Hampden-Sydney College

BOX SCORE

HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, Va. -- Junior quarterback Connor Creech (Winston-Salem, NC) passed for game-highs and career-highs of 272 yards and four touchdowns, adding a game-high 63 yards rushing and two touchdowns on the ground, while senior wide receiver Manning Lasso (Raleigh, NC) had a game-high 102 yards receiving and two touchdowns, to lead No. 25 Hampden-Sydney College to a 73-21 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) football home win past Averett University on Saturday afternoon on Fulton Field at Lewis C. Everett Stadium. The host Tigers led 36-7 after the first quarter and 57-14 at halftime, while winning their seventh-straight game during Family Weekend and Senior Day on the Hill. It's the second-highest scoring total in program history (82 vs. Maryville-TN, 2003), as H-SC improved to 7-1 overall, 5-0 in the ODAC, and the visiting Cougars dropped to 2-6 overall, 0-5 in the ODAC.

"Happy with the result today," said third-year head coach Vince Luvara. "Guys play with great effort today. We need to clean some stuff up, but it is hard to win college football games. Congratulations to our seniors today, it was a great way to honor them."

H-SC, ranked 25th in the NCAA Division III Football NPI Rankings and receiving votes in the AFCA D3 Coaches Poll, wasted no time to start the game as Creech found senior wide receiver Tyler Hendley (Charlotte, NC) over the middle and Hendley raced to the end zone for a 62-yard touchdown on the first play after the opening kickoff. Junior quarterback Tanner Ballou (Oak Ridge, NC) then connected with freshman defensive lineman Matthew Wright (Canton, GA) on a trick-play for a successful two-point conversion pass attempt and an early 8-0 advantage at 14:44 of the first quarter. It's the second time this season that Ballou and Wright have connected on a two-point conversion pass attempt.

Following an AU punt, the Tigers scored quickly again with Creech finding Lasso on a similar route to the first score and Lasso outran everyone to the end zone for a 55-yard touchdown at 12:21, and sophomore placekicker Hank Webb (Salisbury, NC) added the first of his career-high nine PAT kicks for a 15-0 margin. The four-play, 80-yard drive included a 13-yard run by senior running back Terry Hicks (Clayton, NC) to get it started.

After another punt by the Cougars, the Garnet & Grey once-again responded quickly as Creech raced untouched down the middle of field for a 57-yard touchdown at 9:21, and the PAT kick by Webb made it 22-0. The three-play, 69-yard drive included an 11-yard completion to sophomore wide receiver Max Nitti (Appomattox).

The visitors got on the scoreboard on a one-yard touchdown run by Tyrek Samuel at 5:50, a play that was overturned by video review for the score, and Michael Markulic added the first of this three PAT kicks for a 22-7 margin.

Freshman wide receiver Colton Lubbe (Warrenton) returned the ensuing kickoff 40 yards to the AU 40 and the hosts needed just 1:58 to score as Hicks found his way to the end zone on a five-yard touchdown run at 3:43. Webb's PAT kick made it 29-7 after a five-play, 40-yard drive that included a 14-yard completion to sophomore wide receiver Dario Benaglia (Frisco, TX) ahead of the score.

Following another punt by the Cougars, H-SC needed just 59-seconds to score again … as Creech once-again connected with Lasso, this time for a 39-yard touchdown pass with 36-seconds left in the opening quarter. Webb added another PAT kick after the three-play, 74-yard drive that included a 14-yard completion to Nitti and a 21-yard completion to freshman running back Xavier Howard-Morris (Raleigh, NC), and the Tigers led 36-7 after 15 minutes.

The Garnet & Grey quickly got the ball back when an AU fumble was recovered by junior cornerback Parks Cromwell (Charlotte, NC) at the visitors 36-yard line. Creech completed the six-play drive with a three-yard touchdown run at 12:58 of the second quarter, and the PAT kick by Webb made it 43-7. Hicks had a nine-yard run early during the possession.

The Cougars were forced to punt yet again and the Tigers promptly went 66 yards on nine plays with Creech connecting with Lubbe for a 26-yard touchdown pass at 8:30—the first career receiving touchdown by Lubbe—with Webb adding the PAT kick for a 50-7 lead. The drive included a 10-yard completion to senior wide receiver James Bishop (Jacksonville, FL) and 22 yards on the ground by Howard-Morris.

AU added its second touchdown on a 14-yard pass from Cole Perry to Quinton Freeman at 2:01, and the PAT kick by Markulic showed 50-14 on the scoreboard.

H-SC was not done yet in the first half as junior quarterback Wendell Thompson (Charlotte, NC) connected with Benaglia for a 39-yard touchdown pass with 46-seconds left in the second quarter, capping a quick four-play, 65-yard drive that included an 18-yard completion from Thompson to Howard-Morris and a nine-yard run by Howard-Morris. The PAT kick by Webb made it 57-14 at halftime following an interception by Cromwell on the visitors' final possession of the half.

After a turnover on downs by AU and an interception thrown by the Tigers, the Garnet & Grey defense got an interception from junior cornerback Chris Montecino (Arlington) at their own 30-yard line. The offense took over and went 70 yards on 12 plays with Thompson scoring on a two-yard touchdown run at 4:46 of the third quarter. Webb's PAT kick made it 64-14 as the drive included a 25-yard completion to Bishop.

The visitors added a third-quarter score, as well, with Khalil Waller scoring on an eight-yard run at 1:23, and the PAT kick by Markulic had the margin at 64-21 after three quarters.

H-SC added its final touchdown early in the fourth quarter with Thompson scoring on a 24-yard run at 14:04 to finish a three-play, 77-yard drive that included a 45-yard completion to senior wide receiver Jordan Epps (Norfolk). The final PAT kick by Webb had the home team ahead 71-21.

The Tigers' defense forced another punt on AU next possession and the ball was snapped over the punter's head and through the end zone for a safety, increasing the margin to 73-21 with 13:02 on the fourth quarter clock. The Garnet & Grey took the ensuing kick and drove from its own 29-yard line to the Cougars' eight-yard line for first and goal; however, the home team decided to kneel down four times and give the ball back to AU at its own 22-yard line, and after yet another punt by the visitors, H-SC ran out the clock for the final 52-point winning margin.

H-SC had a season-high 660 yards of total offense, including 237 rushing and a season-high 423 passing, as Creech (12-16-0) passed for his game-highs and career-highs of 272 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions, adding his game-high 63 yards rushing and two touchdowns on the ground—all in the first half. Thompson passed for 143 yards (7-9-1) and one touchdown with one interception, adding 30 yards rushing on four attempts and two touchdowns. Ballou passed for eight yards (1-1-0). Freshman running back Mason Relaford-Hollingsworh (Union City, GA) had 47 yards rushing on 10 attempts. Hicks had 34 yards rushing on six attempts and one touchdown, exiting after the first possession of the second quarter, and now totals 1,261 yards rushing to lead the ODAC and Division III. Howard-Morris added 31 yards rushing on five attempts and senior running back Casey Clark (Sykesville, MD) also had 31 yards rushing on nine attempts. The Tigers offense operates behind the starting offensive line unit, affectionately known as 'The Rock' and consisting of junior left tackle Thomas Wilson (Charlotte, NC), junior left guard Cash Topinka (Charlotte, NC), sophomore center Braden McIntire (Louisa), junior right guard Bill Ball (Yorktown) and junior tackle Jacob Pressinger (Spotsylvania), along with senior tight end Kam Mahoney (Bristow) and junior tight end Connor Shelton (Charlotte, NC). Lasso had three receptions for his game-high 102 yards receiving and two touchdowns. Hendley had one reception for 62 yards receiving and one touchdown. Epps had three receptions for 54 yards receiving, Benaglia had two receptions for 53 yards receiving and one touchdown and Lubbe had one reception for 26 yards receiving and one touchdown.

Cromwell had seven tackles, four solo, the interception and the fumble recovered for the Tigers. Sophomore linebacker Gavin Gallavan (Richmond) added six tackles, including three solo, while sophomore linebacker Kevin Willoughby (Greensboro, NC) and junior defensive lineman Nolan Flemming (Jamestown, NC) each added five tackles, including two solo by Willoughby and three solo by Flemming with 0.5 for loss. Montecino finished with four tackles, two solo, and the interception. Freshman cornerback Caleb Fischer (Richmond) also had an interception.

Averett had 345 yards of total offense, including 109 rushing and 236 passing, as Keagan Reid passed for 180 yards (11-20-0) with one interception, and Perry passed for 56 yards (5-9-1) and one touchdown with one interception. Samuel had 61 yards rushing on five attempts and one touchdown. Ke'Antwone Jackson had three receptions for 73 yards receiving. Chaz Penwright had a game-high nine tackles, seven solo for the Cougars.

H-SC will play on the road at ODAC opponent Bridgewater College on Saturday, November 7, at 1 p.m. in Bridgewater.

It was Senior Day for 16 special Tigers, including student assistants ZJ Chalmers and Tristan Herald, along with Jake Allen, James Bishop, Aaron Chaney, Casey Clark, Braxton Dunnings, Nate DuPuis, Jordan Epps, Tyler Hendley, Terry Hicks, Cam Jackson, Manning Lasso, Kam Mahoney, Camden Richardson and Wade Warren.