The big play made a big impact for the Shorter College Hawks.

And the LaGrange Panthers had no answer for it.

Playing in the annual Battle for the Governor’s Cup against the Division III school, Shorter took advantage of LaGrange’s mistakes and rolled out a 42-19 win at Barron Stadium Saturday night.

The victory kept the traveling trophy at Shorter for the third year in a row.

Each scoring play for the No. 11-ranked Hawks was 31 yards or more, including a 90-yard kickoff return by Jordan Hazard and a 45-yard interception return by Logan Lollis.

“I’m just happy and thankful to the Lord,” Shorter head coach Phil Jones said after his team improved to 4-0 all-time against the Panthers. “I feel good about our team and where we are at this moment.”

The Hawks (1-1) had 354 yards on the ground and 116 passing with junior quarterback Ben Williams throwing a 31-yard touchdown pass to Abdull Haynes.

Sophomore slotback Antwon Appleton had a breakout game as he led all rushers with 129 yards on eight carries, including scoring runs of 58 and 39 yards in the first half.

Preseason All-American fullback A.J. Cooley kept pounding away at the LaGrange defense until he exploded for a 79-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

“Our line did an amazing job,” said Cooley, who finished with 11 carries for 116 yards. “They opened up the biggest hole I’ve had all year and I just took advantage of it.”

Appleton explained that the team’s work ethic and the hard work by the coaches have put them in a good position.

“Hard work in practice everyday. We do it time and time again,” Appleton said. “The coach gets on us, the lines blocking and that’s pretty much it.

“I saw green. I had some good blocking, made my cuts and put it in.”

After opening up the season on Aug. 29 with a 21-14 loss to Lenior-Rhyne, the Hawks prepared for two weeks to face LaGrange, which went 9-1 in the regular season last year and came in with a 1-0 record.

Shorter held a 21-6 lead at the half and saw the Panthers get within 28-19 at the start of the fourth quarter after Shorter’s A.J. Baker blocked the extra point.

Hazard then took the ensuing kickoff at the 10 and found a path to the end zone. David Guilford made the fifth of his six PAT’s to make it 35-19.

The defense came out strong for the Hawks as Baker made his second interception of the night to stop one LaGrange drive and Lollis stepped up to take a pick across the goal line with 9:31 left in the game.

“We were concerned about them and I think they showed what they’re made out of in the second half,” Jones said. “They just kept coming until those two big returns. Other than that, it could have gotten real tight.”

After halftime, the Panthers (1-1) won the possession battle as Shorter fumbled the ball away twice and went three-and-out two other times.

“They have a very good system in their passing game,” Jones said. “They are a spread team and it was very hard for our players.

“The most disappointing part was probably in the second half, going three-and-out back-to-back and leaving our defense out there for so long.”

The Panthers had a rhythm going in their first drive after Shorter had lost a fumble to end their opening series.

But LaGrange senior running back Mario Wallace, who had 239 all-purpose yards against Birmingham-Southern last Saturday, was helped off the field after his third carry of the game and did not return.

“I hate that for Mario,” Jones said. “He’s a fine young man and he’s really a good player. People didn’t get to see him tonight and that’s a real shame for them because he’s an excellent running back and returner.”

Shorter stays at home this Saturday to face Mid-South Conference foe Pikeville at Barron Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m.