WINCHESTER, VA-The Hampden-Sydney football team returned to the win column, taking a dramatic 37-34 win over Shenandoah in the team's final road game of the season. With the win, the Tigers improve to 3-6 on the season and 3-3 in conference play, while the Hornets drop to 6-3 overall and 4-2 in the ODAC. The Tigers now gear up to face arch-rival Randolph-Macon in the 121 edition of 'The Game.' The two teams will kickoff at 1:00 PM at Lewis C. Everett Stadium on Saturday, November 12.

The Tiger offense rolled to 471 yards without a turnover and dominated the time of possession, having the ball for nearly 41 minutes to Shenandoah's 19.

Hampden-Sydney wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, taking the opening possession 65 yards in two and a half minutes to go up 7-0 on a Mike DeMasi (Virginia Beach, VA/Frank W. Cox) one-yard run.

Both defenses then locked in for the rest of the quarter, forcing a combined three punts and two turnovers-on-downs.

The Tigers then opened the second quarter just as they did the first, scoring early on a 24-yard connection from Alec Cobb (Jamestown, NC/Ragsdale) to Major Morgan (Onancock, VA/Broadwater) for a 14-0 lead.

Shenandoah fired right back, however, using a short field to score on a Cedrick Delaney six-yard run. A failed point-after-touchdown attempt put the score at 14-6.

Each team tacked on one more touchdown before the half with the Tigers scoring on a two-yard run from Cobb and the Hornets on a Qlyl Middelijn four-yard catch.

The Tiger defense came up big to start the second half, forcing punts on the first two Hornet drives, while the Tiger offense put two more touchdowns on the board. Mike DeMasi and Cobb each had their second rushing touchdowns of the day, giving Hampden-Sydney a 34-13 lead.

Shenandoah rallied midway through the third quarter, scoring two unanswered touchdowns to head into the final stanza down 34-27.

The Tigers then took a 20-play drive 78 yards while burning ten minutes of clock to see a Jordan Chalkley (Richmond, VA/St. Christopher's) 23-yard field goal sail through the uprights and put the Tigers up 37-27 with 2:32 to play.

The Hornets then made the game interesting, scoring a touchdown in just 30 seconds, making it a 37-34 game with just over two minutes to go.

The Tigers though recovered the onside kick and were able to kneel out the clock.

On the day, the Tigers had 471 yards of offense on 263 passing and 208 rushing. Cobb was 24-of-31 for 263 and a touchdown. He also ran for five yards and two touchdowns. Owen Costello (South Riding, VA/Paul VI) and Morgan each had 85 yards receiving on a combined 13 catches.

Mike DeMasi had a monster game of 231 yards of offense, including 187 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 33 carries.

Defensively, the Tigers allowed 377 yards of offense on 311 passing and 66 rushing. Kendall Blankenship (Appomattox, VA/Appomattox) and Brian Gwaltney (Colonial Heights, VA/Colonial Heights) each had a team-high eight tackles. Griffin Davis (Charlottesville, VA/William and Mary) and Bender Vaught (Ashland, VA/Patrick Henry) each had four stops, while Vaught intercepted a pass and returned it 12 yards.

Hampden-Sydney will wrap up its season next Saturday, November 12 as the Tigers host Randolph-Macon in the 121 edition of 'The Game.' Kickoff is set for 1:00 PM.