ASHLAND, Va. - Berry Football mounted a spectacular fourth-quarter comeback to secure a 28-24 victory over the #9 Randolph-Macon Yellow Jackets today on the road.
This win pushes the Vikings to a 2-1 record, while handing Randolph-Macon their first loss of the season.
The Vikings entered the final quarter trailing 17-12, but they refused to back down. Quarterback Christian Lewis led the charge, orchestrating a quick touchdown drive capped by a Brandon Cade rush that gave Berry their first lead at 18-17 early in the fourth. This critical drive came after Berry's defense set the tone, forcing a Randolph-Macon punt deep in their own territory.
Moments later, the Vikings' defense came up with another key play. Grady Bryant and Jake Whitten teamed up for a sack on Randolph-Macon quarterback, stalling their drive and giving Berry excellent field position. Kicker Trey Richards capitalized, nailing a 42-yard field goal to extend the Vikings' advantage to 21-17.
Randolph-Macon responded with a touchdown to reclaim the lead, but the Vikings' defense delivered again. With just under six minutes remaining, Dawson Livingston forced a fumble on a crucial Yellow Jacket possession, and Jack Murray recovered the ball at the Randolph-Macon 27-yard line. This turnover set up Richards' field goal, which put Berry ahead again.
The Vikings' offense quickly capitalized, with Lewis engineering an 8-play, 75-yard drive late in the game. Cade, who had been relentless on the ground, punched in his second rushing touchdown of the game, reclaiming the lead for Berry at 28-24 with just over a minute remaining. The defensive pressure didn't let up—on Randolph-Macon's ensuing drive, Luke Carlton came through with a sack that forced another fumble, which was recovered by the Vikings to seal the victory?.
Lewis threw for 260 yards, connecting with standout receiver Khamari Smith, who tallied 76 yards and a touchdown. Cade's two rushing touchdowns and the defense's relentless pressure highlighted a resilient performance that allowed Berry to rally back.
Coach Kunczewski on the win: "After one of our most difficult losses we have ever had, this is probably one of the best wins we have ever had. It took a lot of guts and effort to come back especially after we are missing 5-6 key players.
Our prayers go out to the young man from Randolph-Macon who was injured today."
Berry will be back in action at home, after their bye week. Their next game is Mountain Day, October 5 against Southwestern (TX) at 6:00 PM ET.
