Miriello Sets Wins Record As W&L Football Defeats Guilford 55-29
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Washington and Lee scored its most points in a game in 48 years, producing a 55-29 victory over Guilford in ODAC football action on Saturday afternoon at the Armfield Athletic Center.
The victory was the 77th in the career of Head Coach Frank Miriello, setting a new program record for career victories. Miriello surpassed Gary Fallon, who had notched 76 wins from 1978-94. His career record now stands at 77-75-1 over 16 seasons.
The Generals' 55 points were the most since posting a 55-14 win over Franklin & Marshall on Oct. 27, 1962. W&L (2-2, 1-0) forced five Guilford turnovers and racked up 545 yards of total offense, including 463 rushing yards (third-most in ODAC history), in winning in Greensboro for the second-straight season.
The Quakers (0-4, 0-1) jumped out to a 3-0 lead as Tyler Hall capped a 14-play, 56-yard game-opening drive with a 27-yard field goal. A 26-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Charlie Westfal (New Canaan, Conn./New Canaan) to sophomore running back Brett Murray (Lookout Mountain, Tenn./Baylor School) on the next possession gave the Generals a 6-3 lead with 4:38 left in the first quarter.
Guilford wrestled the lead back on a 23-yard touchdown run by Mike Williams just 12 seconds into the second quarter, but junior running back Harrison Hudson scored a pair of touchdowns, including a 29-yard touchdown catch from Westfal with 42 seconds remaining to give W&L a 20-9 lead. However, the Quakers drove 61 yards in three plays to make it 20-15 on a 32-yard touchdown reception by Ben King with five seconds left in the half.
The Generals scored three unanswered second quarter touchdowns, including a 47-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Luke Heinsohn (Charlottesville, Va./Covenant), to carry a 41-15 lead into the final quarter. The two teams exchanged touchdowns in the fourth period for the final result.
W&L received touchdowns by five different players led by Murray, who totaled three touchdowns on the day, two rushing and one receiving. He rushed nine times for 69 yards and caught one pass for 26 yards. Hudson rushed five times for 69 yards and a touchdown and caught one pass for 29 yards and a touchdown. Heinsohn eclipsed the 100-yard mark for the third-straight game, carrying 20 times for 223 yards and one touchdown. It was W&L's first 200-yard rushing game since the 2001 season. Westfal finished 3-of-6 passing for 64 yards and two touchdowns and he rushed for another score. Sophomore defensive back Jake Pelton (Charlottesville, Va./Monticello) led the defense with eight tackles, a fumble recovery and an interception.
Sophomore quarterback Luke Vandall completed 23-of-29 passes for 299 yards and three touchdowns (2 INT) to lead the Quaker offense. Sophomore wide receiver Ben King had 10 catches for 141 yards and two scores, while sophomore running back Mike Williams carried eight times for 55 yards and one touchdown. Junior linebacker Chris Jessup recorded a game-high 14 tackles and a sack to lead the Guilford defense.
Washington and Lee returns to action on Saturday as it hosts Emory & Henry for a 1:30 pm contest.
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