Box Score

ELON, N.C. – Scott Riddle passed for 244 yards and three touchdowns on his way to becoming the most prolific passer in the history of the Southern Conference as the eighth-ranked Elon Phoenix jumped out to a 28-0 lead and never looked back in a 55-26 victory over the Shaw Bears in the squad’s home-opener on Saturday night. Riddle’s performance left him with 10,558 career passing yards and atop the league’s all-time passing chart as he surpassed the 10,392 yards passed for by Appalachian State’s Armanti Edwards.

“You know it’s a game on paper that you’re supposed to win, but at the same time you watch the film and you see the caliber and quality of the athletes that are going to be coming in on the other team and it’s a nerve-wracking week,” said head coach Pete Lembo. “I’m very pleased with how focused our guys were coming out. It says a lot about the caliber of young men we have in the program that they don’t overlook anybody. We have a lot of respect for everybody we play. It’s a good win, we were able to play a lot of players in this game and we got out of it relatively healthy.”

After forcing Shaw (1-1) to go three-and-out in its first drive, the Elon Phoenix (1-1) got excellent field position thanks to a 23-yard punt return from Lance Camp that put the ball at the Elon 38. Elon quickly marched 62 yards on seven plays for a touchdown and an early 7-0 lead. On the drive, which took just 3:09, Riddle completed three passes for 42 yards while Brandon Newsome carried three times for 20 yards. The score came when Riddle found Matt Eastman on a four-yard pass. It was the first TD of Eastman’s career.

On the Phoenix’s second drive of the game, Riddle became the SoCon’s all-time record holder for career passing yards when he connected with Newsome for a 10-yard gain. The drive, which led to a second Elon touchdown, began on Elon’s own 17 before Riddle fired to Sean Jeffcoat for a 25-yard gain on third-and-10. He followed that up with an 11-yard pick-up on a pass to Camp. #A.J. Harris# then got in on the action with an 11-yard carry down to the Shaw 36 before Newsome gained another nine on the ground. On third-and-six from the Shaw 32, Riddle set the record with the pass to Newsome. Four plays later, Riddle hit Aaron Mellette in the left side of the end zone for an eight-yard TD score and a 14-0 Phoenix lead.

Elon began its third drive of the game at the Shaw 45 after a 21-yard punt return by Camp and a five-yard penalty on the Bears. On the second play of the drive, Riddle teamed up with Mellette who made multiple defenders miss down the sideline for a 26-yard gain to move the Phoenix to the Bears 19-yard line. On a second-and-eight from the Shaw 17, Kierre Brown gained 13 yards on his second reception of the season to move the ball to the four. Two plays later, Newsome plunged in from four yards out for the score to cap a six-play, 45-yard drive that lasted 1:36 as Elon built a 21-0 edge early in the second period.

After taking over on the Shaw 34 after a fumble, Elon marched the short distance for its fourth first-half touchdown as Newsome raced in from four yards out for his second score of the night. The TD run came one play after Newsome broke numerous tackles for a 21-yard scamper.

Shaw got on the board with 8:33 left in the first half when Kevin Atkins found a streaking Julius Gregory for a 62-yard gain down the sideline. The Bears missed the PAT and Elon led 28-6.

The Phoenix got those points right back, driving 55 yards on six plays to take a 35-6 lead when Harris rushed in for the TD from 32 yards out.

Elon tacked on another seven points when Riddle went deep to Mellette for a 41-yard TD strike to end a four-play drive and make it 42-6 game with just 2:26 to play in the first half.

Atkins got in for the second Shaw score of the night when he ran it in from six yards out one play after a 24-yard completion to Alberto Johnson.

Elon compiled 360 yards of total offense in the first 30 minutes, including 244 passing yards by Riddle who completed 21 of his 24 passes and ended his night late in the second quarter. Newsome carried 11 times for 71 yards and two scores while Mellette had a career night in the first half, hauling in six balls for 84 yards and two TDs. The Phoenix defense allowed 171 yards.

On the opening drive of the second half, Elon went 55 yards in nine plays before Adam Shreiner extended the Phoenix lead to 45-13 with a 26-yard field goal.

The Bears added a touchdown on a Johnny Wooten one-yard dive with 8:43 left in the third quarter to make it a 45-19 game. Shaw went for two, but failed to convert. The drive covered 69 yards on five plays.

With 3:21 to play in the third quarter, Harris ran it in from 21 yards out for his second rushing TD of the game. Shaw added a score with a 39-yard pass from Atkins to Tyrone Craig with just 40 ticks remaining in the third period.

Mellette’s career night saw the sophomore snare nine passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns. The Phoenix completed 30 passes for 327 yards. On the ground, Newsome finished his game with 14 carries for 77 yards and two scores. Harris added two TDs on seven carries and 70 yards rushing. The Phoenix tallied 199 rushing yards on 36 carries.

Ronnie Hardison led Elon with six tackles while both Blake Thompson and Chandler Wrightenberry picked off passes for the Phoenix.

Shaw’s offense was led by Atkins who threw for 241 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for another 24 yards and a score. Three Bears finished with 10 or more tackles, led by the 12 stops from Fred Sparkman.

Elon will travel up I-85 for a rematch of last season’s FCS Playoff tilt at Richmond (1-0) next Saturday. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. at Robins Stadium.