HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, VA-The Hampden-Sydney football team returned to the win column while opening up ODAC play at 1-0, downing Bridgewater 37-27 at Everett Stadium on Saturday afternoon. With the win, the Tigers improve to 2-2 on the season and 1-0 in conference while Bridgewater falls to 3-1 and starts its conference schedule at 0-1.

The Tigers were able to score early in the back-and-forth game and maintain a lead the entire way. The teams traded scores through the first three quarters, but with back-to-back two-point conversions, the Tigers held their advantage throughout.

It took just seven plays and 2:31 for the Tigers to drive 82-yards and score on a 22-yard connection from Alec Cobb (Jamestown, NC/Ragsdale) to Cam Johnson (Dillwyn, VA/Buckingham) on the game's opening drive. A successful two-point attempt from Cobb to Carter Cunningham (Farmville, VA/Fuqua) put the Tigers up 8-0.

Bridgewater got on the board seven minutes later, cutting it to a one point game.

Five minutes into the second quarter, Hampden-Sydney pushed its lead to nine, with Cobb hitting Major Morgan (Onancock, VA/Broadwater Academy) for a 15-yard touchdown and then Patrick Kline (New Cumberland, PA/Trinity) for another two-point conversion.

Just as they did before, the Eagles responded with a touchdown, making it a 16-14 game in favor of the Tigers with 6:12 to go in the half.

Ninety seconds later, Cobb and Morgan connected again in the end zone for another 15-yard touchdown and a 23-14 lead that would hold until the half.

The Eagles recovered a Hampden-Sydney fumble on the Tigers' 31-yard line to start their second drive of the third quarter, and capitalized by using a 13-yard run from Malivai Barker to make it a 23-21 game.

Seven minutes later, Mike DeMasi (Virginia Beach, VA/Frank W. Cox) caught a nine-yard pass from Cobb to put the Tigers back up nine.

DeMasi then scored again midway through the fourth quarter, to cap off an eight minute Hampden-Sydney drive, putting the Tigers up 37-21 with 7:42 to play in the game.

Bridgewater tacked on one more touchdown with just under three minutes to go, but the Tigers were able to recover the onside kick and run out the clock.

On the day, the Tigers recorded 459 yards of offense courtesy 291 passing and 168 rushing. Cobb was 27-of-40 with 291 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions. Johnson was far and away the game's top receiver with 12 catches for 139 yards and a touchdown. Morgan caught four passes for 66 yards and two scores.

DeMasi headed up the run game with 132 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries. He added that to four catches for 22 yards and another score.

Defensively, the Tigers allowed 404 yards of offense via 266 passing and 138 rushing. Kendall Blankenship (Appomattox, VA/Appomattox) led the way with nine tackles. Brian Gwaltney (Colonial Heights, VA/Colonial Heights) and Griffin Davis (Charlottesville. VA/Monticello) each had eight stops, while Davis added two tackles-for-loss and a fumble recovery. Ben Carson (Winston-Salem, NC/Mount Tabor) had four stops – three of which were in the backfield – to go with a sack and a forced fumble. Brendan Weinberg (Apex, NC/Middle Creek) had two tackles and an interception.

The Tigers return to action next Saturday, October 7 as they travel to Greensboro, NC to face the Quakers of Guilford College. Kickoff is set for 1:00 PM.