CONWAY, Ark. - The Hendrix College football team jumped out to an early lead and never let go as the Warriors downed the Austin College 'Roos 38-28 in a non-conference tilt on Saturday afternoon at Young-Wise Memorial Stadium. 

Seth Peters and Dayton Winn returned from injuries to lead the Warriors to nearly 500 yards of total offense. The team rushed for 267 yards, including a career-high 190 yards from Winn, and gained 231 yards in the air to baffle the 'Roos defense. Winn ran for a pair of touchdowns while Peters tossed a pair of scores and pucnhed one in on the ground to propel the Hendrix scoring attack. Casey Caton led all receivers in the game with 92 yards through the air while Spencer Smith caught five passes for 68 yards and a score. Ethan Hoppe added a two-yard touchdown catch for the Warriors as well.

On the defensive side of the ball, Thomas Eddlemon led the team with a career-high 11 tackles, while Matt Ramirez and Caleb Shannon each had nine. Along with his nine tackles, Shannon picked off a pass and returned it for 71 yards to set up a Warriors score. Brett Asher finished with two tackles, including a huge fourth-down sack while Harrison Newton and Justus Williams split a sack. Eddlemon, Newton, Asher, Stephen Stearman, and Ben Cunningham all finished with a tackle for loss for the Warriors as well. 

In the first quarter, Hendrix put together three drives of 70 yards or more and finished each with a touchdown to go ahead 21-0 in the early going. On the first drive of the game, Hendrix marched down the field going 72 yards on eight plays to score a touchdown. Winn broke a 15-yard touchdown run to cap the drive, putting the Warriors up 7-0.

After the Hendrix defense forced a quick punt, the offense marched right back down to the end zone, going 74 yards on 10 plays. Spencer Smith caught a 31-yard pass from Peters for a touchdown to put the home team ahead 14-0 with 6:40 to play in the first quarter. 

On the 'Roos second attempt to drive the field, the Hendrix defense stopped them once again forcing another punt. The Warriors offense carried over the momentum, putting together their third long drive of the first quarter. The squad went 77 yards on seven plays before Peters found Ethan Hoppe for a two-yard score on an end zone fade to go ahead 21-0.

After just one quarter of play, Hendrix had piled up a 21-0 lead, gaining 211 yards of total offense while holding the visitors to just 44 yards. On the first play of the second quarter, the Warriors kept the hits coming. Caleb Shannon stepped in front of a pass from Noah Jesko and picked it off. The safety returned the ball 71 yards to the Austin College 9-yard line, setting up the Warriors with great field position. Hendrix was forced to kick a field goal after a sack by Austin's Charles Eneh. Steve Crenshaw booted a 22-yarder to put the Orange and Black ahead 24-0. Midway through the second quarter, Austin College got on the board with a touchdown but missed the extra point. The Warriors took a 24-6 lead into the locker room at the half.

In the third quarter, the 'Roos hung around by making a few key stops on defense and came up with a big play on special teams. Casey Davis recovered a botched punt snap in the endzone for a touchdown that cut the Hendrix lead to 24-14 after a successful two-point conversion. 

The Warriors would respond on their next drive. Seth Peters orchestrated the Warriors fourth touchdown drive of the day, going 76 yards on seven plays. Peters finished the drive off himself taking a read option around the left end for a one-yard score. Peters' fourth rushing touchdown of the season gave Hendrix a 31-14 lead.

In the fourth quarter, the 'Roos attempted to stick around with a touchdown drive that cut the lead to 31-21. Noah Jesko found Cooper Woodyard for a 20-yard score to cut down the lead. 

Ahead by 10 points with just over 10 minutes remaining, Dayton Winn drove the final nail home for Hendrix. The sophomore running back broke open a 75-yard run, sprinting past everyone to the end zone. Winn's gallop was the longest play from scrimmage since the rebirth of the program and the team's longest scoring play since the rebirth as well. Dayton Winn's scoring scamper made the score 38-21 and the Warriors never looked back.

Jesko would find Woodyard in the end zone again with under two minutes left, but the score came too little too late as the Warriors fielded the ensuing onside kick and ran out the final two minutes of the clock. 

Hendrix started their season with a 4-0 mark, but had lost their last two before bouncing back against Austin. The win improves the Orange and Black record to 5-2 on the season. The squad will return to action on Saturday, November 1 when they host Southern Athletic Association opponent Centre College at 1 p.m.