Date: Saturday, November 01, 2008
Contact: Chris Kilcoyne, Sports Information Director
(804) 752-7387/ christopherkilcoyne@rmc.edu

Faulkner and Big Plays Send R-MC Past Guilford 55-24 in ODAC Football Action
(Box Score)

ASHLAND, VA - Randolph-Macon quarterback Austin Faulkner rushed for 107 yards, threw for 208 yards and had a hand in four touchdowns as he led the Yellow Jackets to a 55-24 victory over visiting Guilford College Saturday afternoon in ODAC Football action in Ashland.

After Guilford (4-4 / 1-3 ODAC) took the opening kick and marched 66 yards on eight plays, capped by a 11 yard scoring strike from QB Josh Vogelbach to Kevin Vaughan to put GC up 7-0, R-MC (4-4 / 2-2 ODAC) responded with a five play, 57 yard drive that was sealed on a one-yard plunge by Zak Thornton. The extra point missed, leaving R-MC down 7-6 with 6:22 to go in the first quarter.

The Quakers managed a 33-yard field goal off the foot of Hunter Chappell on its ensuing possession to go up 13-6 with 4:32 to go in the opening frame. When the Jackets got the ball back, they moved downed to the GC 10 yard line. On third down and three, Faulkner scrambled and was able to go in for the touchdown, putting R-MC up 13-7 just 55 seconds into the second quarter.

Guilford responded and took the lead right back on its next possession when Vogelbach found Hagen Miller on a 15 yard pass to make the score 17-13 with 8:31 to go in the third quarter. The Quaker defense then forced a three-and-out on R-MC's next possession, giving Vogelbach and the offense the ball back.

On third-and-ten from the R-MC 32, the Jackets Tristan Carr sacked Vogelbach and forced a fumble that Christian Stahl returned for a touchdown, putting R-MC up for good 20-17.

The R-MC defense came up big again on GC's next possession forcing a three and out that set up a 66 yard punt return for a touchdown by Federico Jellinek, making the score 27-17 in favor of the Jackets.

Sparked by a turnover on downs on Guilford's next possession, Faulkner connected with tight-end Alex Ramirez on a 10 yard touchdown pass to cap a four play, 65 yard scoring drive that saw the quarterback rush for 55 yards on three carries to put R-MC up 34-17 at halftime.

Guilford rallied on its first possession of the second-half, scoring on a four-yard pass from Vogelbach to Vaughn to cut the Randolph-Macon advantage to 34-24 and proved to be the only score of the third frame.

That would be as close as the Quakers would get as in the fourth quarter, Faulkner scored on a one yard run, found Stuart May for a 16 yard scoring pass and Scott Ahonen rounded out the scoring with a 93 yard interception return for a touchdown late in the game.

Faulkner finished 14-of-22 passing, Thornton had 91  yards on 21 carries and Brandon Braner had six catches for 124 yards receiving for the Jackets. The 55 points scored by R-MC is the most since 1999 when the Yellow Jackets scored 54 in a win over Gettysburg.

Vogelbach was 39-for-61 with three touchdowns and three interceptions. Vaughn had 15 catches for 221 yards and a pair of scores.

Gabe Jones and Stahl led R-MC with seven tackles, while Ahonen had six. R.J. Lassiter led GC with 15 stops, including 11 solo tackles. Danny Langston chipped in with eight tackles in a losing effort.

Randolph-Macon will host Bridgewater College next Saturday at 1:00 p.m., while Guilford will host Catholic at 1:00 p.m. next Saturday.

- Yellow Jackets -