Oct 07, 2023
ASHLAND, Va. – No. 10 Randolph-Macon amassed 490 yards of total offense, with 248 on the ground and 242 through the air, in a 59-7 victory over Averett in ODAC action on Saturday afternoon.
The Basics:
Score: Randolph-Macon 59, Averett 7
Location/Venue: Ashland, Va./Day Field
Records: Randolph-Macon 5-0, 2-0 ODAC; AU 3-2, 0-2 ODAC
How it Happened:
- Senior linebacker Tony Skinner (Spotsylvania, Va./Riverbend) intercepted a pass on the first play from scrimmage for the Cougars and returned the ball to the AU8. A pair of runs by senior running back Nick Hale (Vinton, Va./William Byrd) put RMC in the end zone for a 7-0 lead less than two minutes into the contest.
- Following a Cougar punt, the Yellow Jackets moved 62 yards in eight plays as senior tailback Kwesi Clarke (Reigelwood, N.C./North Brunswick) scored from eight yards out to make it 14-0 with 8:34 left in the first period.
- Early in the second quarter, a punt gave RMC the ball on the AU43. Senior quarterback Drew Campanale (Shrewsbury, Mass./Shrewsbury) hit senior wide receiver David Wallis (Cedar Point, N.C./Croatan) with a 57-yard scoring pass as the advantage grew to 21-0 with 13:21 remaining until halftime.
- Campanale connected with senior wide receiver Zach Bowman (Midlothian, Va./Manchester) on a 67-yard TD pass as the Yellow Jackets took a 28-0 lead near the midway mark of the second period. The Cougars would tally a touchdown late in the second quarter and trail 28-7 at intermission.
- RMC took the second-half kickoff and drove 65 yards in six plays as Clarke powered in from two yards out as the lead grew to 35-7 with 11:40 left in the third period.
- Senior cornerback Coleton Payne (Mechanicsville, Va./Lee-Davis) recovered a fumble near midfield that turned into a one-yard scoring run by sophomore running back Cameron Chatmon (Willow Spring, N.C./Green Level) to make it 42-7 with seven minutes remaining in the third quarter.
- A five-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Mitchell Johnson (Powhatan, Va./Powhatan) late in the third period pushed the lead to 49-7.
- Junior Kyle Ihle (Apex, N.C./Middle Creek) hit a 41-yard field goal to give the home team a 52-7 advantage with 5:40 remaining.
- An interception by senior cornerback Trevon Faison (Newport News, Va./Heritage) gave RMC the ball on the AU seven. Sophomore Jaxon Jones (New Hanover, N.C./Eugene Ashley) ran it in on the next play to make the final 59-7.
By The Numbers:
- RMC had five different players score on the ground. Hale had 13 carries for 91 yards and one TD. Chatmon rushed 12 times for 90 yards and one score.
- Campanale completed 10 of 14 passes for 202 yards and two touchdowns. Wallis had three catches for 82 yards and one touchdown.
- RMC held the ball for 32:59, including 20:04 in the second half compared to 9:56 for AU.
For The Record:
- RMC has reached 50 points in each of its first five games of the season for the first time in program history. It marks the first time in program history that the Yellow Jackets have scored 50 points in five consecutive games.
- The Yellow Jackets have scored at least 30 points in each of their past 23 games, the longest stretch in program history.
- RMC is +12 in turnover margin, an average of 2.4. The Yellow Jackets entered the game eighth in the nation with +2.0 turnover margin.
Up Next:
- Randolph-Macon will travel to Bridgewater on Saturday, Oct. 14, for a 2 p.m. ODAC contest.