NEW LONDON, CT-Junior running back Brady Macko (Kill Devil Hills, NC/First Flight) ran for three touchdowns and caught one more as the Tigers bounced back into the win column with a 49-7 decision over the Coast GuardCoast Guard Academy. With the win, Hampden-Sydney improves to 2-1 while the Bears drop to 0-3.
While Macko paced the Tiger offense, the defensive unit held the Bears to seven first downs and just 80 yards of offense, including -10 rushing yards throughout the whole game.
The Tigers scored early and often, as Macko ran in for his first score of the day on a two-yard scamper at the 9:13 mark. After a failed extra point, Hampden-Sydney led 6-0.
After failed drives for both teams, junior quarterback Nash Nance (Calhoun, GA/Tennessee) hit his stride, completing five passes for 59 yards before Macko ran the final yard to up the score to 13-0.
A three-and-out gave the ball back to Hampden-Sydney with 105 seconds in the quarter, but it took the Tigers just 12 to find the end zone on an 84-yard connection between Nance and Holton Walker (Lynchburg, VA/Brookville).
The defense forced another three-and-out, and the Tigers started the second quarter by going 60 yards in nine plays, ending in a Mitch Pereira (Midlothian, VA/Midlothian) ten-yard scoring run.
Coast Guard seemed to gain steam on the ensuing drive, but Josh Doggett (Mechanicsville, VA/Atlee) forced a fumble that eventually resulted in a Dan Alexander (Lynchburg, VA/Presbyterian) 23-yard field goal to put the Tigers up 29-0 with just over eight minutes remaining in the first half.
On the Bears' ensuing drive, Doggett set up another score, intercepting a Blake Thompson pass at the Coast Guard 37 and returning it 35 yards to the two. Macko then ran it in on the very next play.
Macko scored once more before the half - on a six-yard pass from Nance - to put Hampden-Sydney up 43-0 at intermission.
The third quarter was an offensive stalemate with neither team able to set up a successful drive, but the Tigers struck in the fourth as Tyler Fowler (Lynchburg, VA/Jefferson Forest) ran in the seven-yard touchdown.
Coast Guard was able to get on the scoreboard midway through the fourth with Ed Lazowski taking a pick-six 31-yards.
On the day, Hampden-Sydney tallied 586 yards of balanced offense with 310 coming through the air and 276 on the ground. Nance was 20-for-34 for 282 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. Kyle Farlow (Sophia, NC/Randleman) was 3-for-6 for 27 yards and two interceptions.
Walker was yet again the top receiver with eight catches for 180 yards and a score. Ten different receivers caught passes with Fuller Clark (Roanoke, VA/North Cross) catching three passes for 37 yards and Eric Gorsline (Norfolk, VA/Norfolk Academy) catching two passes for 31 yards.
On the ground, Pereira led the way with 82 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries. Macko ran 12 times for 63 yards and a score, and Fowler notched 61 yards and a score on 16 carries.
Defensively, the Tigers held Coast Guard to seven first downs and 80 yards of offense - including -10 rushing. Nick Browning (Virginia Beach, VA/Ocean Lakes) and Nick Martin (Round Hill, VA/Loudoun Valley) led the way with five tackles each.
Hampden-Sydney gets a week of rest entering its bye week and will return to action in its ODAC opener against Catholic at Lewis C. Everett Stadium on October 5. Kickoff is set for 1:00 pm.
