Hampden-Sydney College

BOX SCORE

HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, Va. -- Senior running back Terry Hicks (Clayton, NC) rushed for a game-high 127 yards and three touchdowns, adding a receiving touchdown, as well, to lead (RV)Hampden-Sydney College to a 36-27 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) football home win past archrival Randolph-Macon College in the 131st edition of The Game on Saturday afternoon on Fulton Field at Lewis C. Everett Stadium. The Tigers won their first ODAC Football Championship since 2014, winning The Game for the first time since 2013, and winning The Game at home for the first time since 2010. Hicks had his seventh 100-yard game of the season and also established a new school record for season rushing yards—now with 1,523 yards in 10 games to lead the ODAC and NCAA Division III. Junior quarterback Connor Creech (Winston-Salem, NC) passed for a game-high 197 yards and two touchdowns as the host Tigers (9-1, 7-0 ODAC) led 22-13 at halftime en route to the victory against the visiting Yellow Jackets (7-3, 5-2 ODAC) in front of a listed crowd of 10,277 in the oldest small school rivalry in the South. The Garnet & Grey have won nine-straight games and earned the ODAC's automatic qualification into the Division III Playoffs; the selection show is Sunday, November 15, at 5 p.m.

"So proud of these guys!" said third-year head coach Vince Luvara. "They just keep playing no matter what happens. They are so connected that nothing affects them. I could not be happier for the players, they really deserved this."

H-SC, receiving votes in both the AFCA D3 Coaches Poll and the D3football.com Top 25, had the first possession of the game, but Christian Daniel intercepted Creech on just the fourth play of the contest and returned it 40 yards for the touchdown at 13:29. Zach Tschantre added the PAT kick and RMC led early at 7-0.

The Tigers responded with a 13-play, 78-yard drive that ended with Creech connecting with Hicks on an eight-yard touchdown pass at 7:50 of the first quarter. The two-point conversion pass attempt failed, however, and it was a 7-6 margin. The drive included completions of 21 yards and 13 yards to sophomore wide receiver Max Nitti (Appomattox), and 19 yards to senior wide receiver Manning Lasso (Raleigh, NC). It remained 7-6 after the opening quarter.

H-SC added another touchdown early in the second quarter after the Tigers' defense forced a turnover on downs with a sack by senor cornerback Cam Jackson (Alexandria) on fourth down. Hicks scored on a three-yard touchdown run at 12:50, but this time the PAT kick was no good, and the home team led 12-7. It was a 10-play, 58-yard drive that included a 17-yard completion to sophomore wide receiver Dario Benaglia (Frisco, TX) and 34 yards on the ground by Hicks, including the last 27 on five consecutive carries.

The Yellow Jackets responded with a one-yard touchdown run by Mitchell Johnson at 8:49 of the quarter, but the PAT kick failed, as well, and it was a 13-12 margin for the visitors.

The Garnet & Grey answered back with a 22-yard field goal by sophomore placekicker Hank Webb (Salisbury, NC) at 2:24 for a 15-13 advantage. It was a 15-play, 78-yard drive that included completions of 17 yards to Nitti and 18 yards to Lasso, along with 15 yards on the ground by Hicks and 19 yards on the ground by sophomore running back Will Foley (Virginia Beach).

The Tigers' defense forced another turnover as junior defensive end Jordan Pence (Charlotte, NC) intercepted a Jake Mulhern pass and returned it 63 yards to the RMC five-yard line. Creech later found Lasso in the back-left corner of the end zone for a four-yard touchdown pass with just 20-seconds left on the first-half clock, as Lasso made an incredible one-handed catch while covered for the score. The PAT kick by Webb provided for the 22-13 lead at halftime.

RMC scored first in the second half with Jaedyn McAdoo scoring on a 15-yard run at 11:55, and the PAT kick by Henry Ross closed the deficit to 22-20.

H-SC responded accordingly as Hicks finished a quick 75-yard, eight-play drive with a five-yard touchdown run at 8:50. The PAT kick by Webb pushed the margin to 29-20 after a possession that included a 47-yard completion to Lasso on third down, along with 24 yards rushing by Hicks.

The Yellow Jackets answered back with a three-yard touchdown run by Johnson at 4:11, and the PAT kick by Ross made it a 29-27 game after three quarters.

The visitors had possession as the fourth quarter began and drove inside the H-SC 10-yard line to the seven, but stalled and a 28-yard field goal attempt by Ross for the lead was partially blocked by junior cornerback Parks Cromwell (Charlotte, NC) and the Tigers maintained their advantage.

H-SC took possession at their own 20 and proceeded to drive 80 yards on 16 plays, taking 9:10 off the clock, with Hicks scoring on a one-yard touchdown run on fourth and goal with only 2:24 remaining. The PAT kick by Webb provided for what proved to be the final 36-27 margin of victory. The long time-consuming drive included a 13-yard run by Creech on third down, as well as 29 yards on the ground by Hicks and 31 yards on the ground by Foley, including a 15-yard run.

The Tigers' defense once-again forced a turnover on downs on a final possession that included a sack by Pence and four-straight incompletions following a first down. The Garnet & Grey then ran-out the clock with three kneel-downs before the raucous home crowd stormed the field in celebration of the long-awaited triumph against RMC.

H-SC had 388 yards of total offense, including 191 rushing and 197 passing, as Hicks had his game-high 127 yards rushing on 36 attempts and a career-high-tying three touchdowns, adding two receptions for 13 yards receiving and one touchdown for a career-high four touchdowns overall. As mentioned, Hicks now totals 1,523 yards rushing this season on 256 attempts (5.9) and 14 touchdowns—surpassing Jimmy Ferguson '79 and his 1,460 yards in 1977—and also now totals 3,479 career yards rushing to rank third all-time at the College and adds 39 career rushing touchdowns that rank second all-time. Foley added 46 yards rushing on nine attempts. Creech passed for his game-high 197 yards (18-23-1) and two touchdowns with one interception, adding 27 yards rushing on four attempts. Lasso finished game-highs of seven receptions for 96 yards receiving and one touchdown. Nitti added a game-high seven receptions, as well, for 69 yards receiving.

Sophomore safety Will Bostwick (Bluffton, SC) had 10 tackles, three solo for the Tigers, while freshman linebacker Colton Bogan (Charlotte, NC) added seven tackles, one solo, 1.0 for loss and one QB hurry. Junior linebacker Frank Brewer (Charlotte, NC) had six tackles, 1.5 for loss, while Jackson, Cromwell, junior safety Mitch Ladamus (Fort Mill, SC), sophomore linebacker Gavin Gallavan (Richmond) and freshman defensive lineman Matthew Wright (Canton, GA) each added five tackles, including the sack by Jackson, 1.0 for loss, one forced fumble, one pass breakup and the blocked PAT kick by Cromwell, 1.5 for loss by Gallavan and a forced fumble by Wright. Pence contributed three tackles, two solo, 2.0 for loss, one sack and the interception.

RMC had 313 yards of total offense, including 140 rushing and 173 passing, as Johnson had 76 yards rushing on 16 attempts and two touchdowns. Mulhern passed for 173 yards (12-20-1) with one interception. Tristan Overbay had six receptions for 80 yards receiving. Khamari Veney had a game-high 15 tackles, seven solo, and 1.0 for loss.

As mentioned, H-SC has won nine-straight games this season and its 10th overall ODAC Football Championship has earned the Tigers automatic qualification into the Division III Playoffs, their 10th overall postseason playoff appearance, as well. The NCAA Division III Football Selection Show is scheduled for Sunday, November 15, at 5 p.m., and a watch party open to the public will take place at the Kirk Athletic Center in Snyder Hall.