ASHLAND, Va. -- Senior quarterback Andrew Puccinelli (Glen Allen) passed for a game-high 295 yards and one touchdown, a 13-yard scoring toss to senior wide receiver Braeden Bowling (Cary, NC) in the third quarter, but Hampden-Sydney College dropped a 49-10 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) football decision on the road at nationally-ranked No. 9 Randolph-Macon College in the 128th edition of "The Game" on Saturday in Ashland. The visiting Tigers trailed 35-3 at halftime against the host Yellow Jackets, who added two third-quarter touchdowns en route to their home win in the regular season finale—the final game for retiring 24th-year head coach Marty Favret. H-SC completes the 2023 season with a final record of 6-4 overall, including 4-3 in the ODAC, to equal its finest full 10-game season since 2017—the Garnet & Grey finished 4-1 during the CoVID-19-shortened 2021 spring season. R-MC finishes the regular season unbeaten at 10-0 overall, 7-0 in the ODAC for its second consecutive conference championship and automatic entry into next weekend's NCAA Playoffs.
The Yellow Jackets scored two first-quarter touchdowns as Kwesi Clarke scored on a six-yard run at 9:30, and Nick Hale added a 39-yard run at 3:25. Kyle Ihle added both PAT kicks for the 14-0 advantage after the opening 15 minutes.
R-MC added three more touchdowns in the second quarter for a 35-0 lead, getting a five-yard run from Clarke at 10:07 … an eight-yard pass from Drew Campanale to Andrew Lloyd at 7:20 … and a 15-yard reception by David Wallis with just 59-seconds on the first-half clock. Ihle added the three successful PAT kicks for the home team.
H-SC was able to get on the scoreboard on the final play of the second quarter when sophomore placekicker Elijah Swett (Matthews, NC) connected on a 41-yard field goal as time expired. The three points capped a quick seven-play, 54-yard possession that included a 10-yard completion from Puccinelli to sophomore wide receiver Mason Cunningham (Arlington), a nine-yard completion to senior running back Melik Frost (Hardeeville, SC), a 10-yard run by Frost, and a 13-yard completion to senior wide receiver Jamahdia Whitby (Williamsburg) on the final play, but a roughing the passer penalty allowed the Tigers to attempt the field goal for the 35-3 halftime margin.
The Yellow Jackets pushed their advantage to 42-3 early in the third quarter when Clarke added a 15-yard scoring reception from Campanale at 11:40, Ihle adding his sixth PAT kick.
The Garnet & Grey made it a 42-10 contest when Puccinelli found Bowling in the end zone for the 13-yard touchdown pass at 6:40 with Swett adding the PAT kick. It was an 11-play drive covering 73 yards and featured pass plays of 11 and 10 yards to Cunningham, nine and 11 yards to junior tight end Sutton Lasso (Raleigh, NC), along with a nine-yard completion to Whitby.
R-MC answered back with a 74-yard touchdown pass from Campanale to Wallis on the first play from scrimmage following the kickoff, providing for the final margin, as neither team scored during the final 15 minutes.
Puccinelli passed for his game-high 295 yards (38-59-2) and one touchdown with two interceptions for H-SC. Frost finished with 35 yards rushing on 14 attempts, adding seven receptions for 34 yards receiving. Cunningham had a game-high 12 receptions for 86 yards receiving, Whitby added five receptions for 60 yards and Bowling had four receptions for 35 yards and one touchdown.
Senior All-American safety and team captain Will Pickren (Mount Pleasant, SC) finished with a game-high 11 tackles, including nine solo, to lead the Tigers on defense. Pickren completed his outstanding collegiate career with 366 tackles, a new school record for the program. Senior defensive end and team captain Tramell Thompson (Queens, NC) added five tackles, while senior defensive tackle Braxton Mergenthal (Efland, NC), sophomore safety Jaylan Long (Martinsville), sophomore cornerback James Townsend (Hardeeville, SC) and freshman linebacker Harrison Wood (Richmond) each contributed four tackles. Long had one pass breakup, as well.
Campanale passed for 204 yards (11-14-0) and four touchdowns with no interceptions for R-MC. Hale rushed for a game-high 154 yards on 11 attempts and one touchdown, while Clarke added 45 yards on seven attempts and two touchdowns, adding one reception for 15 yards and one touchdown. Wallis had three receptions for a game-high 95 yards receiving and two touchdowns, and Lloyd added one reception for eight yards and one touchdown. Brandon Evans had nine tackles, including one for loss, and one pass breakup for the Yellow Jackets.
Coach Favret finishes his 24-year career as head coach of the Tigers with a final record of 151-90, the all-time winningest coach in program history. He led the Tigers to 16 winning seasons with five ODAC Championships (2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014) and six NCAA Division III Football Championship appearances (2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014). Favret finished 99-54 in ODAC contests, and coached this season as the longest-tenured collegiate football head coach in Virginia.
Hampden-Sydney Falls In Finale At No. 9 Randolph-Macon 49-10
/seasons/2023/boxscores/20231111_02ly.xml
2023
Hampden-Sydney
10
Randolph-Macon
49
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hampden-Sydney (6-4) | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
| No. 8 Randolph-Macon (10-0) | 14 | 21 | 14 | 0 | 49 |
Nov 11, 2023