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University of Mount Union

Athletics Site of the Mount Union Purple Raiders
Athletics Site of the Mount Union Purple Raiders

Football

#2 Football Gets Four Touchdowns From Shorts to Get Past Muskingum

Box Score

ALLIANCE, Ohio -- Senior wide receiver Cecil Shorts III (Cleveland/Collinwood) eclipsed 4,000 career yards in receiving and had his first collegiate four-touchdown game -- three on receptions and one on a punt return -- as the No. 2 ranked Mount Union football team defeated Muskingum, 52-0, to claim the outright Ohio Athletic Conference championship.

The Purple Raiders posted their 53rd consecutive regular season victory as they move to 10-0 overall and 9-0. They have won a share of 19 straight OAC titles -- the last 17 outright -- and 22 total.

Shorts finished with seven catches for 106 yards while sophomore running back Jeremy Murray (Martins Ferry/Martins Ferry) ran 14 times for 90 yards and two scores.

Sophomore quarterback Neal Seamon (Louisville/Louisville) completed 19 of 27 passes for 233 yards and three touchdowns. He was intercepted once.

Shorts received touchdown passes of 23 and 19 yards from Seaman, helping Mount Union take a 17-0 first-quarter lead.

Sophomore kicker Tyler Almeida (Elyria/Elyria) provided the Raiders' other points in the opening period with a 27-yard field goal.

Murray got in on the action in the second quarter, scoring 9- and 1-yard touchdown runs, which extended Mount Union's advantage to 31-0.

Shorts then returned a punt 54 yards, giving the hosts a 38-0 lead at intermission, before pushing the Raider lead to 45-0 with a 9-yard reception from Seaman.

Junior running back Zac Lemmon (Granville/Granville) provided Mount Union's final touchdown on a 23-yard run in the third quarter.

In total, the Raiders outgained the Fighting Muskies, 451-108.

Defensively, Mount Union recorded three sacks and three turnovers.

Junior defensive lineman Chris Favazzo (Blacklick/Columbus-St. Charles Prep) was the Purple Raiders' leading tackler with six stops.

Junior linebacker Jack LaForce (Vermillion/Vermillion) and freshman defensive lineman Nyejel Thomas (Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic) recorded one sack each while sophomore defensive linemen Jared Modrak (Clinton Township, Mich./Chippewa Valley) and freshman Frank Orteca (Twinsburg/Twinsburg) combined for a sack.

Senior defensive back Reggie Overton (Wexford, Pa./Pine-Richland) and sophomore defensive back Tyler Alwardt (Macomb Township, Mich./Chippewa) made interceptions and junior defensive back Shane Lester (Dover/Dover) recovered a fumble.

The Purple Raiders now await word from the NCAA, which will come on Sunday, when they learn the location and opponent of their NCAA Tournament first-round opponent.

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Players Mentioned

Tyler Almeida

#80 Tyler Almeida

K
6' 0"
Sophomore
Tyler Alwardt

#3 Tyler Alwardt

DB
5' 11"
Sophomore
Jack LaForce

#41 Jack LaForce

LB
6' 1"
Junior
Zac Lemmon

#28 Zac Lemmon

RB
5' 11"
Junior
Shane Lester

#22 Shane Lester

DB
5' 9"
Junior
Jared Modrak

#95 Jared Modrak

DL
6' 3"
Sophomore
Jeremy Murray

#24 Jeremy Murray

RB
5' 8"
Sophomore
Frank Orteca

#93 Frank Orteca

DL
6' 0"
Sophomore
Reggie Overton

#16 Reggie Overton

DB
6' 2"
Senior
Cecil Shorts III

#10 Cecil Shorts III

WR/QB
6' 2"
Senior
Nyejel Thomas

#30 Nyejel Thomas

DL
5' 11"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Tyler Almeida

#80 Tyler Almeida

6' 0"
Sophomore
K
Tyler Alwardt

#3 Tyler Alwardt

5' 11"
Sophomore
DB
Jack LaForce

#41 Jack LaForce

6' 1"
Junior
LB
Zac Lemmon

#28 Zac Lemmon

5' 11"
Junior
RB
Shane Lester

#22 Shane Lester

5' 9"
Junior
DB
Jared Modrak

#95 Jared Modrak

6' 3"
Sophomore
DL
Jeremy Murray

#24 Jeremy Murray

5' 8"
Sophomore
RB
Frank Orteca

#93 Frank Orteca

6' 0"
Sophomore
DL
Reggie Overton

#16 Reggie Overton

6' 2"
Senior
DB
Cecil Shorts III

#10 Cecil Shorts III

6' 2"
Senior
WR/QB
Nyejel Thomas

#30 Nyejel Thomas

5' 11"
Freshman
DL