday night in Cleveland, Mississippi. Shorter’s offense was able to produce a few good drives, but remained light years behind its opponents.

Sophomore Matt Williams was the best among Shorter’s quarterbacks, going 8-for-16 for 60 yards.

Freshman running back Demerious Owensby had the best night offensively, carrying the ball 21 times for 53 yards and the Hawks’ only score.

Shorter’s opponents had no problems for the night, with Statesmen quarterback Tyler Sullivan throwing for 240 yards and a touchdown and running back Chris Robinson recording 91 yards and two rushing touchdowns.

Five of Delta State’s first six drives of the game ended in points, beginning with a Justin McArthur 23-yard touchdown run and ending with a touchdown run by Robinson just before halftime.

The Statesmen did not punt the ball until midway through the third quarter.

Shorter did little to stop the bleeding in the first half, gaining only 34 total yards and committing two turnovers that led to 10 points for Delta State (22, 1-1 GSC).

The lone bright spot for the Hawks (0-4, 0-2) came in the third when Shorter scored for the first time in two weeks.

Williams completed an 18-yard pass to Alex McGhee on third-and-15, and Owensby scored on a 31-yard scamper two plays later.

Despite the loss, the success on offense should come as a welcoming sight for Shorter as they attempt to give first-year head coach Aaron Kelton his first win.

The Hawks attempt to shake things up next week when they play Thursday night against West Alabama at Barron Stadium in another conference game.