PELLA, Iowa. – Despite a strong defensive effort that forced three turnovers and limited Central (IA) to just 10 points, No. 19 Randolph-Macon came up just short in Pella, Iowa.
The Basics
Score: Central 10, Randolph-Macon 0
Venue: Pella, Iowa. / Central College / Ron and Joyce Schipper Stadium
Records: Randolph-Macon (1-1, 0-0 ODAC); Central (2-0, 0-0 ARC)
How it Happened
- The first quarter started slow for both teams, as neither side was able to move the ball offensively. Central had the ball on the Yellow Jackets three yard line on third and goal. Hunter Hoffman threw an interception in the back of the endzone to Christian Daniel (Willow Springs, N.C./Overhills) with 1:32 left in the quarter.
- The Randolph-Macon offense got a jolt of energy on the final play of the first fifteen minutes, as Dante Casciola (Charlotte, N.C./Weddington) scrambled for 19 yards and set up the Lemon and Black at midfield. Central forced the Yellow Jackets to punt soon after to end a potential scoring threat.
- The Dutch worked a 97 yard drive in the beginning stages of the second quarter that ended with a Hoffman 14 yard touchdown pass to Cam Schulte. The drive lasted over six minutes, giving Central a 7-0 lead with 6:53 left in the half.
- The Yellow Jackets defense made another play late in the second quarter, forcing Schulte to fumble in RMC territory and Alex Biddle (Ashburn, Va./Broad Run) recovered the ball.
- Randolph-Macon had a chance to potentially tie up the game on the final play of the half, but Casciola was intercepted by Gavin Smith to conclude the first thirty minutes of play.
- In the third quarter, Central had an opportunity to extend its lead with a 30-yard field goal, but the kick went wide, keeping the Yellow Jackets deficit at 7-0.
- The Lemon and Black continued to lean on its defense to keep the game within one score, intercepting another Hoffman pass, as Daniel snagged his second interception of the game. Randolph-Macon's offense got the ball within the ten yard line and a third down sack pushed the Yellow Jackets out of the redzone. The Dutch survived the scoring threat, keeping RMC out of the endzone and held the 7-0 lead into the final fifteen minutes.
- In the final quarter, Randolph-Macon moved the ball down the field on an almost six minute drive. The drive stalled deep in Central territory with a missed field goal with 9:10 left in the game.
- The defenses continued to control the game for the final nine minutes of the game. The Dutch grabbed the final three points of the game with just under a minute remaining in the game, securing the win at 10-0.
By The Numbers
- The Yellow Jackets outrushed Central 117-to-92 in the game.
- Randolph-Macon forced three turnovers on the afternoon.
- Casciola was 13 of 27 for 109 yards and also rushed for 65 yards on 19 carries.
- Cameron Chatmon (Willow Spring, N.C./Green Level) and Mitchell Johnson (Powhatan, Va./Powhatan) combined for 51 yards rushing on 16 carries.
- Jason Moore (Craven County, N.C./Havlock) caught four passes for 44 yards and Basit Qadri (Ashburn, Va./Rock Ridge) had four receptions for 31 yards.
- Daniel totalled two interceptions in the game, increasing his season total to four in the first two games.
- Daniel Eliasek (Midlothian, Va./Trinity) led the defense with 11 tackles and two forced fumbles.
- Quentin Mankin (Dinwiddie, Va./Dinwiddie) and Brandon Watson (York, Pa./Central York) both totalled eight tackles for Randolph-Macon.
Up Next
Randolph-Macon will stay on the road and open up conference play with Bridgewater on Saturday, Sept. 20 at 2 p.m.
