April 4, 2009

Box Score (PDF) | Photos

RICHMOND - Rising junior WR Max Prokell reeled four catches for 48 yards and a pair of touchdown passes from redshirt freshman QB Nick Hicks as the Richmond offense outlasted the defense, 45-38, in the Spiders' annual spring football game Saturday at UR Stadium.

A sizable crowd of 2,463 watched, including nearly 100 former Richmond football players, as the Spiders brought their first Spring Season as reigning National Champions to a close.

Hicks finished the day seven-for-10 passing for 94 yards, two touchdowns, an interception and rushed for a score. Fellow redshirt freshman QB John Laub was six-for-11 through the air for 83 yards, one interception and a one-yard TD plunge. Rising senior starting QB Eric Ward played just the two series and was incomplete on his four pass attempts.

The game was played as a controlled scrimmage with the offense getting points for scores and the defense scoring points on stops or turnovers.

Prokell hauled in TD catches of 31 and six yards, but the long strike of the day was a 39-yard pass from Laub to redshirt freshman TE Kevin Finney. Junior WR Jonathan Mayfield had two catches for 38 yards.

Rising sophomore TB Garrett Wilkins led the way on the ground with his seven carries for 70 yards. Rising senior TB Justin Forte carried five times for 63 yards - including a dazzling 61-yard run on the game's second play from scrimmage. Redshirt freshman FB Lee Rose scored on a pair of one-yard TD runs.

The defensive side saw rising junior LB Jordan Shoop collect a game-high eight tackles, while rising sophomore LB Michael Parker and rising senior DB Seth Williams each had six stops.

Of the four turnovers gained by the defense, sophomore LB Ryan Sweeney and senior DE Nicholas Battle recovered the fumbles, while sophomore DB Tremayne Graham and redshirt freshman DB Darryl Hamilton had the interceptions.

Hamilton returned his interception 33 yards for a touchdown as the defense's lone six-point score of the contest.

Senior K Andrew Howard made good on all six PAT attempts and connected on a 43-yard field goal, but missed from 38 yards.

At halftime of the contest, rising fifth-year seniors Eric Ward, Matthew McCracken, Seth Williams and Collin McConaghy were named the 2009 captains.

Using a similar format in last year's Spring Game, the defense was on the winning end in 2008, 42-24.