WINCHESTER, Va. – Senior quarterback Hayden Bauserman threw for a school-record 578 yards and eight touchdowns in Shenandoah University’s 62-47 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) football win over visiting Guilford College Saturday. Bauserman also set the ODAC’s single-game and career passing touchdowns records in the Senior Day win that snapped the Hornets’ (4-5, 2-4 ODAC) three-game losing skid.
Shenandoah’s defense forced five Guilford (3-5, 2-4 ODAC) turnovers and made three of its four interceptions in the end zone. Daquan Pridget and Nate Hill had two interceptions apiece and both had first-quarter thefts in the end zone to squelch Guilford scoring chances. A Quakers’ fumble on their second offensive play led to Bauserman’s first scoring pass, a five-yard toss to Ethan Bigbee. Hill’s interception later in the quarter resulted in the first of three Bauserman touchdown passes to Casey Stewart, a 33-yard strike that opened a 14-0 advantage.
Despite an early 21-3 deficit, Guilford kept moving the ball. Sophomore Ammar Algburi kicked field goals of 29 and 26 yards sandwiched around sophomore quarterback Alex Manley’s (Pfafftown, N.C./West Stokes (Emory & Henry)) four-yard touchdown run that got Guilford within a touchdown five minutes and 23 seconds before halftime.
Shenandoah answered on the ensuing drive as Bauserman threw a second scoring strike Stewart, this one from 35 yards out. Bauserman’s 125th career touchdown pass put Shenandoah in front, 28-13, and broke ODAC career passing touchdowns record set by Guilford’s Josh Vogelbach ’09. Bauserman threw a third touchdown pass to Stewart, a 14-yard completion 25 seconds before halftime that gave the Hornets a 35-13 intermission lead.
Guilford’s Bryce Smith recovered a third-quarter Shenandoah fumble at the Hornets’ 18-yard line, but the Quakers failed to capitalize as Hill picked off Manley in the end zone for the second time.
Guilford closed to within two touchdowns early in the fourth quarter on Ezra Perkins’ (Greensboro, N.C./Dudley (Elizabeth City State)) four-yard touchdown run, his first score as a Quaker. Shenandoah blocked the point-after kick, which left the Hornets’ lead at 41-26. Guilford forced Shenandoah to compete to the end as the Quakers scored touchdowns on their final three possessions and finished with 677 total offensive yards, matching the sixth-most in school history.
Bauserman completed 45-of-59 passes to 10 different receivers in the fourth-best passing day in ODAC history. Stewart finished with nine grabs for 166 yards and three touchdowns. Teammate Jalen Hudson had eight catches for 163 yards and two scores. Brant Butler caught five passes for 83 yards and a touchdown.
With a career-high 546 yards, Guilford’s Manley posted the fourth-best single-game passing performance in school history. He completed 28-of-53 passes with three touchdowns but also threw four interceptions. Manley also carried 12 times for 47 yards and a touchdown. His 593 total offensive yards in the game rank third in Guilford history. Junior Juwan Houston (Cleveland, N.C./West Rowan) was Manley’s top passing target with a game-high 12 catches for 208 yards and a score, all career highs. Houston’s 208 receiving yards stand sixth in school history and are the most by a Quaker since 2015. Senior Montek Johnson also had four catches for 93 yards, including a 39-yard touchdown catch from Manley that concluded the game’s scoring.
Guilford’s redshirt-senior running back De’Eric Bell (Jackson, Ga./Jackson) was held to a season-low 71 rushing yards. However, he added to his school record with his 18th rushing touchdown of the season. He now has 1,120 rushing yards this year, third-best in school history. Bell also made four receptions for 99 yards and collected 170 all-purpose yards to become the sixth NCAA Division III student-athlete with 8,000 career all-purpose yards.
Defensively, Guilford redshirt-sophomore linebacker Bryce Smith made 13 tackles and recovered two fumbles, both game highs. Hill made eight tackles and Pridget added seven for Shenandoah.
Coach Chris Rusiewicz’s Quakers visit league-rival Emory & Henry College Saturday (11/10) to conclude the season.