HAMPDEN-SYDNEY — For the second time in three years, the Old Dominion Athletic Conference football title belongs to Hampden-Sydney College.

  The Tigers jumped out to a commanding halftime lead Saturday and withstood a second-half offensive barrage to outlast defending champion Washington and Lee 42-35.

  “Unbelievable,” said senior wide receiver Sean Cavanagh. “(Losing to W&L) last year was the worst feeling ever.”

  The Tigers dominated the first half behind an efficient offense and stifling defense.

  Sophomore tight end Eric Gorsline capped H-SC’s opening drive with a 29-yard TD reception from senior quarterback Travis Lane.

  Lane, a standout from Mills Godwin, finished 21 of 33 for 331 yards and four scores.

  Former Hanover star Kirk Rohle (21 carries, 101 yards) punched in a pair of 1-yard TDs to put the Tigers up 21-0 at the half.

  Freshman Josh Doggett, a former Atlee standout who some said had Division I potential, intercepted Generals quarterback Charlie Westfal and ran 20 yards to set up Rohle’s second score.

  “I was supposed to be pass rushing,” said Doggett, who finished with 10 tackles in his first collegiate start. “But my linebacker instincts read pass and I knew I wasn’t going to get there, so I just jumped the out rout and was lucky enough to make the pick.”

  “I told him during the week he was our secret weapon,” Tigers coach Marty Favret said. “‘Dog’s going to be a star here and he made arguably one of the biggest plays of the game.”

  Hampden-Sydney (8-1, 5-0) continued to strike at will after the break, with Kyle Vance hauling in a 15-yard scoring pass from Lane on the opening drive to put the Tigers up 28-0.

  But the Generals (8-2, 5-1) showed why they’re defending champions, scoring on their next five possessions.

  Despite being held to only four completions and 47 yards in the first 30 minutes, Westfal finished 16 of 34 for 243 yards and three scores, and he rushed for 73 yards and a score.

  “They got their rhythm,” Favret said.

  But Cavanagh (seven receptions, 131 yards) was one of many Tigers who helped disrupt the Generals’ late tempo.

  The former Clover Hill standout hauled in a critical 23-yard scoring pass with 14:47 remaining in the fourth quarter after the Generals posted two consecutive TDs.

  “Whenever you catch a long ball, I feel like it’s a turning point,” Cavanagh said.

  But the conversion almost didn’t happen.

  “(Coach) actually made the same call twice in a row,” Cavanagh said. “First one got busted. I really appreciate Coach sticking with it, that was a big time.”
 
  Nathan Madden is a staff writer for the Richmond Times Dispatch.
 
W&L…..................  0 0 14 21— 35
H-SC….................... 7 14 7 14— 42

H-SC — Gorsline 29 pass from Lane (Prizzia kick)
H-SC — Rohle 1 run (Prizzia kick)
H-SC — Rohle 1 run (Prizzia kick)
H-SC — Vance 15 pass from Lane (Prizzia kick)
W&L — Westfal 1 run (Alston kick)
W&L — Murray 4 run (Alston kick)
H-SC — Cavanagh 23 pass from Lane (Prizzia kick)
W&L — Evans 36 pass from Westfal (Alston kick)
H-SC — Vance 15 pass from Lane (Prizzia kick)
W&L — Smith 31 pass from Westfal (Alston kick)
W&L — Evans 4 pass from Westfal (Alston kick)