HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, Va. - The Centre football team headed east to battle the Hampden-Sydney Tigers in a rematch of Centre's first ever Division III Playoff game back in 2011. The game went back and forth for 60 minutes with both offenses performing well, but HSC won in the end by a score of 38-34.
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
- It took a few possessions for the fireworks to start as the Tigers kicked a field goal late in the first quarter for the only score of the period. On their first drive of the second quarter, HSC drove down the field and scored to take a 10-0 lead.
- Centre quickly responded on the ensuing drive.
Scotty Brown gave the Colonels good field position with a long kickoff return, and then covered the final 34 yards of the drive as he hauled in a strike down the middle from
Jack Gohmann for a touchdown to narrow the gap to 10-7.
- After forcing the Tigers to go three and out on the next drive, Centre again got a short field and marched toward points. The Colonels eventually got into the red zone, where Gohmann and Brown connected from three yards out for the second touchdown of the game.
- On the next HSC drive, the Tigers quickly reached the end zone after a handful of Centre penalties, but the Colonels turned them away as
Parker Guillaume made a stop on fourth down to secure the goal line stand.
- The Tigers got the ball again after a short punt and regained the lead with a 15-yard touchdown pass as the game approached halftime.
Tyler Blythe returned the ensuing kickoff into enemy territory and Gohmann hooked up with
Carter Chandler for a 26-yard scoring pass to put the Colonels back on top 20-14 as the two teams went into the locker room.
- In the third quarter, HSC stormed out of the gates with two quick touchdowns to go up 31-20 with just over five minutes gone by in the quarter. Things looked to get worse as a fumble deep in Tigers territory ended a promising drive, but the Centre defense answered two plays later as
Ryan Combs picked off a pass to give the ball back to the Centre offense. On the very next play, Gohmann connected with
Blake Busson from 34 yards for a touchdown, with the score now 31-26 after Centre could not convert a two-point play.
- Hampden-Sydney looked to make it a two-score lead once again as they reached the red zone on their next drive, but
Nik Dixon forced a fumble near the goal line and
Micah Valenti pounced on it to turn away the Tigers.
- As the game reached the fourth quarter, Centre got the ball after stopping HSC on fourth down and Gohmann went to work, getting first downs on passes to Chandler and
Dant Bowling before a pass to Brown covered a huge chunk of yardage to get into the red zone. Two plays later, Gohmann found Chandler in the end zone for the go-ahead score, and then again for the two-point conversion as Centre took a 34-31 lead.
- The Tigers quickly regained the lead as the duel continued, going ahead 38-34 on a touchdown pass halfway through the fourth quarter. The Colonels looked to answer and appeared to again score the go-ahead touchdown on a pass to Chandler, but the play was nullified after a Centre penalty and the drive ended in the red zone on a fourth down interception, effectively stopping Centre's final chance to take the lead.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Gohmann had the best day of his young season as he complete 32 of 50 passes for 385 yards and a career high five touchdowns.
- Nine different Centre receivers caught passes on the day, highlighted by career days from Brown and Chandler. Both caught nine balls and scored twice, with Brown totaling 160 yards and Chandler finishing with 99 yards.
- Valenti's fumble recovery in the second quarter marked the second turnover in as many days for the Centre freshman defensive back.
- NCAA Division III sack leader
Mario Brewer Jr. added one more to his total to give him seven for the year while adding five tackles and two tackles for loss.
NEXT UP
The Colonels will be idle next week and will return to action on Oct. 5 for a Homecoming matchup against Trinity.
