CHESTER, Pa. -- In the first home game in 671 days on campus, the Widener football team posted a 34-27 victory over Hampden-Sydney on Saturday afternoon on Elizabeth J. Hirschmann Field at Leslie C. Quick, Jr. Stadium.

Playing at home for the first time since Nov. 9, 2019, the Pride were in a back-and-forth battle in the first quarter and a half, as each team scored a touchdown in the first quarter. In the second quarter, the Pride managed to tie the game at 14 with 7:36 left after quarterback Triston Harris found Ty Holbert for a 14-yard touchdown. 

On the ensuing possession, the Pride defense came up with a huge turnover on third-and-11 from the Widener 42-yard line, as senior defensive lineman Mario Scotese sacked Hampden-Sydney's Tanner Bernard and forced a fumble, allowing teammate Adam Oldrati to scoop up the ball at the Hampden-Sydney 42 and return it 39 yards to the 3-yard line. Two plays later, quarterback Sean Mullarkey, who started the game for the Pride, found senior wide receiver James Gillespie for a 2-yard TD strike to give the Blue and Gold a 21-14 lead heading into halftime. 

In the second half, the Pride defense held the Tigers to only 10 points, three in the third quarter and seven in the fourth. With the defense keeping Hampden-Sydney in check, the Pride offense managed to extend the lead to 28-20 after Harris connected with h-back Joe Bristow on 34-yard pass, then scored on a quarterback sneak two plays later from 1 yard out. 

Then, the defense made a big stand on the ensuing possession, as Oldrati made a sack for a 7-yard loss on third-and-15 at the Hampden-Sydney 10-yard line to force a punt. When the Pride got the ball back, the offense put it away when Shawn Thompson bolted for a 48-yard touchdown on a third-and-6 play to help the Pride go to 2-0 for the first time since 2014.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Harris and Mullarkey both put up some great numbers under center. Mullarkey went 5-for-6 for 73 yards and two touchdowns, with his first TD pass going to Cameron Hooper from 55 yards out. Harris finished 14-of-20 for 168 yards and had five carries for 30 yards to go with his pair of TDs.
• Scotese had a huge showing on the defensive end, making five tackles and two sacks to go with his forced fumble that changed the tide in the game.
• The Pride receiving corps had a great day. Holbert led the way with six receptions for 59 yards, while Gillespie had four receptions for 32 yards, Hooper had two receptions for 51 yards, Tevin Hill had one reception for 34 yards, Bristow had one reception for 34 yards, and Zack Vanscovich had two receptions for 18 yards.
• Thompson led the Pride running backs on the ground, rushing 12 times for 93 yards and a TD.
• Brendan Kearns and Terence Thompson also made big plays on defensive. Kearns led the Pride in tackles with nine, while Thompson had seven tackles and a forced fumble.

OF NOTE

• The win was No. 712 for the Widener football program 
• Gillespie's TD reception was the 26th of his career. He is one score away from moving into fourth place on Widener's all-time reception TDs list.44

UP NEXT
 Widener will host Lebanon Valley next Saturday afternoon in its first MAC game of the season. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.