ROME, Ga. - The Brevard College football team (0-1) opened its Fall 2021 season up on the road, falling 38-14 to NCAA Division II Shorter University football on Saturday afternoon at Barron Stadium.
Junior wide receiver Cedric Brooks put together a career day on the offensive side of the ball for the Tornados, wrangling down a career-high nine receptions for a career-best 155 yards, while also throwing for a touchdown to fellow wideout Dalton Cole and rushing for 27 yards.
Cole, a senior from Hendersonville, North Carolina, caught three passes for 26 yards while scoring both on the ground and receiving for a pair of TD's.
Eli Carr logged 217 passing yards, hitting Brooks in stride for a game-long 40-yard completion. Mitchell Yoder led the Tornados in the backfield with 40 yards on the ground.
Senior defensive back Dante Anderson racked up 12 tackles while junior defensive back and preseason All-American Joc Pledger added a career-high 11 tackles. Geoff Banning added six stops, while Jake Hage recorded his first career sack. Wesley Ross blocked a Shorter field goal attempt to lead BC's special team effort.
Both sides traded three-and-outs on their first possessions, as Shorter's defense stalled BC's next drive near midfield. The Hawks used a 45-yard reception on their ensuing drive to set up their first score of the afternoon, a 14-yard rushing TD from Jaiden Dollard to give themselves a 7-0 lead.
After the Tornados were forced to punt the ball away for the third straight drive, Shorter strung together an eight-play drive that resulted in a 26-yard field goal try that was blocked by Ross, giving BC the ball back.
Brooks started the next drive under center, however the Hawks were able to turn defense into offense, intercepting a pass and then punching the ball in to make the score 14-0 early in the second quarter.
BC was forced to punt on the ensuing possession, and Shorter took advantage of a roughing the kicker call to extend their next drive that resulted in a 29-yard field goal, as the Hawks held a 17-0 advantage.
Brevard strung an eight-play, 67-yard drive that was sparked by a 23-yard Yoder run and Brooks' 39-yard reception, but Stamati Damalos was unable to connect on a 25-yard field goal try, giving the Hawks the ball back. Shorter was unable to take advantage, missing a 50-yard field goal as the Hawks took a 17-0 advantage into the intermission.
Dollars punched in his third touchdown of the game on Shorter's first possession of the second half, making it a 24-0 contest. The Hawks poured it on after an interception turned into an eight-play, 60-yard touchdown drive to extend their advantage to a 31-0 margin.
Brevard's most successful drive of the game came up next when a 10-play, 75-yard drive was capped off by Cole'a two-yard touchdown run that got the Tornados on the board. The two sides then traded their next two possessions before a muffed punt cost the Tornados, as Shorter racked up their third TD off a turnover in the game to make the score 38-7.
Brooks led the Tornados to a touchdown late in the contest, as the junior capped off the drive with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Cole. Shorter would wrap up the game, finishing off its 38-14 victory.
The Tornados will look to bounce back when they open their home schedule up next Saturday, September 11. Brevard plays host to Apprentice School at 1 p.m. at Ives-Lemel Family Field.
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-BC-