The Hampden-Sydney Tigers posted a strong defensive outing in the 2015 season finale, but ultimately fell 14-9 to Randolph-Macon in the 120th edition of “the Game.” The Tigers still hold a 60-49-11 advantage in the series. With the loss, the Tigers end the season at 6-4 overall and 4-3 in the ODAC. Randolph-Macon improves to 4-6 overall and 3-4 in conference.

Randolph-Macon scored on its opening drive, using 70 rushing yards to go up 7-0, but after that, the Tigers kept the Jacket offense off the scoreboard and held them to 139 yards of offense and just 24 rushing yards.

The Jackets did, however, find the end zone again in the first quarter, using a J.J. Hill 31-yard pick six to go up 14-0.

Randolph-Macon forced a punt on the Tigers’ ensuing drive, but a fumble by Deshaun Rogers led to a Kyler Vela (Waxhaw, N.C./Cuthbertson) recovery on the Randolph-Macon four-yard line.

Four plays later, Liam Hedge (Roanoke/Woodberry Forest) put the Tigers on the board with a 20-yard field goal.

After the Tiger defense forced a punt, freshman running back Kyree Koonce (Charlottesville/Monticello) out ran the entire Randolph-Macon defense for a 74-yard touchdown. The Tigers could not convert on the PAT, putting the score at 14-9 just one play into the second quarter.

The Tigers nearly crossed the goal line again two drives later, but a fumble on the Randolph-Macon one-yard line preserved the Jacket lead.

Hampden-Sydney had another chance to cut into the lead in the third quarter, but failed to connect on a 27-yard field goal. 

The offense began to click in the fourth, with Edgar Moore (Tallahassee, Fla./Maclay School) hitting Cam Johnson (Dillwyn/Buckingham) for a 39-yard strike and Koonce running for 27 yards on back-to-back plays to help the Tigers get to the Randolph-Macon two-yard line. The Jacket defense, however, came up with a big fourth-down stop with 11 minutes to play.

After traded punts for much of the quarter, the Tigers had one more crack with 44 seconds to go, but could not convert on a fourth down.

On the day, Hampden-Sydney tallied 339 yards of offense with 195 passing and 144 rushing. Moore was 16-of-37 for 195 yards and two interceptions. Michael Mey (Glen Allen/VMI) led all receivers with five catches for 55 yards. Austin Perryman (Fairfax/Fairfax) had 40 yards on four receptions, and Johnson and Owen Costello (South Riding/Paul VI) each had two grabs for a combined 91 yards.

Koonce ran for 145 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries. He wraps up his first year in the Garnet and Gray with the second best season for a Tiger back with 1,313 yards.

Defensively, Hampden-Sydney allowed just 209 yards with 94 on the ground and 115 through the air. The unit also had 13.0 tackles-for-loss and six sacks. Tyler Martin (Evington/Brookville) posted a game-high 14 tackles, including 1.5 for loss. Christian Wilder (Richmond/Mills Godwin) and Jay Brooks (Virginia Beach/Cox) each had seven stops. Ryan Jones (Buckingham/Buckingham) had two sacks, while Tyler Palmer (Virginia Beach/Ocean Lakes), Ben Carson (Winston-Salem, N.C./Mount Tabor), Bender Vaught (Ashland/Patrick Henry), and Joe Everette (Mechanicsville/Hanover) each had one sack.

This year’s Hampden-Sydney senior class graduates with 28 wins, two ODAC Championships, two NCAA appearances, and one second round appearance.