Washington and Lee Remains Unbeaten in League Play

Click to read the ODAC Football Report: Week 7

FOREST, Va. --- After three weeks of conference action, one team remains unbeaten in ODAC play.  Washington and Lee University used another stellar rushing day to topple Randolph-Macon College, 49-14, to stand atop the conference standings with a 3-0 record.  Catholic University, Guilford College and Hampden-Sydney College all moved to 2-1 in league game as the Cardinals topped Shenandoah University, 34-7, the Quakers defeated Bridgewater College, 23-20, and the Tigers downed Emory & Henry College, 47-17.

Washington and Lee defied some normally telling statistics in its second straight conference home win.  The Generals ran just 49 plays compared to Randolph-Macon's 80 and held the ball for 17 few minutes, but W&L racked up 503 total yards from offense to average 10.4 yards per play.  The running game contributed the majority of that yardage as the Generals churned out 473 yards on 41 carries for an 11.5 yards per rush average.  Sasha Vandalov epitomized the Generals' big-play offense as he touched the ball only six times, but covered 199 yards with two touchdowns in a half-dozen rushes.  He had runs of 22, 86 and 68 yards.  Luke Heinsohn cracked the 100-yard barrier for the third straight game and the fifth time in six games this season.  He totaled 125 yards and three touchdowns.  Randolph-Macon was also productive on the ground, grinding out 217 yards while quarterback Zac Naccarato threw a pair of touchdown passes.  But three turnovers all resulted in W&L touchdowns.

Catholic returned to the win column thanks in part to the return of quarterback Greg Cordivari, who threw for 277 yards and a pair of touchdowns.  But it was the CUA defense that made the biggest difference as the unit bent a little in giving up 266 yards of offense, but it forced five Shenandoah turnovers --- two of which led to CUA touchdowns.  Defensive back Patrick Thomas, this week's ODAC Defensive Player of the Week, was responsible for two of those turnovers.  He recorded a first quarter interception to help preserve an early 7-0 lead, and then forced and recovered a fumble that led to CUA's second score of the game in the second quarter.  Shenandoah ran for 136 yards of offense as Carl Joseph led the way with 88 yards on 21 carries.  Qiydaar Murphy caught the Hornets' touchdown pass.  Josh Rogers (12) and Jajuan Johnson (10) each recorded double figures in tackles.

Guilford captured its first win since 2006 over Bridgewater as the Quakers twice came back from behind.  Quarterback Matt Pawlowski, this week's ODAC Offensive Player of the Week, had a hand in each of GC's three touchdowns.  Eagles' signal-caller Willie Logan put BC ahead 7-0 with a second-quarter touchdown run.  Pawlowski, who was 18-of-26 for 258 yards and two touchdowns passing, hit Adam Smith for a 22-yard touchdown to cut its deficit to 7-6 after the failed PAT.  Logan made it 14-6 BC with a 28-yard TD run, but Tyler Hunt got three points back for GC just before the half with a 30-yard field goal.  Pawlowski game the Quakers' their first lead just before the end of the third quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run, but Bridgewater regained its advantage with a 2-yard scoring rush by Ryan Green Ellis to make it 20-15 BC with 10:39 to play.  Pawlowski again responded, this time finding Nick Mearite with a 10-yard touchdown pass and a subsequent two-point pass to make it 23-20 with 7:13 to go.  That would be the final score of the game as the GC defense, led by 14 stops from Robert Smith, forced the Eagles three-and-out on their final possession.  BC would have had one more offensive opportunity, but a fumbled punt returned possession to Guilford, which ran out the final 2:11 of the contest.  Bridgewater's defense, which held GC to only 79 yards rushing, was led by 13 tackles by Salem Nganga.

Hampden-Sydney made it two straight wins by scoring points on offense, defense and special teams on the way to a 26-10 halftime advantage.  E&H cracked the scoreboard first with a 12-yard TD pass from Kyle Boden to Corey Ware, and later got a 26-yard field goal from Matt Turchin.  But H-SC countered with Nash Nance touchdown passes to Holton Walker and John Michael Sparagna, two Max Antwerpes field goals (23 and 33 yards), and a 67-yard interception return for a touchdown by Sidney Henry.  The Tigers tacked on seven more with a touchdown pass to Jalen Woods before E&H returned the favor with a 25-yard scoring play from Chad Williams to Joe Vaughn.  Vaughn had 98 yards rushing in addition to 66 yards receiving.  H-SC final two scores came from Evan King as the back ran for six and one-yard scores.  King led the Tigers with 101 yards on the ground, while Regis Craft added 94 yards to account for the bulk of H-SC's 246 yards rushing.  Tigers' linebacker Kenny Fryman led all tacklers with 11 stops, including 3.5 tackles for a loss.  E&H's Rennel Marshall led the Wasps with nine tackles, while DeMikeal Burse intercepted a pass.

For a complete look at the opening week of ODAC football, view the ODAC Football Report: Week 7.  Don't forget to become a fan of the ODAC on Facebook.  You can also follow the ODAC on Twitter at @odacathletics.  Check out the ODAC's YouTube channel.

This Week's Results