The H-SC Tiger » Sports

Spring Sports Previews

admin — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 02:17:07 +0000

With the spring semester now underway, it is only a matter of weeks before Hampden-Sydney’s spring sports teams begins their 2012 campaigns. To get you ready, here is a brief preview for each spring sport:

Baseball

Eighth-year head coach Jeff Kinne’s Tiger baseball squad will look to improve on a 2011 season in which they went 20-21 overall with a 9-9 record in the ODAC. In order to do that, they will have to replace four key seniors from last year’s team, most notably catcher Zach Harrelson (.349 batting average) and outfielder Herbie Williams (32 stolen bases). However, Coach Kinne has several incoming freshmen to help fill void, including right-handed pitcher Garrett Birnbaum and catcher Chris Ferrante.

Hampden-Sydney’s stiffest competition in their hunt for the 2012 ODAC title should be Randolph-Macon, the reigning ODAC champions, and Bridgewater, who went 15-3 in conference last season. The Tiger baseball team’s 2012 season gets underway at home on February 4th when they host Ferrum in a 1 pm contest. A dedication ceremony for the new baseball stadium, Ty Cobb Ballpark, is slated to take place an hour before game time.

Lacrosse

The Lacrosse Tigers had a solid 2011 campaign, finishing with a record of 12-5 overall and 4-3 in ODAC play. They played particularly well on their home turf at Everett Stadium, as they accrued a home record of 7-1. Despite the departure of seven seniors from that 2011 team, including leading goal scorer Cole Hawthorne (41 goals), head coach Ray Rostan, in his 28th season at the helm of the men’s lacrosse team, figures to have another strong team that can potentially contend for the ODAC title.

Among the key returners are senior midfielders Micah Keller and Carter Mavormatis, who combined for 62 goals and 43 assists last season for the Tigers. The team is hoping for contributions from the incoming freshmen, most notably Corey Mavormatis, Carter’s younger brother. Roanoke College figures to be the preseason favorite in the ODAC this spring, as they went undefeated (7-0) in conference play last spring and made it all the way to the semifinals of the Division III lacrosse tournament before falling to eventual national champion Salisbury College.

The lacrosse team’s 2012 schedule begins with a road game against Mary Washington on February 18th at 1 pm. The first home game will be on February 21st at 4 pm against Catholic.

Tennis

Sixth-year head coach Murrie Bates and the Tennis Tigers bring a small yet experienced squad that includes four seniors into the 2012 season. They will look to continue, and perhaps even improve upon, the success they had in 2011 when they compiled an 11-4 overall record and 8-1 record in ODAC play. The 2011 team also made it to the ODAC Championship Match, but ultimately fell to conference powerhouse Washington & Lee.

However, the team will need to replace their top two singles players from last year in reigning ODAC player of the year Rich Pugh and Shad Harrell if they hope to replicate 2011′s success. Looking to fill the void are seniors Kevin Calhoun, who had a 10-3 record in singles matches last year, and Ian Summler, who went 8-3 in his singles matches in 2011. Coach Bates will also look for early contributions from the team’s two incoming freshmen, Zach King and Houghton Flanagan.

The tennis team’s first match of 2012 will be an ODAC bout against Emory and Henry on February 24th at 3 pm.

Golf

The golf team, led by second-year head coach John Prengaman, hopes to continue the positive momentum from a great fall season that saw them win two tournaments as a team, including the Hampden-Sydney Invitational that took place on their home course at the Manor Golf Club. The team’s top two golfers from the fall season were senior Ronnie Fultz and sophomore Rick O’Connell, who claimed an individual title at the Tom Kinder Memorial Invitational this past fall with a score of six under par.

The golf team’s spring schedule commences March 11th when they travel to Dataw Island, SC to compete in the Taylor Made/Adidas Intercollegiate Tournament, and they should be a strong contender in the ODAC Championship Tournament on April 22nd.

Club Sports

In addition to the four intercollegiate sports, two club teams, rugby and track & field, will represent Hampden-Sydney in athletics this spring.

Rugby, led by team captains Phillip Smith and Tyler Wilson, will look to fare better than they did during their fall season, when they wound up with a record of 2 wins, 6 losses and 1 tie. Head Coach Saranna Thornton’s squad is slated to compete in seven matches, including home games against VMI and Richmond. Rugby’s spring season begins on the road on February 11th with a 1 pm match against Lord Fairfax Community College.

Meanwhile, the Club Track team will compete in travel to three meets this spring, with the first meet on their tentative schedule taking place on March 17th at Lynchburg College. Hampden-Sydney’s cross country runners, led by sophomore Andrew Stoddard (who by the way is a very smart guy and a complete badass), will comprise the majority of the club track squad.

It is shaping up to be a memorable and successful spring season for Tiger Athletics, so be sure to get out there and support your favorite spring sports team! Go Tigers!

Quick Hits

admin — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 02:13:32 +0000

Football Garners Post-Season Awards

After a strong 9-2 season the Hampden-Sydney football team earned recognition at the conference, region, and national level. At the ODAC level, Marty Favret won Coach of the Year and 12 Tigers were named to the All-ODAC team. Seven Tigers were named to All-ODAC First Team; WR Kyle Vance, WR Sean Cavanaugh, OL Ben Rogers, OL Will Ferrell, LB Kenny Fryman, S Sean Stewart, and CB Zach Morgan.

Three players were named to the second team; QB Travis Lane, RB Kirk Rohle, and DE Mark Poydence. LB August Berling and TE Mike Goad were named to the third team. Four players earned recognition at the regional level, three of which were first-teamers. OL Ben Rogers, WR Kyle Vance, and CB Zach Morgan all earned first team honors and LB Kenny Fryman was named to the third team. Ben Rogers was also named first team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association.

Soccer Nets Postseason Honors

Defender Curran Blackwell landed third-team All-Region honors and first team All-ODAC honors after a stellar season that saw him score six goals and tab one assist, to finish as the team’s second leading scorer. Midfielder Nick DeProspero was also named first team All-ODAC after scoring three goals and leading the team in assists with five. Second team honors were given to the team’s leading scorer, forward Bryan Wharton (6 goals, 3 assists).

Tigers Drop Final Two to End Championship Season

admin — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:15:00 +0000

After an impressive win over the Generals of Washington and Lee University to secure the 2011 ODAC title, the football Tigers faced two important games to close out their impressive season: The 117^th edition of “The Game” against arch-rival Randolph Macon, and a berth in the 2011 NCAA football championship tournament. Unfortunately, neither game ended well for the Tigers, as they dropped the last two contests of an otherwise highly successful season.

Kenny Fryman led the Tigers in tackles this ear, making 102 including 15 tackles for a loss.

Despite clinching the ODAC title and a post-season guarantee, the Tigers knew more than just rankings and seeding were at play when they traveled to Ashland for the 117^th edition of “The Game” against rival Randolph-Macon College. The game was a back-and-forth affair, with five lead changes coming before the 26 – 21 halftime score, as Hampden-Sydney’s defense was able to create two interceptions and one forced fumble to keep the Yellow Jacket offense down. But the second half would prove to be all RMC, as the Jackets scored two early touchdowns to increase their halftime lead. A pair of HSC scores kept the game close for a time, but the Jackets fired back with another pair of touchdowns of their own, leading to the final score of 48 – 34 in favor of the Yellow Jackets. Despite shutting down the running game, limiting the Tigers to 55 yards on the ground, quarterback Travis Lane had an impressive 402 yards through the air, with 140 of those yards to Kyle Vance and 119 to Sean Cavanaugh.

After the disappointing rivalry loss, the Tigers looked ahead to their NCAA tournament seeding. The loss to Randolph-Macon eliminated the chance for a home playoff contest, so the Tigers found themselves on the road against the 25^th ranked nationally Colonels of Centre College of Danville, Kentucky. Much like the Macon game, this match-up proved to be all offense, and also proved to get away from the Tigers at the end, as Centre advanced in the tournament by a score of 51 to 41. The Colonels got off to a big lead early, and never relinquished it as they finished the first quarter up 20 – 0 on their way to a 34 – 20 halftime lead. From there, the teams exchanged scores throughout the second half, but the Tigers could not overcome their initial deficit, leading to the loss and the end of their season. Despite the loss, the Tiger offense had another explosive outing, with quarterback Travis Lane throwing for 404 yards through the air, with 158 of them to senior Wide-out Sean Cavanagh. Kirk Rohle also had 55 yards rushing for the day in the loss.

We at the Tiger would like to Congratulate the Hampden-Sydney Football Tigers on their 2011 Old Dominion Athletic Conference Championship! Go Tigers!

Cross-Country Season Wraps Up Deep in the Heart of Texas

admin — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:10:04 +0000

The Hampden-Sydney cross-country team was recently represented at the NCAA South/Southeast Regional Meet on November 12. Junior captain Andrew Craver and sophomore standout Andrew Stoddard participated in the race after strong performances at the ODAC Championship meet two weeks before. Craver and Stoddard competed alongside 174 runners and 25 teams on a hot, dusty day in Seguin, Texas.

Stoddard finished the course in 28:41, good for 74^th place. The time was Stoddard’s fourth time under 29 minutes and his fourth best time for the season. In his second trip to the regional meet, Craver finished in 113th place and paced the course in 30:04, his third best time of the year.

Although the season may be over for the Tiger harriers, there is much anticipation for the 2012 edition of the team. The team is not losing any of its current members heading into next season and head coach Betsy Prengaman is poised to bring in the strongest recruiting class in years. Craver is confident heading forward noting, “There’s no limit to the potential of our team. We are competitive in the toughest conference in our region. The team that we closed with this season is a team that’s going to quicken the current pace and become a competitive team that brings medals back to The Hill.”

Fellow junior Yonathan Ararso said, “We definitely had a good season. With some new faces on the team and a brand new course, next year is bound to be better.”

Stoddard adds that, “I felt that we had a pretty good season this past year. There were some promising performances from our runners, but we are still looking to improve next year.”

All the pieces are coming together in the puzzle that is success at the ODAC and regional level, and the team is more than willing to put in the work.

Basketball Tips Off With Five Games

admin — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:04:34 +0000

Khobi Williamson has been a force down low for the Tigers this year averaging 12.8 PPG and 9.6 rebounds per game

The Hampden-Sydney basketball team started their season off on November 18 in Huntingdon, Alabama at the Huntingdon College Classic. The Tigers opened the season with a 99-86 victory over fellow tournament participant LaGrange College. Leading all Tiger scorers was junior forward Harrison George with 19 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists. Also helping the Tiger effort was senior guard Ben Jesse, who was 2-5 from beyond the arc and had 17 points overall. Sophomore center Khobi Williamson had 15 points and a team high 8 rebounds, and senior forward Ru White had 14 points and 3 assists.

The next night, the Tigers faced off against tournament host Huntingdon College. The Tigers grabbed the lead early on and never looked back, emerging with a decisive 98-71 victory. Leading all scorers was freshman Cam Anderson who put in 18 points in a mere 15 minutes in the best game of his young college career. George had another big game for the Tigers, putting in 17 points and adding 7 rebounds. Jesse once again lived up to his sharpshooter reputation, going 4-6 from behind the arc and finishing with 14 points overall. Both Williamson and junior guard Randall Ward had 11 points. Ward also contributed a team high 4 assists. After claiming the championship at the Huntingdon College Classic, the Tigers prepared to face their next opponent, the Monarchs of Methodist University.

The game was hard fought throughout with both teams snatching the lead back and forth. Eventually, the Monarchs were able to slide by the Tigers by a score of 81-79. Randall Ward had a spectacular game and seemingly could not miss from beyond the arc, putting in 7 of 10 shots for 21 points on the night while adding 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Also finishing in double figures for the Tigers were Ru White, who had 13, and Khobi Williamson, who finished with 12.

The Tigers looked to rebound against Shenandoah a few nights later in the South Region Hoops Challenge in Fredericksburg, VA. With every player on the roster but two scoring, the Tigers had a balanced attack that easily dispatched the Hornets. Leading the Tigers was Ben Jesse who scored 15 points including a perfect 6-6 from the free throw line. Also scoring in double figures were Khobi Williamson (14) and center Alexi Potapov (11). The Tigers thoroughly dominated the game, out-rebounding the Hornets 42-31 and forcing 29 turnovers. The Tigers were also able to score 33 points off turnovers, a key factor in the victory.

In their second game in Fredericksburg, The Tigers faced off against the Battling Bishops of North Carolina Wesleyan. The Tigers found themselves down by 5 at halftime and couldn’t fully overcome the deficit and fell 73-70. Harrison George led all Tiger scorers with 20 points. Ru White added 18 points and Khobi Williamson finished with 12 points and 15 rebounds, the first Tiger double-double of the season.

New Swimming Team Dives In

admin — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:59:36 +0000

If you have stopped by Legget Pool lately, you may notice, contrary to years past, a group of students swimming back and forth across the length of the pool Monday through Friday. For the first time in the school’s history, Hampden-Sydney has a swim team. The team is in its first year of official recognition and has already begun competition.

Members of the Swim Team pose with Coach Betsy Prengaman, Athletic Director Richard Epperson, and President Howard.

The H-SC swimmers opened up the season against archrival Randolph-Macon in the inaugural meet for both squads. Randolph-Macon came out on top 77-61, but there were many bright spots for the Tiger swimmers. Senior Josh Hamilton finished third in the 50 yard freestyle and was a mere 0.98 seconds behind first place. Sophomore Dylan Keen won the 200 yard breaststroke, besting two Yellow Jacket swimmers. Keen is the most decorated high school swimmer on the team and should be one of the top swimmers on the team for the rest of his collegiate career. Another one of the top swimmers at the meet for the Tigers was William Graf who beat out teammate Nik Kasper in the 200 yard individual medley (IM) race. The Tiger team also entered two teams in the 400 yard freestyle relay. The ‘A’ team was comprised of Keen, Hamilton, junior Sam Smith and team captain Ke Shang. The ‘A’ team came out on top of the ‘B’ team made up of Paul Salmon, Graf, Lee Ayscue, and John Bishop by a margin of 28.1 seconds.

The team has a meet scheduled with in-state rival Washington and Lee for the second semester and in the meantime, the team will continue to train hard and emerge with the foundation for a lasting, successful program.

THE GAME BREAKDOWN

admin — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 01:09:10 +0000

The football Tigers triumphantly hold aloft the trophy after defeating Macon last year.

Before the 117^th edition of “The Game” this weekend, take a look at the matchup between the Hampden-Sydney Tigers (8-1, 5-0) and the Randolph Macon Yellow Jackets (7-2, 3-2).

Offense:

The Tigers have averaged an incredible 42.9 points per game, best in the ODAC and 11^th best in all of Division III. The Tigers are also putting up 476.4 yards per game, second best in the conference and 13^th best in all of Division III. Quarterback Travis Lane is having a stellar season throwing for 2,842 yards and 26 touchdowns thus far. Running back Kirk Rohle is also having a superb year, rushing for 919 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Randolph-Macon also has a potent offense, averaging 35.1 points per game this season and gaining 411.1 yard per game. The Yellow Jackets are led by running back Thaddeus Scruggs who has rushed for 781 yards and 10 touchdowns so far this season. In the center the Jackets will have Zac Naccarato, who has thrown for 1,839 yards and 12 touchdowns this season.

Edge: Tigers

Defense:

Hampden-Sydney has allowed 25.0 points and 386.7 yards per game this season and will need to change that if they want to put this game away. However, one bright spot for the Tiger defense has been their takeaways. The defense has 18 interceptions on the year, led by sophomore corner Zach Morgan who has picked off six passes so far. The defense has also recovered six fumbles and sacked the quarterback ten times, led by Kenny Fryman with 2.5. Fryman also leads the Tigers in tackles for a loss with 16.

The Yellow Jackets have allowed 20.6 points per game so far this season and are stout against the run, allowing just 95.3 yards a game, the best mark in the conference. The Jackets also have an impact player in defensive end Joe Pricone who leads the ODAC with 7 sacks and 18 tackles for a loss this season. However, the Jackets don’t cause many turnovers, which could very well be the key to the game.

Edge: Even

Special Teams:

The Tigers have had two field goals and two extra points blocked so far, and kicker David Prizzia is only 44% on field goals this season. Punting has been better for the Tigers, as sophomore Corey Geiger has pinned opponents inside the twenty on five occasions. The Tiger return game has garnered no touchdowns so far this season.

The Yellow Jackets have fared better on field goals, kicker Josh Storm is 75% for the season and has had no kicks blocked thus far. The Jackets have also returned a kick for a touchdown and blocked a field goal.

Edge: Macon

Intangibles:

The Tigers have already clinched both the conference championship and a playoff berth when the postseason tournament starts on November 19^th, but they are still playing for a chance at a home game and will show up focused and ready to win. The Jackets are playing for pride on Saturday and on their Senior Day.

Both teams know the immense meaning of this rivalry, and the game promises to be a hard-fought contest with memorable moments and big plays on each side.

Edge: Even

Prediction: The Hampden-Sydney offense is just too much to handle and the Tigers are playing inspired football right now, they’ve won five straight and don’t appear to be slowing down. Tigers 44-28

Cross Country Team Finishes Season at ODAC Championships

admin — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 01:02:36 +0000

On a cold, muddy day in Bedford, Virginia the Hampden-Sydney cross-country team competed in the culmination of their season, the ODAC championship meet. The team competed with 9 other schools in the conference at the Lynchburg College cross-country course and finished eighth besting Randolph College and Emory & Henry College. The team champion was the Lynchburg College Hornets with course champion Tim Smith of Roanoke College for the men’s race.

Leading the Tigers, as he has all season, was sophomore Andrew Stoddard who crossed the line at 27:51, his second fastest time of the year. Close behind Stoddard was junior captain Andrew Craver who paced the 5 mile course in 28:39, his best time of the season.

Junior Yonathan Ararso finished third on the team, running the course in 31:12. Next to finish for the Tigers was junior Henry Loehr who finished with a time of 32:28. Rounding out the top five was sophomore Ned Belliveau who trekked the course in 33:57. Junior Dave Barrett (34:07) and freshman Brett Crocker (35:59) also finished for the Tigers.

Stoddard and Craver will both travel to Sequoia, Texas for the South/Southeastern Regional Meet on November 12^th. This will be the second regional race for Craver who also participated during the 2009 season. Stoddard will be making his first regional appearance and both runners look to gain momentum heading into the offseason, both for themselves and the team.

H-SC cross country runners posed for a picture after a race at Lynchburg College, where the ODAC championship hosted.

H-SC Varsity Swim Team Underway

admin — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 02:13:41 +0000

Hampden-Sydney College recruits students every year to play various sports, while also accepting a small quantity of walk-ons. Ke Shang ‘13 was not recruited to play a sport; moreover, he did not walk-on a team either. Ke is the founder of the first Hampden-Sydney Swim Team and has recruited fifteen other members to join him in representing the college. “I had the idea to build a swim team for Hampden-Sydney even before I came here,” he says. When Ke arrived on campus as a freshman, starting a swim team was not an option due to NCAA regulations and lack of school funding; therefore, a club swim team was started. Over the years, Ke, along with various other students participated on the club level, unsatisfied with the lack of competition and attention they were receiving.

H-SC swimmers look forward to their first meet with Randolph-Macon during the winter.

With the support from Head Cross Country Coach and Assistant Director of Tiger Recreation at Hampden Sydney, Betsy Prengaman, the swim team developed a new sign of hope at the beginning of the 2011 school year. She has taken the position as Head Coach for the swim team, further displaying her support for the swim team and the college. The new team practices four days a week, entertaining the on duty lifeguards with their continuous laps back and forth. And they are finally putting the swimming pool, which had resorted to hosting Greek Week Belly-Flop contest, to better use.

The so called reason that this new swim team has taken so long to develop is said to revolve around the aspect that the school refused to issue the program any funding. Interestingly, it just so happens that Randolph Macon College is developing a new swimming program at the same exact time that H-SC decided to do so. Though it is a plausible idea that the school will refuse to supply the team with any capital, Ke’s strong spirit remains intact when he states, “there are myriads of ways to kill a bug; It’s time for the Tigers to drown the stinky Yellow Jacket!” The Yellow Jackets will most likely be the Tigers’ first opponents, and just like in every other sport, the rivalry shall continue.

Regardless of why the construction of this team has been dragged out so long, the wait is now over for Ke and his team members. Hampden-Sydney is in the process of successively adding another varsity team to the dominating list of athletics that represent the college. Consisting of students from every class, the Hampden-Sydney swim team is now another way for students to be active within the college. After two years of dedication towards the making of the swim program, Ke proudly reveals, “You can do anything with a degree from H-SC.” The swim team is certain to expand the dimensions of our college.

Tiger Sports

admin — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 01:59:40 +0000

X-C Prepares for Conference Championships

On October 29th the Hampden-Sydney Cross Country team will participate in the ODAC conference meet in Bedford, VA. Leading the Tigers so far this season has been sophomore Andrew Stoddard; who finished the highest on the team in every race ha has run this season. Along with Stoddard, Andrew Craver and Yonathan Ararso are also looking to qualify for the South/SoutheastRegional Meet hostted by Texas Lutheran Colege in Sequoia, Texas.

Golf Wraps Up Fall Season

After months of work the fall golf season has wrapped up with the Golfweek.com DIII Invitational in Sandestin, Florida. The team finished 15th in the standings, and sophomore Rick O’Connell placed tenth after shooting seven over par for the Invitational. Close behind O’Connell was captain Ronnie Fultz who was six strokes back of his teammate. The Tigers will now look to the spring and hope to rise in the rankings after being named as #29 in DIII by Golfstat.

Intramurals Heats Up

Varsity athletes aren’t the only ones hitting the fields this fall as Intramurals are in full swing. Flag football started the IM schedule and seven teams participated in the league. Right after flag football ended, soccer kicked off with ten teams playing in two divisions; “Garnet”, the fraternity division and “Grey”, the non-fraternity division. The final IM sport coming up this season is volleyball, Frisbee, softball, and basketball.

Basketball Tigers Ranked #23 in Nation on Preseason Polls

In the preseason D3Hoops.com poll the Tigers were selected the #23 team in the nation for the entire Division III. The Tigers are the second highest ranked ODAC team, after #1 Virginia Wesleyan. The Tigers garnered this ranking after finishing 17-10 last season, and returning four starters, including All-ODAC Harrison George. George led the team in points per game (20) and rebounds per game (8). Also returning are sharpshooter Ben Jesse (35.7% from 3) and swingman Ru White among others. The Tigers open the season on November 18 at the Huntingdon College Classic.