Virginia Union Dominates Shaw in CIAA Championship Defense

The Virginia Union Panthers kicked off their CIAA championship defense in style with a resounding 42-7 victory over the Shaw Bears. After suffering their first Division II loss of the season to Johnson C. Smith, the Panthers bounced back in a big way, improving their overall record to 2-2.

Virginia Union’s offense was firing on all cylinders, particularly in the running game. Jada Byers led the charge with 173 rushing yards and a touchdown, inching closer to breaking the school’s all-time rushing record. Curtis Allen and Jerome Jones also contributed to the ground attack, helping the Panthers amass a total of 305 rushing yards.

Quarterback Mark Wright had a stellar performance as well, throwing for 256 yards and two touchdowns. The Panthers’ offense racked up a total of 582 yards, showcasing their dominance on the field.

On the other side, Shaw struggled to get anything going offensively, mustering only 64 yards in the first half. The Bears’ 35-point loss marked their worst conference defeat since 2019, highlighting the tough day they had against a relentless Virginia Union defense.

Unfortunately, the game was marred by a serious injury to Virginia Union’s Larry Hackey, who went down with an ankle injury in the fourth quarter. Hackey, the team’s leading kick returner, was carted off the field with his left ankle heavily bandaged, leaving a somber note on an otherwise triumphant day for the Panthers.