Sep 16, 2023
BUENA VISTA, Va. – No. 12 Randolph-Macon collected nearly 500 yards of total offense, with 290 through the air, had a 28-3 scoring advantage in the second half, and held Southern Virginia to seven net yards rushing in a 51-10 road victory on Saturday afternoon at Knight Stadium.
The Basics:
Score: Randolph-Macon 51, Southern Virginia 10
Location/Venue: Buena Vista, Va./Knight Stadium
Records: Randolph-Macon 3-0, SVU 0-3
How it Happened:
- The Yellow Jacket defense stopped the Knights on fourth down on the first possession of the game, giving RMC the ball on the SVU27. Senior running back Nick Hale (Vinton, Va./William Byrd) carried five times to get the ball to the SVU01 and senior tailback Kwesi Clarke (Reigelwood, N.C./North Brunswick) took it into the end zone for a 7-0 lead for the Yellow Jackets four minutes into the contest.
- Following a short punt after a three-and-out series, RMC took over on the SVU40. A three-yard TD run by Clarke gave RMC a 14-0 edge with 5:40 remaining in the first period.
- Junior Kyle Ihle (Apex, N.C./Middle Creek) hit a career-long 45-yard field goal early in the second period in extending the lead to 17-0.
- SVU took nearly 10 minutes off the clock on its next possession, going 75 yards in 15 plays to reach the end zone and trail 17-7 with 5:30 remaining.
- Following the kickoff, the Yellow Jackets took over on their own 35. Senior quarterback Drew Campanale (Shrewsbury, Mass./Shrewsbury) found senior wide receiver David Wallis (Cedar Point, N.C./Croatan) behind the secondary and hit him with a 65-yard TD pass as RMC pushed the advantage to 23-7, which would be the halftime score.
- Campanale hit Wallis on a 48-yard pass to start the second half which led to a four-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Mitchell Johnson (Powhatan, Va./Powhatan) as RMC went up 30-7 two minutes into the third period.
- Following an SVU punt, Hale capped a 66-yard drive by scoring from 10 yards out to extend the margin to 37-7 with 3:46 left in the third quarter.
- Senior quarterback Brecht Heuchan (Tallahassee, Fla./Maclay) found sophomore receiver Cullen Martin (Moore, N.C./Pinecrest) in the end zone from eight yards out early in the fourth period as the Yellow Jackets led 44-7.
- The Knights added a field goal with 9:10 remaining as the score moved to 44-10.
- RMC was stopped on downs with three minutes left, but sophomore linebacker Brandon Watson (York, Pa./Central York) snagged an interception on the second play. Sophomore running back Cameron Chatmon (Willow Spring, N.C./Green Level) scored from 44 yards out with 2:20 left to make the final 51-10.
By The Numbers:
- RMC gained 199 yards on the ground. Hale had 12 carries for 58 yards and a touchdown, while Clarke rushed nine times for 45 yards and two scores.
- Campanale completed 8 of 9 passes for 212 yards and one TD. Heuchan went 7 for 9 for 78 yards and a score.
- The Yellow Jackets had nine different receivers pull in a pass. Wallis had two catches for 113 yards and one touchdown. Martin had four catches for 58 yards and a score.
- Senior linebacker Tony Skinner (Spotsylvania, Va./Riverbend) paced the RMC defense with nine tackles, including one tackle for loss. Junior Wade Grubbs (Providence Forge, Va./New Kent) added eight tackles with 3.5 tackles for loss. Junior linebacker Jackson Deaver (Fayetteville, N.C./Terry Sanford) had eight stops with one tackle for loss.
For The Record:
- RMC reached 50 points in each of its first three games of the season for the first time in program history. The last time the Yellow Jackets had three straight games of at least 50 points came in 2017 (Oct. 7, W 52-24 at Bridgewater; Oct. 14, W 52-29 vs. Emory & Henry; Oct. 21, W 63-14 at Apprentice).
- The Yellow Jackets have scored at least 30 points in each of their past 21 games, the longest stretch in program history.
- RMC is 3-0 all-time against SVU.
Up Next:
- Randolph-Macon will have its bye week on Sept. 23 before beginning ODAC play on Saturday, Sept. 30 at Guilford at 1 p.m.