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For the second straight day, severe storms threatened to shut down a game in Prince Edward County. This time, however, the teams outlasted the weather. After a one-hour and 46-minute delay, the Hampden-Sydney Tigers took control and didn’t stop running. 

The Tigers beat Brevard College 31-17 at Lewis C. Everett Stadium, in front of a crowd that stayed through the rain. And they were treated to a show. Senior running back Melik Frost rushed for 103 yards and one touchdown, sophomore quarterback Carter Sido passed for 151 yards and two touchdowns, and sophomore wide receiver Mason Cunningham had a game-high 103 yards receiving and one touchdown. 

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.

Breaking down the game 

Hampden-Sydney 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. It was the first collegiate touchdown scored by Graves-Franklin, with sophomore placekicker Elijah Swett adding the PAT kick for the 7-0 advantage. 

The Tigers’ defense forced a turnover on BC’s first possession when sophomore cornerback James Townsend 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 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. That would be the last time Brevard saw the endzone. 

A look at the Tigers defense

Senior safety James-Ryan Salvi 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 added eight tackles, including two solo. Senior cornerback Tobias Lafayette 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 -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 Tornado