Hendrix Warriors Lose to Rhodes College at Young-Wise Stadium

CONWAY, Ark. – Hendrix College football suffered a 55-36 loss to Rhodes College in Southern Athletic Association action on Saturday. Before the game, the College dedicated Young-Wise Memorial Stadium, opened for the 2013 season – the Warriors’ first year of football since 1960.

The Lynx (7-2, 4-1) opened the game with a five-play, 65-yard drive, scoring on a 21-yard pass from Blake Box to Mike Edel. The Warriors (3-6, 1-4) answered with a drive capped by a five-yard pass from freshman Tanner Frye to freshman Dayton Winn to tie game. The big play of the possession came on a 50-yard completion to junior receiver Casey Caton, getting Hendrix near the red zone.

Rhodes took the lead on a one-yard run from running back Kevin Vieira. After a 44-yard interception return by Stanton Brown back to the Warrior five, Box completed a pass to Charles Schneider to go up 21-7 in the first quarter.

Hendrix kicker Steve Crenshaw connected on a 32-yard field goal with 13:07 left in the second to cut the lead to 21-10. Tailback Dane Wilson scored on a 10-yard run for Rhodes on the next possession, Hendrix answered on the next possession with Winn running in from the one yardline to make the game 28-17. Later in the second quarter, Brown picked off Frye again, and ran in for a 25-yard touchdown to give the Lynx a 35-17 lead at halftime.

In the third quarter Schneider scored on a 10-yard pass from Box and Winn had an eight-yard reception, making the score 42-23. Wilson scored on a one-yard scamper to open the fourth quarter for Rhodes to go up 48-23. Caton caught a 43-yard pass from Frye with 6:05 left in the game to make the game 48-29. Rhodes recovered the onside kick and scored on a 23-yard reception by Schneider.

Warrior freshman Travus McMahon scored on a nine-yard run with 2:38 left in the game for the final score.

Hendrix ran 85 plays for 514 yards, the second most this season. Rhodes had 82 plays for 548 yards and scored 55 points, the most against the Warriors in 2013.

Frye went 28-of-45 passing for 284 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. Despite being sacked six times for a loss of 36 yards, Frye managed to net 97 rushing. McMahon caught nine passes for 84 yards and Caton had five catches for 123 and touchdown. Winn rushed 16 times for 66 yards and a score and had five catches for 20 yards and two TDs.

Wilson led Rhodes’ ground attack with 11 carries for 149 yards and two touchdowns. Vieria rushed 17 times for 80 yards and a touchdown. Box went 15-of-23 for 184 yards and four touchdowns. Schneider finished with four catches, 52 yards and three touchdowns.

On defense, freshman safety Jake Steward registered 12 tackles for the Warriors and freshman linebacker Ben Cunningham had 11. Gray Stanton recorded the only tackle for loss for Hendrix.Thomas Eddlemon had a 12-yard fumble return.

Trey Hopper had 10 tackles and one for a loss for Rhodes. Mike Olushoga recorded three sacks and Tyler Cummings had two.

Hendrix will end the season on Saturday, Nov. 16 with a home game against Sewanee – The University of the South.

Hendrix dedicated Young-Wise Memorial Stadium and Plaza before the start of the game Saturday. The stadium is named for Hendrix alumni Robert Young, who was killed in World War I, and Benjamin and Jeremy Wise, who were killed during separate actions in Afghanistan.

For the memorial plaza in front of the stadium, Hendrix commissioned public artwork to honor the sacrifice of all Hendrix alumni who have given their lives in service to their country. The artwork incorporates the Hendrix Veterans’ Memorial statue of a World War I doughboy soldier and two new large bronze negative silhouettes of military helmets. The colors on the silhouettes were chosen to reflect the service of the Wise brothers. Jeremy was a U.S. Navy Seal, and Benjamin was a U.S. Army Green Beret.

The installation was designed by sculptor Ken Hruby, a West Point graduate and Vietnam veteran. Hruby is on the faculty of the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. The College solicited design concepts for the memorial plaza and Hruby’s work was recommended by a committee of faculty, staff, students and alumni.

“The negative silhouettes represent the loss, or absence, of the Wise brothers in a clear, visible form,” said Hruby. “The distance between the silhouettes and the Doughboy represents the time span of ninety-odd years between the first and the latter two combat deaths. The siting of the three elements unifies the plaza as a collective memorial rather than individual homages to these three fallen warriors.”

The memorial includes a plaque featuring a poem written by Hendrix English professor Dr. Alex Vernon, a West Point graduate and Persian Gulf War veteran, and plaques honoring each of the Wise brothers.

In addition to the Wise family, Maj. Gen. William D. Wofford, Adjutant General of the Arkansas National Guard, and Brig. Gen. LeeAnne Pittman Burch, a Hendrix alumna who commands the United States Army Reserve Legal Command in Gaithersburg, Md., attended the ceremony. Rev. Dr. Robert G. Certain, a Vietnam veteran and Executive Director of the Military Chaplains Association, also spoke.