ODAC Football Report: Week 8

Hampden-Sydney Unbeaten Going into Bye Week

Week eight is officially in the books with just three more weekends remaining in regular season competition.  Hampden-Sydney kept its hopes alive of making it through its schedule without a blemish as the Tigers scored 21 unanswered points to defeat Catholic, 21-7.  Bridgewater won a shootout with Emory & Henry, handing the Wasps their third straight loss after opening the season 4-0 with a 38-34 triumph.  Washington and Lee evened its ODAC record at 2-2 with a 28-21 win at Guilford College.

Hampden-Sydney, ranked 23rd by the AFCA last week and debuts at #25 in Sunday's poll released by D3football.com, moved to 8-0 with its win in the nation's capital.  All three of the Tigers' scores came via the ground as running back Kirk Rohle reach the painted grass twice and received Sean Cavanagh burst 43 yards for the other.  Dylan Knight ran for 143 yards and the Catholic's lone touchdown, but the H-SC proved stout again, holding its opponent to just seven points or less for the fourth time this season.  Michael Ware proved integral to the effort as he was involved in a pair of turnovers that either halted Catholic drives or led to H-SC points. 

Big plays dotted Bridgewater's victory over Emory & Henry with seven scoring plays covering 15 yards or more.  Caleb Jennings rang up 192 yards and three rushing touchdowns (including scoring runs of 36 and 42 yards), but it was Bridgewater's Thomas Tate that proved timely with his second touchdown run of the day.  The junior back, who racked up 173 yards on the ground, rumbled 54 yards with just under eight minutes left in the game to put Bridgewater ahead for good.  The two squads combined for 910 yards of offense with Bridgewater collecting 517 yards.  The Eagles ran for 320 yards on the day with E&H strong as well with 230 yards rushing.

Washington and Lee scored 14 points in the first half and another two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to defeat Guilford.  Harrison Hudson found the end zone off an 18-yard pass from Charlie Westfal and Jonathan Clemo darted in from two yards for the Generals' first half scores.  Billy Watkins and Mike Williams added a rushing touchdown each to level the game early in the fourth quarter.  John Kavanagh snatched the lead back for WLU following Williams scoring run with a 99-yard kick-off return.  Guilford picked up a big play of its own with via a 42-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown by David LaPlaca, but Westfal capped a 8-play drive over 70 yards with a 21-yard touchdown run with 3:39 to play to secure the Generals' victory.

For more on this weekend's ODAC football action, click to read the entire ODAC Football Report: Week 8.