HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, Va. – Senior running back Melik Frost (Hardeeville, SC) rushed for 103 yards and one touchdown, sophomore quarterback Carter Sido (Dallas, TX) passed for 151 yards and two touchdowns, and sophomore wide receiver Mason Cunningham (Arlington) had a game-high 103 yards receiving and one touchdown, to lead Hampden-Sydney College to a weather-delayed 31-17 non-conference football victory past Brevard (NC) College on Saturday afternoon on Fulton Field at Lewis C. Everett Stadium. The contest was delayed for one-hour and 46-minutes at 13:37 of the first quarter due to lightning in the area, before resuming uninterrupted thereafter with only a five-minute break taken at halftime. The host Tigers (1-1) led 10-0 after one quarter, 17-10 at the half, and 24-17 after three quarters en route to their hard-fought home win against the visiting Tornados (0-2) in the first-ever meeting between the two schools.
H-SC took possession after the opening kickoff and drove 60 yards on 10 plays—before and after the long delay—scoring on a two-yard touchdown pass from Sido to sophomore running back Markevus Graves-Franklin (Lynchburg) at 10:13 of the first quarter. It was the first collegiate touchdown scored by Graves-Franklin, with sophomore placekicker Elijah Swett (Matthews, NC) adding the PAT kick for the 7-0 advantage. The drive included 14 yards on the ground by Frost, and completions of 26 yards and 11 yards from Sido to junior wide receiver Austin Fernandez (Warrenton).
The Tigers' defense forced a turnover on BC's first possession when sophomore cornerback James Townsend (Hardeeville, SC) forced a fumble and recovered it on the opponent's 31-yard line. The Garnet & Grey salvaged a field goal out of it as Swett was good from 41 yards at 3:56 for a 10-0 lead. Frost had a seven-yard run before the drive stalled.
H-SC increased its lead to 17-0 midway through the second quarter when senior wide receiver Jamahdia Whitby (Williamsburg) scored on a 14-yard touchdown reception from Sido with 6:35 left in the half, Swett adding the PAT. It was a 13-play, 80-yard possession that featured 26 yards on the ground by Frost and a 12-yard reception by Whitby, as well.
The Tornados rallied with 10 late points in the quarter to make it a 17-10 contest at the brief halftime intermission. Ethan Beamish connected with Zackary Orr on a 49-yard touchdown pass at 4:08, and Hugo Taylor added the PAT kick, while Taylor made a 27-yard field goal on the final play of the half.
BC took its first possession of the third quarter and went 78 yards on four plays with Chancellor Lee-Parker scoring on a 27-yard touchdown run at 12:51. The PAT by Taylor tied it at 17-17.
The two teams alternated a couple of possessions each before H-SC was able to take a 24-17 advantage late in the quarter with 2:11 on the clock. Frost scored on a one-yard touchdown run to complete a 10-play, 70-yard drive with Swett adding the PAT. Whitby had a 34-yard run and an eight-yard reception, while Sido added a 17-yard run and Frost had an eight-yard run before finding the end zone.
The Tigers secured their triumph midway through the final quarter when Cunningham took a short pass from senior quarterback Andrew Puccinelli (Glen Allen) and turned it into a 37-yard touchdown reception with 8:47 remaining. Swett added his fourth PAT to provide for the final 31-17 margin. The six-play, 68-yard drive included a pair of 10-yard completions from Puccinelli to Fernandez, as well.
Senior All-American safety Will Pickren (Mount Pleasant, SC) ended any hope the visitors had with an interception on the next BC possession.
Frost rushed for his 103 yards on 23 attempts and one touchdown for H-SC. Sido passed for his 151 yards (15-25-0) and two touchdowns with no interceptions, adding 26 yards rushing on six attempts. Puccinelli passed for 70 yards (5-6-0) and one touchdown with no interceptions. Cunningham had his game-high 103 yards receiving on five receptions and one touchdown, while Whitby added 31 yards receiving on five receptions and one touchdown, and 46 yards rushing on two attempts. Fernandez finished with 75 yards receiving on five receptions, and Graves-Franklin had two yards receiving on one reception and his first career touchdown at the College.
Senior safety James-Ryan Salvi (Troutville) finished with a game-high 11 tackles, including five solo and 0.5 tackles for loss, to lead the Tigers on defense. Pickren had 10 tackles, including four solo and 0.5 tackles for loss, along with his interception, while junior linebacker Jackson Lott (Norfolk) added eight tackles, including two solo. Senior cornerback Tobias Lafayette (Charleston, SC) had seven tackles, including four solo and one tackle for loss with one pass breakup. Townsend also had seven tackles, including four solo and one tackles for loss, the forced fumble and fumble recovery, and one pass breakup. Freshman linebacker Harrison Wood (Richmond)—making his first collegiate start—added six tackles, including two solo.
Beamish passed for a game-high 265 yards (30-39-1) and one touchdown with one interception for BC, adding 34 yards rushing on seven attempts. Lee-Parker had a game-high 106 yards rushing on 12 attempts and one touchdown. Orr had 93 yards receiving on seven receptions and one touchdown. Grequenceo Coger Jr. finished with seven tackles, including one solo and 0.5 tackles for loss for the Tornados.
Hampden-Sydney Earns Home Win Past Brevard (NC) 31-17
/seasons/2023/boxscores/20230909_ljc9.xml
2023
Brevard
17
Hampden-Sydney
31
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brevard (0-2) | 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
| Hampden-Sydney (1-1) | 10 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 31 |
Sep 09, 2023