Shorter holds off Panthers' fourth quarter comeback for 28-23 win
Sept. 13, 2008

LAGRANGE, Ga. - Shorter College held off a fourth quarter rally by LaGrange College for a 28-23 win in the third annual Governor's Cup on Saturday at Callaway Stadium on Saturday. The Hawks, ranked 24th in the NAIA national poll, evened their record at 1-1. The Panthers saw their record dip to 1-1.

Shorter needed an interception by Bud Keith at the Hawks' goal line on the final play of the game to end the Panthers' upset bid. The Hawks had built a 28-10 lead with nine minutes left in the game after a 72-yard touchdown run by A.J. Cooley. Cooley had a game-high 139 yards rushing on 15 attempts in the game.

LaGrange, which had a school record 464 yards of total offense, came back with two touchdowns in less than five minutes to get within five points. Drew Carter hit five straight passes as the Panthers drove 90 yards in just five plays for the first touchdown to make it 28-16. Carter threw three yards to Cedric Talley to cap the drive. Nick Langley's 55-yard reception on the previous play set up the score.

The Panther defense forced a turnover on Shorter's next possession. Linebacker Josh Britt forced Chris Chapman to fumble with Joe Frye recovering for the Panthers at the Hawks' 30-yard line. Carter threw for 23 yards to Riley Hill down to the two-yard line. After a false start penalty backed the ball up to the seven, Steven Tuck made a one-handed grab in the end zone for the touchdown. Josh Stripling added the extra point to make it 28-23 with 4:52 left.

The Panthers got the ball back with 36 seconds left after Drew McAdams stopped Cooley on a fourth-and-two at the Panthers' 28. A penalty backed the Panthers up, but Carter went to Tuck for 26 yards to the Panthers' 49. Three plays later, Carter found Mario Wallace open over the middle for a 24-yard gain to the Shorter 27. Carter tried to go to Wallace on the final play but Keith came up with the game-saving interception.

In the first half, the Panthers came back twice to tie the game. Trailing 7-0, Carter hit Tuck in stride for a 25-yard touchdown down the far sideline. The score capped a seven-play 68-yard drive. Lukas Gonzalez hit the first of his two field goals from 22-yards to put Shorter up 10-7 at the end of the first quarter.

Stripling tied the game at 10-10 with a 23-yard field with 3:44 left in the first half. The field goal finished a 13-play 66 yard drive. Gonzalez gave the Hawks a 13-10 lead at halftime as he hit a 32-yard field goal as time expired in the half.

Shorter opened up a 28-10 lead in the second half. The Hawks forced a safety and got a 25-yard touchdown run from Dustin Perry in the third quarter. Cooley followed with his long scoring run in the fourth quarter.

Carter threw for a school-record 408 yards in the game. He had 12 completions for 186 yards in the fourth quarter. Carter finished the game 29-for-52 with two interceptions and the three touchdowns. He set game records for completions and attempts.

Tuck broke the single-game record for receiving yards set just last week by Wallace against Birmingham-Southern. Tuck had a game-high 136 yards on nine receptions and the two touchdowns. Colt Shope had four receptions for 69 yards, while Langley had three catches for 68 yards.

The Panthers travel to Maryville (Tenn.) College next week for a non-conference game. The Panthers open up St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play Sept. 27 at Principia.