Cumberland Defeats Shorter

`Any time you put as much into a game like this, it`s a hurtful feeling to end with these results, said Shorter head coach Phil Jones. There is always lots at stake in the playoffs and I`m tremendously proud of our team. In life, like now, you have to overcome adversity, and learn to get back on your feet after a tough loss.

Shorter struggled offensively putting up 141 total yards to Cumberlands` 369 yards. The Patriots had nearly double the time of possession, with the ball over 39 minutes compared to Shorter`s 20 minutes.

Cooley led the way for Shorter with 62 rushing yards, and quarterback Ben Williams tacked on 33. Chris Chapman had 77 yards on kick returns on five carries, with a longest of 23 yards.

For Cumberlands, Freddy West rushed for 90 yards, and quarterback Kyle King was 7-for-10 with 119 yards and a longest of 58 yards.

`Cumberlands played really well and are a good football team, added Jones. They took advantage of our mistakes and of their field position.

Defensively, Logan Lollis had 21 tackles setting a school record for most tackles in a game, with two unassisted and 19 assisted (also a school record). Garrett Hochstetler followed with 10 tackles.

In the first quarter, the Hawks` (9-3) first drive ended after four plays. When the Patriots (10-1) drove the ball to their own 34-yard line, a fumble was recovered by Shorter`s Kenneth James to give the Hawks another chance. On their fourth play of the drive, a Williams 12-yard touchdown carry put the first points on the board, the Hawks up 7-0, and their only lead of the game.

A little over five minutes later, Cumberlands tied the game up. On 3rd-and-1, a one-yard carry from Freddy West with 4:46 on the clock made it a 7-7 ball game.

The only score of the second quarter came after a nine-minute possession from the Patriots, which culminated in a Pritchett one-yard run to put Cumberlands up 14-7 at the half.

After a touchdown drive from Cumberlands to start out the second half, the Hawks turned the ball over on their first drive on a Pierre Toran fumble.

The game remained 21-7 until the fourth quarter, when the Patriots` Hunter Meade kicked a 32-yard field goal to put Cumberlands up by 17 points. One more touchdown sealed the deal for the Patriots with 8:30 remaining in the game on a West one-yard carry, to put the final at 31-7.

Lukas Gonzalez had five punts in the game for 208 yards, and a longest of 52 yards, with one inside the 20-yard line.

The season ends for Shorter, as Cumberlands will advance next week to the second round of the NAIA National Football Championship Playoffs. The title game will be held on Dec. 20 at Barron Stadium in Rome, Ga., hosted by Shorter College and Rome-Floyd County.