Saturday, November 15, 2008
Contact: Chris Kilcoyne
804-752-7387 / christopherkilcoyne@rmc.edu

R-MC Rallies Past Hampden-Sydney 31-21 For ODAC Title!!
(Click Here for Box Score) 

FARMVILLE, VA-The Randolph-Macon College football team scored 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter as it rallied for a 31-21 victory over archrival Hampden-Sydney College Saturday afternoon in the 114th edition of "The Game." The win gives R-MC its ninth ODAC title all-time and its first since 1997. R-MC receives the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament next week.   The win also gives R-MC its first back-to-back winning seasons since 1996 and 1997.

Trailing 21-10 going into the final quarter, R-MC (6-4 / 4-2 ODAC) struck for a touchdown with 13:40 left in the game when Steve Mathews plunged into the end zone for a five yard touchdown that capped an eight play, 78-yard drive that made the score 21-16 after a failed point after attempt.

The score remained that way until 8:48 left, when Scott Ahonen intercepted a Sedler pass at the Jackets 26 yard line.

The R-MC offense promptly went 74 yards in 13 plays, taking a 22-21 lead on a four-yard scamper from Matthews. Quarterback Austin Faulkner put the Jackets up 24-21 on a two-point conversion run.

H-SC responded by taking the ensuing kickoff and driving down to the R-MC 15 yard line with just over a minute remaining in the contest. The Tigers appeared to have scored the go-ahead touchdown on a Sedlar pass, but the play was called back due to holding.

After missing firing on his next two passes, Sedler was sacked and stripped by linebacker Tristan Carr, who scooped up the ball and returned  it 65 yards for a game and championship sealing touchdown that made the score 31-21 with under a minute to play.

Mathews rushed for 72 yards on 16 carries for R-MC after relieving 1,000 yard rusher Zak Thornton who was lost to an injury at the start of the second-half. Faulkner was 15-of-27 for 188 yards and a touchdown. H-Back Alex Ramirez caught six balls for 83 yards.

Carr led the R-MC defense with 11 tackles, including nine of the solo variety. He also had sack and the aforementioned fumble recovery for a touchdown. Eric Dardozzi had 10 stops, while Scott Ahonen had two picks.

The trio, held H-SC, which came into the game averaging over 31 points, to 10 below its average and held running back Josh Simpson (119.ypg) to just 20 yards on the ground and the Tigers to 23 as a team.

The Division III championship selections and bracket announcement will be broadcast live on ESPNews. The announcement will be between 3 and 3:30 Eastern time, Sunday, November 16.

-Yellow Jackets-