The Game: Randolph-Macon Beats Hampden-Sydney 38-17
The Randolph-Macon Yellow Jackets strike a pose with “The Game” Ball, and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference championship trophy. (photo credit: Katie Dodge)
December 15, 2022
HAMPDEN SYDNEY, Va. ̶̶̶̶̶̶ The Randolph-Macon Yellow Jackets triumphed over the Hampden-Sydney Tigers on Saturday, marking the football team’s 10th straight win of the season and 9th straight win against Hampden-Sydney, adding more bitterness to the oldest small-school rivalry in the south. The annual face-off between the two football teams, known as “The Game,” has been a college tradition since 1893, with Hampden-Sydney leading the series by a narrowing 58-57-11. Randolph-Macon’s win marks the longest continuous victory streak in the series for either school.
“I hope we can keep this streak forever,” said Ziki Nodurft ‘25, a member of the Randolph-Macon Spirit Squad. “It’s really cool that there are people here that have seen them beat Hampden-Sydney the entire time they were students.”
The two rival teams locked horns in the first half, with Hampden-Sydney scoring a 67-yard touchdown in the first minute of the game, and Randolph-Macon scoring an 8-yard touchdown by running back Nick Hale ‘23 at the start of the 2nd quarter.
“He manhandled the guy,” said Tony Skinner ‘24, a safety for Randolph-Macon. “That’s what Randolph-Macon football is all about.”
Each team scored 7 points in the 1st and 2nd quarters, and a successful field goal kick by Kyle Ihle ’25 gave Randolph-Macon a narrow lead of 17-14 at the end of the first half.
In the second half, the Yellow Jackets’ offense was unstoppable, with wide receiver David Wallis ’23 catching a 78-yard pass from quarterback Drew Campanale ’24 and scoring a touchdown in a 12-second possession. Campanale widened the gap even further, scoring a 1-yard touchdown after a strong Randolph-Macon drive in the 4th quarter. After Ricky Thompson’s ‘24 interception brought the ball back into Randolph-Macon’s possession, Hale scored the last touchdown of the game with a 2-yard rush. The final score was Randolph-Macon 38, and Hampden-Sydney 17.
“We just came together,” said Skinner. “We readjusted and came back out strong.”
Despite being deep in enemy territory, Yellow Jacket fans came out to Everett Stadium in droves, filling up the visitors stands and lining the entire east side of the field with jeering fans.
“It was a really big crowd,” said Owen Campbell ’25, who made the trip to Hampden Sydney with the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. “Lots of teams and organizations came down on buses to see the game.”
This win also meant that the Yellow Jackets are the Old Dominion Athletic Conference champions, giving them a chance to compete in the NCAA Division III football championship. Randolph-Macon’s first playoff game will be at their own Day Field on Saturday, November 19, 2022, at noon.
