W&L Football Knocks Off Bridgewater, 52-42
LEXINGTON, Va. – Washington and Lee racked up 606 yards of total offense and scored 21 points fourth quarter points to pull away for a 52-42 win over Bridgewater in ODAC football action on Saturday afternoon at Wilson Field.
The two teams combined for 1,090 yards of offense, with 35 total points scored in the final 15 minutes of action. In the process, W&L senior quarterback Charlie Westfal (New Canaan, Conn./New Canaan) eclipsed Christian Batcheller '00 for the school's career record for total offense. He now has 6,508 total yards.
The Generals (7-1, 4-0) took a 31-28 lead with 2:12 left in the third quarter on a 32-yard touchdown reception by junior running back Brett Murray (Lookout Mountain, Tenn./Baylor School) and extended their lead to 38-28 on a 1-yard touchdown run by Westfal with 9:50 left in the game.
The Eagles (4-3, 1-2) climbed to within 38-35 on a 64-yard touchdown run by senior running back Anthony Carter (West Park, Fla./Upperroom Christian) just 1:09 later, but W&L responded with a 9-play, 73-yard drive that was finished with an 8-yard touchdown run by junior running back Russell Stewart (Elkin, N.C./Elkin) with 4:32 left in the game to make it 45-35. Bridgewater struck quickly when junior tight end Cord Keating (Berryville, Va./Clarke County) hauled in a 21-yard scoring strike from junior quarterback Carlos Gonzalez (Pembroke Pines, Fla./Archbishop McCarthy) to make it a 45-42 game with 3:04 left. The Generals recovered an onside kick and scored four plays later when Westfal plunged in from 3-yards out for a 52-42 lead with 2:00 to play. Senior linebacker John Kavanagh (Cos Cob, Conn./Greenwich) intercepted Gonzalez on the ensuing possession and the Generals ran out the clock for their 10th-straight ODAC victory.
Neither team led by more than a touchdown in the opening half and the Generals carried a 24-21 lead into the halftime break. Carter scored on a 51-yard touchdown run to give BC a 28-24 lead just 58 seconds into the third quarter, but W&L seized the lead back late in the third quarter setting up the fourth period scoring bonanza.
Washington and Lee was led by Westfal, who completed 11-of-15 passes for 162 yards and two touchdowns and rushed 16 times for 109 yards and two more scores. Murray rushed 17 times for 123 yards and one touchdown, and caught five passes for 74 yards and two touchdowns, while junior running back Luke Heinsohn (Charlottesville, Va./Covenant) rushed 20 times for 138 yards and one touchdown and caught two passes for 40 yards. Senior linebacker Rob Look (Dallas, Texas/Hillcrest) and senior defensive back Jake Pelton (Charlottesville, Va./Monticello) each recorded 11 tackles to lead the W&L defense.
Bridgewater was paced by Carter, who rushed 25 times for 233 yards and three touchdowns. Gonzalez completed 16-of-28 passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns (1 INT), while senior wide receiver Leigh Bradley (Manassas, Va./Osbourn Park) caught a team-high four passes for 64 yards and a touchdown. Junior linebacker Salem Nganga (Dumfries, Va./Forest Park) notched a team-best 10 tackles.
Washington and Lee returns to action on Friday as it hosts Catholic for a 7:00 pm contest.
-- GENERALS --
