LEXINGTON, Va. – The Washington and Lee University Football Team (2-2, 1-0 ODAC) took advantage of a 28-point first quarter and 495 rushing yards as it defeated visiting Emory & Henry College (1-3, 0-1 ODAC) by a 49-23 score Friday night at Wilson Field.
The Basics
FINAL SCORE – Washington and Lee 49, Emory & Henry 23
LOCATION – Lexington, Virginia – Wilson Field
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (1-3, 0-1 ODAC); Washington and Lee (2-2, 1-0 ODAC)
How It Happened
- The Generals got on the board on the opening drive of the game as Charlie Nelson hit Jack Taylor with an 18-yard touchdown pass.
- Nelson gave W&L a 14-0 lead at the 8:48 mark of the first quarter, this time using his legs for an 18-yard touchdown run.
- The Wasps got on the board, 14-6, on a 13-yard scamper by freshman running back Kendrick Kube (Covington, Va.)
- Washington and Lee scored three-straight touchdowns to push its advantage to 35-6 with 12:38 remaining before halftime. Matt Sgro had a 70-yard touchdown run, Grey Reames returned an interception 86 yards for a score and Nelson hit Taylor with a 66-yard catch-and-run to put the Generals in the driver's seat.
- Emory & Henry freshman kicker Matt Seals (Rogersville, Tenn.) hit a 33-yard field goal to make the score 35-9 at the half.
- In the third quarter, the Wasps' offense began to click as they trimmed the margin to 12 (35-23) thanks to an eight-yard run by sophomore quarterback Dominic Dunnaville (Roanoke, Va.), who also hit freshman wideout Derrick Yates (Abingdon, Va.) for a nine-yard touchdown catch.
- The final 15 minutes saw the Generals extend their advantage back to the 26-point halftime margin with a pair of touchdowns. Nelson tallied his second scoring run of the game, this time a 10-yard rush, and Jimmie Johnson put the finishing touches on the game with a 26-yard run.
Emory & Henry Individual Leaders
- Kube rushed 11 times for 168 yards and a touchdown while Dunnaville had a touchdown run and on 34 rushing yards.
- Dunnaville was 10-for-16 through the air for 98 yards and a score while junior quarterback Kevin Saxton (Monroe, N.C.) completed 20 of his 34 passes for 138 yards.
- The duo of signal callers hit 10 different receivers on the day led by Yates with 11 catches for 68 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore Tyree Ward (Stateville, N.C.) caught two passes for 32 yards while sophomore Jesse Santiago (Yorktown, Va.) had three receptions for 29 yards.
- Senior linebacker Rhasheen Williams (Charlotte, N.C.) led all players with 11 tackles, 10 of which were solo stops, while junior defensive back Jae Daniels (Roanoke, Va.) made nine stops.
- Sophomore defensive tackle Kash Jones (Gainesville, Ga.) accounted for eight tackles including two for a loss of 10 yards and a sack.
Washington and Lee Individual Leaders
- Marshall Hollerith was one of four Generals' rushers to accumulate over 70 yards, running for 117 yards on 20 carries.
- Sgro had 84 yards and a touchdown on the ground from his quarterback position while Nelson ran for 47 yards and two scores and went 2-for-2 through the air for 84 yards and two more touchdowns.
- Walker Brand and Josh Malm had 74 rushing yards each.
- Jack Taylor caught both passes in the game, both for touchdowns, including the 66-yarder which made the score 35-6.
- Max Garrett had 11 tackles and one pass break up while Ian Gipson added nine stops and a pass defended. Will Dyson tallied five tackles, an interception and broke up three other passes and Grey Reames notched four stops, two pass break-ups and an interception which he returned 86 yards for a score.
A Deeper Look
- Washington and Lee led in total offense 579-481, rushing for 495 yards. The efficiency of the Generals' ground game allowed a 34:43-25:17 advantage in time of possession.
- W&L scored 14 points of two Emory & Henry turnovers and did not commit a turnover of their own despite putting the ball on the ground three times in the rainy conditions.
- The Generals were 10-of-16 (63%) on third down compared to 50% (8-for-16) for the Wasps.
- E&H was penalized six times for 55 yards while W&L committed four infractions for 38 yards.
Notable
- Emory & Henry leads the all-time series with Washington and Lee, 29-17, including a 27-14 mark since the ODAC formed in 1976.
- The Generals have won two straight, however, and six of the last seven meetings dating back to the 2009 season.
Up Next
- Emory & Henry returns home next Saturday to welcome Shenandoah University to Fred Selfe Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
- The contest will also serve as the backdrop for the College's annual Sports Hall of Fame induction which will take place in the John Rutledge King Center gymnasium at 10:00 a.m.-
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-photo courtesy of Dave Grace