GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Senior quarterback Andrew Puccinelli (Glen Allen) passed for a game-high 236 yards and three touchdowns, and senior running back Melik Frost (Hardeeville, SC) rushed for a game-high and season-high 109 yards and one touchdown—adding a touchdown reception, as well—to lead Hampden-Sydney College to a 42-21 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) football road win at Guilford College on Saturday in Greensboro, North Carolina. The visiting Tigers (5-3, 3-2) led 13-7 after one quarter, 21-14 at halftime and 28-21 through three quarters, before scoring two fourth-quarter touchdowns en route to the victory against the host Quakers (2-6, 0-5 ODAC). It was the 150th collegiate coaching win for 24th-year H-SC head coach Marty Favret (150-89), who is retiring at the end of the season.
GC got on the scoreboard first as Joseph Brown Jr. scored on a one-yard touchdown run at 9:30, and the PAT kick by Burke Nettles made it 7-0.
H-SC evened it at 7-7 when Frost made his way to the end zone on a one-yard touchdown run, as well. Sophomore placekicker Elijah Swett (Matthews, NC) added the PAT kick at 3:29, capping a seven-play, 33-yard drive with Frost accounting for 19 yards on five attempts.
The Tigers' defense forced a three-and-out and sophomore wide receiver Mason Cunningham (Arlington) returned the punt 19 yards—a season-long—and a personal foul penalty put the ball at the Quakers' 36-yard line. From there, it took just four plays before Puccinelli found junior wide receiver Austin Fernandez (Warrenton) for a 25-yard touchdown pass with just seven-seconds left in the first quarter. The PAT kick was missed, though, and the visitors led 13-7 after the opening 15 minutes—Frost adding a 10-yard run to get the scoring drive started.
Brown Jr. added his second touchdown of the day at 4:24 of the second quarter, and Nettles' PAT kick had GC ahead 14-13 late in the opening half.
H-SC, however, got a big play from its defense when senior All-American safety and team captain Will Pickren (Mount Pleasant, SC) forced a fumble that was recovered by freshman cornerback Jay Daniels (Arlington) at the home team's 32-yard line with 1:32 on the first-half clock. The Tigers scored on the next play—a trick play with an unusual formation—as Puccinelli tossed it to Frost on the far-left side of the field with multiple blockers out in front and Frost made his way down the sideline for the 32-yard touchdown reception at 1:21. Puccinelli then found senior wide receiver Jamahdia Whitby (Williamsburg) for a successful two-point conversion pass attempt to give the Garnet & Grey a 21-14 lead at the intermission.
GC answered back early in the third quarter when Tristian Bailey jumped an out route and scored on a 63-yard pick six interception return for a touchdown at 11:39. The PAT kick by Nettles tied the contest at 21-21.
H-SC took the lead for good with 7:27 remaining in the third quarter when Puccinelli and Cunningham connected on a one-yard touchdown pass. Swett's PAT kick had the visitors ahead 28-21, the short scoring play completing a 10-play, 75-yard possession. The go-ahead drive included completions of 10 yards to Cunningham, 16 yards to Whitby, 26 yards to Fernandez and 13 yards to sophomore wide receiver Jordan Jackson (Fredericksburg)—the last to Jackson down to the one to set-up the score by Cunningham. It was a seven-point margin entering the fourth quarter.
Following another three-and-out forced by the H-SC defense, the Tigers marched 74 yards on 11 plays with sophomore running back Markevus Graves-Franklin (Lynchburg) scoring on a 12-yard touchdown run at 10:14. The PAT kick by Swett made it a 35-21 contest as the scoring drive featured completions of 11 and 14 yards, respectively, to Cunningham and Whitby, along with runs of nine and 15 yards by Frost, before Graves-Franklin had a 10-yard reception one play before his 12-yard scoring run.
Another three-and-out by the H-SC defense positioned the Garnet & Grey for a nine-play, 50-yard possession that ended with an eight-yard touchdown run by freshman running back Terry Hicks (Clayton, NC) with 2:58 remaining. The PAT kick by Swett provided for the final 42-21 margin of victory—the drive was all on the ground with Frost covering 18 yards on the first four attempts, before Hicks covered the final 32 yards on five attempts.
Puccinelli passed for his game-high 236 yards (22-34-1) and three touchdowns with the one interception for H-SC. Frost rushed for his game-high and season-high 109 yards on 23 attempts and one touchdown, adding two receptions for 35 yards receiving and one touchdown. Hicks had 32 yards rushing on five attempts and one touchdown, and Graves-Franklin had 23 yards rushing on three attempts and one touchdown. Cunningham had eight receptions for 43 yards receiving and one touchdown, while Fernandez finished with five receptions for a game-high 75 yards receiving and one touchdown, as well. Whitby had four receptions for 57 yards.
Pickren finished with 12 tackles, including seven solo, two tackles for loss, one sack, and one forced fumble to lead the Tigers on defense. He now totals 345 career tackles to tie with Brendan Weinberg '22 for the school record, with two games remaining.
Freshman linebacker Harrison Wood (Richmond) had a career-high nine tackles, including six solo, while senior safety and team captain James-Ryan Salvi (Troutville) and junior linebacker Jackson Lott (Norfolk) each added seven tackles, including five solo, one tackle for loss and one forced fumble by Salvi, and four solo and one tackle for loss by Lott. Sophomore defensive end Jacob McKinney (Springfield) had six tackles, including three solo and one tackle for loss—a sack.
Jaelan Brown passed for 35 yards (5-11-0) with no interceptions for GC, adding 35 yards rushing on nine attempts. Brown Jr. had 66 yards rushing on 19 attempts and two touchdowns. Nick Iannone finished with a game-high 13 tackles, including eight solo for the Quakers.
H-SC will return home next weekend to welcome ODAC opponent Shenandoah University on Saturday, November 4, at 1 p.m. on Fulton Field at Lewis C. Everett Stadium. It will be Senior Day on the Hill with a special pregame ceremony in recognition of the 25 senior Tigers, while also the final home game for retiring 24th-year head coach Marty Favret.
Hampden-Sydney Takes Road Win At Guilford (NC) 42-21
/seasons/2023/boxscores/20231028_o9w4.xml
2023
Hampden-Sydney
42
Guilford
21
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hampden-Sydney (5-3) | 13 | 8 | 7 | 14 | 42 |
| Guilford (2-6) | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
Oct 28, 2023