Bridgewater Football Falls at Randolph-Macon, 38-26

ASHLAND, Va. – Junior quarterback Willie Logan rushed for a career-high 132 yards and two scores and threw for an additional touchdown but the Bridgewater Eagles football team couldn't overcome an efficient Randolph-Macon attack as the Eagles fell by a 38-26 tally at Day Field.

Randolph-Macon struck first after turning Bridgewater away on its first series of the contest. Kicker Josh Storm capped off a 13-play, 32-yard drive with a 31 yard field goal to hand the Yellow Jackets a 3-0 advantage with 7:05 to play in the first quarter.

Bridgewater again went three and out on its next offensive drive before Randolph-Macon pushed the ball to midfield before a sack from freshman Logan Whitaker on Zac Naccarato stalled out the Yellow Jackets' drive out just shy of midfield.

The Eagles again came up empty on their next series, before Randolph-Macon made it a two-score affair early in the second stanza. Backup quarterback Greg Petrohovich tossed a 12-yard strike to Vance Hendren to push the Yellow Jackets advantage to 10-0 with 12 and change to play in the opening half.

Bridgewater used a quick drive and a heavy dose of Logan on the ground to chip the game back to a one-score contest. Logan bolted for 43 yards to get the Eagles into Randolph-Macon territory before storming into the end zone from the 17 to cut the Yellow Jackets' lead to 10-7 with just under 10 to play in the first half.

Randolph-Macon quickly answered the Bridgewater score with one of its own. Naccarato connected with Luke Sellers on a 49-yard pattern to push the Yellow Jackets inside the Bridgewater 10 before the Randolph-Macon trigger man hit Zach Midulla for his first score of the day to extend the lead to 17-7.

The Eagles moved the ball on their ensuing drive, but came up empty before the Yellow Jackets pushed their lead to 24-7 off of a 92-yard carry Will McGhee.

Bridgewater marched downfield in short order as Logan went 3-for-5 through the air and hit wide receiver William Hanna to set up a 47-yard Chandler DeHaven field goal attempt. The Yellow Jackets burned two timeout to stall DeHaven, but the freshman split the uprights with the wind at his back to cut the lead to 24-10 at the intermission. DeHaven's kick was the fourth-longest kick in program history, matching three others of 47 yards. His kick was the program's longest since David Blackwell's 47-yard field goal at Washington and Jefferson in the 2005 playoffs.

The Eagles forced a Randolph-Macon three and out to start the second half, before getting back on the scoreboard.

Bridgewater again drove deep into Randolph-Macon territory to set up a DeHaven kick. The freshman again split the uprights, this time from 34 yards to trim the Yellow Jackets' lead to 24-13 early in the third.

Randolph-Macon again answered a Bridgewater score with one of its own. The Yellow Jackets 14-play, 63-yard scoring drive was capped off by a nine-yard Terry Clark end around to push the lead to 31-13 with 4:09 to play in the third.

Bridgewater again answered a Randolph-Macon score to keep the game at a two-score difference. Logan hit Hanna on an 18-yard strike before bolting 37 yards on a designed keeper to get the Eagles deep into Randolph-Macon territory. Logan connected with Michael Colee from 13 yards out to chip the Randolph-Macon advantage to 31-20 as the game headed to the final stanza.

Randolph-Macon effectively put the game away in the fourth when Naccarato connected with Midulla on a seven-yard pitch and catch to build the lead to 38-20.

Late in the fourth quarter, Bridgewater tacked on an additional score on a one-yard Logan keeper, but the two-point conversion attempt failed to finalize the scoring at a 38-26 tally.

Logan was solid on the offensive end, bolting for a career-high 132 yards and two scores on the ground. Jacob Wright added 33 yards on eight carries as the Eagles rushed for 202 yards on the afternoon.

The Luray, Va. native finished the day 22-of-41 through the air for 244 yards and a score.

Tight end Cord Keating hauled in six passes for 61 yards to lead the Bridgewater receiving corps.

Defensively, the Eagles were paced by the play of linebacker Andrew Palmer who finished the day with 10 tackles.

McGhee paced the Yellow Jackets on the ground with 186 yards on 24 carries to pace a Randolph-Macon attack that bolted for 248 yards on the afternoon.

Naccarato was stellar through the air throwing for 174 yards and two scores on 13-of-20 passing.

Christian Cook hauled in four passes to lead the way for Randolph-Macon, while Midulla posted three catches for 22 yards and two scores.

Defensively, Michael Weldon posted 10 tackles, including seven solo stops.

Bridgewater was limited to a 3-for-12 effort on third down, while the Yellow Jackets went 6-of-15 on third down.

The Yellow Jackets also owned the possession battle by a 36:25-to-23:35 margin.

Bridgewater will wrap up the 2012 season on Saturday at Catholic. Start time against the Cardinals is set for 1 p.m.