9/21/2019 7:37:00 PM Wildcats Big Second-Quarter Effort Keys Victory Over Hawks Share Tweet Pin it +1 E-mail Print Courtesy of Fort Valley State Athletics FORT VALLEY, Ga. – The Saturday afternoon started slowly, but the Wildcats' strong last eight second-quarter minutes proved the difference. After trailing by 10 points, Fort Valley State used two long scoring drives and a Mike Hicks, Jr. 56-yard interception return to set up the between score to overtake and hold on for a 30-23 non-conference win over Shorter University. Down 13-3 midway through quarter number two, Slade Jarman showed his poise on an early-season 'Senior Day.' The senior quarterback rifled two scoring strikes of 29 and 11 yards and ran in from three yards after the Hicks long-interception return for 23-13 score turnaround. Both teams added a third-quarter touchdown, before FVSU (1-2) ran out the final three minutes after a Shorter (0-3) 21-yard field goal made it a one-score game, 30-23. After a slow start, Jarman guided the Wildcats offense to 336 yards of total offense. The FVSU signal-caller may have had his best all-around game in a Wildcat uniform with 25 completions in 38 attempts for 297 yards and two touchdowns. He also led the team in rushing with 47 yards on 13 scampers and the 3-yard jaunt. Mike Hicks, Jr. (26) raced down the field 56 yards after picking off a second-quarter Shorter pass. Newcomers Shemar Bridges, QA Walker and Joseph Ross combined for 19 of the 29 pass receptions and 249 yards. Bridges pulled in 7 balls for 122 yards, while Walker had six for 96 yards and the first FVSU touchdown of 29 yards in a dandy of a catch in the back corner of the end zone. Ross added six catches for 31 yards. The Wildcat defense stepped up its effectiveness in the same time period of the home offense success. The unit finished the day with two turnovers. Majeste Hansberry paced the FVSU defense for the third week in a row with 13 tackles, one for a loss, and a quarterback hurry. Aaron Dore was all over the field with a career-high 12 tackles, 2.5 of them for loss, and a pass breakup. Zach Anderson was the third double-digit tackler with 10 to go with recovering the fumble he forced. Shorter amassed 356 yards of total offense on 79 snaps. Quarterback Tyler Pullum was 27 of 44 for 243 yards and a score and one interception. Following a visitor touchdown on the opening drive, Eli Mashburn buried a 33-yard field goal with 55 seconds left in the first quarter to put FVSU on the scoreboard, 7-3. Leading 23-20, Jamari Clark slide in for the 2-yard touchdown to cap a 10-play, 66-yard scoring drive. A 24-yard Jarman to Bridges third down completion was key on the drive. FVSU heads to Greenville, S.C., for a neutral site contest and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference East Division opener in the Upstate HBCU Classic against Benedict College. Kick-off is set for 3 p.m. -Wildcats-