FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.  Methodist University football opened its 2024 season at home, as the Monarchs hosted the Hornets of Shenandoah, on Saturday, September 7. Methodist stayed within reach of Shenandoah's lead at the half, 13-7, but then the Hornets outscored the Monarchs, 20-7, in the second half to spoil Methodist's home opener.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Shenandoah def. Methodist, 33-14
Records: Methodist 0-1, Shenandoah 1-0
Location: Monarch Stadium; Fayetteville, North Carolina

HOW IT HAPPENED

• On their opening possession, the Monarchs marched down the field to the Hornet's 15-yard line. Leading the charge for Methodist was quarterback Brennen Brucato, who was making his first collegiate start, and he did not disappoint. He completed his first seven passes, totaling 59 yards, and to five different receivers.
• It looked like the drive stalled, which forced Head Coach Keven Williams to send out his field goal unit for the first time this season. The 32-yard attempt was good but a roughing the kicker penalty, on Shenandoah, gave the Monarchs a fresh set of downs. Three plays later, Methodist faced a 4^th-and-1 at the Hornet's one-yard line, and coach Williams kept his offense on the field. The next play was a run up the middle by the Monarchs but Shenandoah's defense held its ground and stopped Methodist from scoring.
• Following a scoreless first quarter, the Hornets had the ball in Monarch territory, at the 27-yard line, to begin the second quarter. A couple of plays later, Shenandoah's quarterback, Steven Hugney, completed a pass to Broden Domenico, who fumbled the ball on the tackle by Methodist's Syone Beckford. Monarch safety Caleb Kelly then recovered the ball at the 16-yard line.
• The roaring chants of the Methodist faithful would quickly evaporate as Nolan Riley, of the Hornets, picked off Brucato on the very next play, at the Monarchs 34-yard line. That turnover led to the first points of the ballgame as Hugney eventually found Guy Hayes on a 20-yard touchdown pass.
• Shenandoah would score its second touchdown on its next possession, a 27-yard run by Bryce Buchanan. The bulk of that Hornet drive was fueled by a 48-yard catch and run by Michael Sheil. On Shenandoah's point-after-touchdown (PAT) attempt, the kick went wide-right to keep the score at 13-0.
• With under two minutes left in the first half, Methodist finally got on the scoreboard as Brucato threw his first collegiate touchdown pass to wide receiver Mikhail Baldwin. A pair of personal foul calls on the Hornets' defense helped the Monarchs move the ball down the field.
• After the midpoint break, both teams had to punt the ball on their first drives of the second half. Shenandoah though would find the end zone on its next drive, a 35-yard connection between Hugney and Broden to make it 20-7.
• Late in the third quarter, Hugney hooked up with Broden again for another touchdown, a 15-yarder.  Then in the fourth, a two-yard TD run by Jamir Freeman made it 33-7 for the Hornets.
• The Monarchs did end the contest on a high note with Brucato scoring Methodist's second touchdown on a one-yard QB sneak, in the final seconds.  

MORE TO IT

• Sophomore signal caller, Brucato, looked pretty good in his first collegiate start. He completed 31-of-49 passes (63%) for 253 yards and also recorded one passing & one rushing touchdown.
• Sophomore Sajari Love led all Monarch running backs with 51 yards, on 14 carries, while senior KJ Hicklen's 65 receiving yards, a career-high, paced the Methodist receiving group.
• Defensively, senior Noah Atkinson had a career day as he made seven total tackles, four solo, and had 3.5 tackles for loss. Late in the first half, senior linebacker Damian Harris had a terrific interception by the Methodist sideline for his first career pick.

UP NEXT
Methodist will look for its first win next week, September 14, when the team travels to Guilford College. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 PM.