WINCHESTER, Va. - A pair of 70-plus yard plays and a fake field goal proved to be the difference as the Bridgewater Eagles football squad (2-0) was victorious in its road opener by a 21-13 score over the Shenandoah Hornets (1-1) in out of conference action at Sprint Field at Shentel Stadium. The win was head coach Michael Clark's 50^th career road victory.

Bridgewater used a stout defense to keep the Hornets offense in check all evening, while the Eagles offense racked up 423 total yards.

After each squad saw their opening drive stall out, Shenandoah punter Nic Hoover pinned the Eagles deep in their own end.

With a first and ten at the two-yard line, junior quarterback Hagan Driskell launched a 98 yard pass play into the waiting arms of junior Tyler Beiler who made a few men miss before scampering to the house to put BC ahead 7-0 following the PAT.

"That play is designed to extend the field for us. I saw what I wanted out of it and put it out there for Tyler (Beiler). It felt like it took the ball 20 minutes to come down, but I'm just glad Tyler made the catch and scored on the play," said Driskell of the 98-yard strike.

Driskell's pass was the second longest in BC history, coming up a yard shy of the record set by Jeff Highfill's 99-yard strike to Brandon Copeland on December 3, 2005 against Wesley.

Following the BC score, Shenandoah marched right back down fieid on an eight play, 72 yard drive which ended with a 38 yard touchdown burst from Anthony Cordero. Shenandoah would attempt a two point conversion, but would be stuffed on the play to keep BC ahead by a 7-6 tally. All eight Shenandoah plays were runs.

After senior Tim Newman's punt pinned the Hornets deep in their own end, a three-and-out and subsequent short punt set the Eagles up with excellent field position at the Shenandoah 27.

BC's drive would stall out at the 24 just three plays later, bringing on a Will Davis field goal attempt. On the snap, holder Patrick Smoot dashed to the endzone untouched to put Bridgewater up 14-6 with 14:54 to play in the second quarter.

Bridgewater would receive the second half kick and see their first play from scrimmage be negated by a holding call before junior Thomas Tate barreled 70 yards to paydirt to put the Eagles up 21-6.

For the remainder of the game, neither team would establish much offense until the Hornets added a late score off a 10-yard touchdown strike with 1:49 left in the game to cut the BC lead to 21-13.

Shenandoah would try to an onside kick following the touchdown but Beiler's recovery sealed a BC victory by a 21-13 tally.

A balanced offense led the BC team as the Eagles pounded out over 235 yards on the ground and 188 yards through the air.

Tate led all rushers with 192 yards on 22 carries in just his second game in a Crimson and Gold uniform.

With his 192 yards on the ground, Tate becomes the first BC running back to eclipse 190 yards since Winston Young's 198-yard performance in 2005 vs. Randolph-Macon.

Through the air, Driskell was 9-of-18  for 188 yards while Beiler was BC's leading receiver with two catches for 112 yards and a touchdown.

Driskell's performance was good enough to put the junior in sole possession of tenth place on the all-time passing list with 1,703 yards.

On the defensive side, senior Travis Gantt led all Bridgewater tacklers with six stops. All of Gantt's tackles were solos stops.

Shenandoah was led through the air by a 9-of-25 performance from Vern Lunsford. Lunsford threw for 108 yards and a touchdown that got the Hornets within a score late in the final stanza.

On the ground, Keone Kyle just missed the 100-yard plateau with 96 yards on 22 runs.    

The win improved BC to 41-12 on the road since 2000 and 9-1 and in road openers since the turn of the century. BC's victory also marked the 20^th victory for head coach Michael Clark over a USA South opponent and BC's first victory on this date in school history.

Bridgewater is back in action next Saturday when the Eagles head to Ferrum for a showdown with the Panthers at 1:00 p.m.