Football Release (2004) RMC Loss - Guilford College

ASHLAND, VA (10/30/04) -- Randolph-Macon College junior quarterback Jake Warren completed 21-of-34 passes for 178 yards and one touchdown, as the host Yellow Jackets defeated the Guilford College Quakers, 25-22, in Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) football action on Saturday, October 30. Also for Randolph-Macon, sophomore Khalil Shareef had career-highs of eight receptions and 94 yards, and also caught one touchdown pass, while sophomore Sam Robinson earned a career-high 97 net yards and scored one touchdown on 23 carries.

With the win, which snaps a three-game losing slide, the Yellow Jackets improved to 3-5 overall and 2-2 in the ODAC. The Quakers are still looking for their first win this season, as they dropped to 0-8 overall and 0-4 in the conference. Each team scored a season-high in points. In addition, Guilford held a lead for the first time since the second game of this campaign.

Randolph-Macon got on the board first, as Robinson ran 11 yards for a touchdown with a little less than six minutes left in the first quarter. A botched play on the PAT attempt still was in the host team's favor, as the Yellow Jackets were able to convert for two and go up 8-0. Guilford answered quickly, as senior Marcus Ballard caught a nine-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Chris Gammon. That made the score 8-7. Randolph-Macon would score again in the first, as senior kicker David Ping made a 23-yard field goal. The Yellow Jackets led 11-7 heading into the second.

Most of the second period was sloppy, as the teams combined for four turnovers, including three in a row in a span of less than two minutes. Guilford's lead came in that quarter, as Gammon completed a seven-yard touchdown pass to sophomore Kyle Kiser. The Quakers were ahead 14-11. However, with less than one minute remaining in the first half, Shareef caught a 19-yard touchdown pass from Warren, and Randolph-Macon took a 18-14 lead into the locker room at halftime.

The Yellow Jackets were able to extend the advantage to 25-14 late in the third, as senior Casey Allen carried the ball five yards for the touchdown. Midway through the fourth, Guilford sophomore Chris Barnette caught a 28-yard pass for a touchdown from Gammon, and the margin was just 25-22. But that was as close as the Quakers would get.

Defensively for Randolph-Macon, junior linebacker Leonard Abbott and sophomore linebacker Chris Collins each had 10 tackles. Collins also had one interception, as did senior cornerback Michael Bryant - his sixth of the season - and freshman safety Kyle Wiggins. Wiggins returned his interception 27 yards. He also recovered a fumble and returned it 28 yards. In addition, junior nosetackle Thomas Rhone had two forced fumbles, while Bryant and sophomore defensive end Chris Marshburn each had one. Marshburn also had three tackles for a total loss of 24 yards. Senior defensive end Chris Washington had a fumble recovery.

Guilford was led offensively by Gammon, who completed 19-of-32 passes for 231 yards and three touchdowns. His completions, yards, and touchdown passes were all career highs. Barnette had nine receptions for 137 yards and one touchdown. Freshman running back Desmond Jordan caught three passes for 56 yards and carried the ball 16 times for 49 net yards, for a total of 105 all-purpose yards.

For the Quakers defensively, senior safety Mark Davis totaled a career and game-high 17 tackles - nine of those solo - in his first college start. The 17 tackles was the most by a Guilford player since 1999.

Next Saturday Randolph-Macon will host nationally-ranked Bridgewater College at 1:00 p.m. Guilford will host Catholic University for a 1:00 p.m. start.

Story courtesy of Randolph-Macon Sports Information