Standings Crowded with Three Weeks Left in the Regular Season

Click to read the ODAC Football Report: Week 8

FOREST, Va. --- The ODAC football standings are crowded after four weeks of action with three teams tied at 3-1 and three more a game back at 2-2 in league action.  Bridgewater College handed Washington and Lee University its first ODAC loss, 31-14.  Emory & Henry College returned to the win column via a 15-14 come-from-behind triumph over Catholic University.  Guilford College won its third straight with a 38-35 comeback win over Randolph-Macon College.  Hampden-Sydney College claimed its third straight with a 42-21 win at Shenandoah University.

On the way to victory, Bridgewater forced four turnovers and held W&L to its fewest points since the Generals played Thomas More College in the 2010 playoffs.  The Eagles kept W&L off the scoreboard on the way to a 10-0 halftime lead and tacked on three more touchdowns surrounded a pair of W&L scores in the final 30 minutes.  Quarterback Willie Logan threw for 280 yards and three touchdowns on 21-of-26 passing.  John Lezcano had an 85-yard catch and sprint, while Michael Collee had a 66-yard scoring pass play.  BC's final touchdown was a 55-yard interception return for a touchdown by Anthony Moton, II.  Washington and Lee ran for 385 yards on the day as three backs gained at least 80 yards.  Nick Lombardo ran for 142 yards, while Luke Heinsohn churned out 123 yards and a score.  Brett Murray had 80 rushing and the remaining Generals' touchdown.  BC's Sammy Coleman led all tacklers with 15 stops, while Daniel Brent intercepted a pass.  W&L's Russell Stewart picked off a pass for the second straight week, tying him with teammate Jake Pelton for second in the ODAC with three picks.

Catholic got a pair of touchdown runs from Mike Pitsenberger to open up a 14-0 lead on Emory & Henry with six minutes left in the first half, but the E&H defense pitched a second-half shutout to aid the Wasps in their comeback victory.  Kicker Matt Turchin made three field goals on the day, including the game-deciding kick with 10-seconds to play.  That was setup by an interception by Ross Ellis, this week’s ODAC Defensive Player of the Week.  Ellis, who finished with 10 tackles, picked off a third down pass by Catholic to return possession to E&H with 3:43 to play.  Earlier in the contest, Ellis recovered a muffed punt to setup Turchin’s first field goal three minutes before halftime.  The Wasps’ touchdown came via an 11-yard pass from Kyle Boden to Lucas Kirby with 5:45 to go in the game.  For CUA, Pitsenberger finished the day with a game-best 80 yards rushing.  Greg Cordivari threw for 254 yards.  The Cardinals defense was spearheaded by 12 tackles from Conor Stueckler, who also intercepted a pass in the first quarter.  E&H’s offense was led by 116 all-purpose yards from Joe Vaughn (71 rushing, 45 receiving).

Guilford recovered twice from deficits, including a 35-21 disadvantage with 29 ticks left in the third quarter, to post its third straight win.  Both offenses had no problems gaining yards as GC and Randolph-Macon combined for 1,025 yards from scrimmage (565 for Guilford).  Quakers quarterback Matt Pawlowski, this week's ODAC Offensive Player of the Week, enjoyed his fourth straight game without an interception as the freshman signal-caller completed 24-of-37 passes for 354 yards and four touchdowns, including a 12-yard score to Adam Smith with 2:02 to play to put GC up for good.  Defensive back Hunter English helped preserve the win as he made his 10^th tackle of the game on a fourth-and-one pass for no gain 45-seconds left in regulation.  English earlier intercepted a pass.  R-MC’s offense got a career-high 158 yards rushing and a touchdown from running back Will McGhee.  Quarterback Zac Naccarato threw for 278 yards and three touchdowns.  Defensively, Brandon Harrison blocked a field goal and also returned a fumble 91 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter.  GC’s defense got eight tackles and two sacks from Robert Smith.

Hampden-Sydney trailed early on the road at Shenandoah after Corey Taylor ran in from 20 yards out late in the first quarter.  H-SC got a pair of second quarter touchdowns via a three-yard run by Chris Shembo and a 16-yard passing play from Nash Nance to Evan King to go into the locker room up 14-7.  SU knotted the score at 14-all with an Andrew Smith four-yard run, but rushing touchdowns by Regis Craft and King put H-SC ahead, 28-14, going into the fourth quarter.  Paul Athey brought the Hornets seven points closer with a two-yard effort with 11:43 to play.  But King powered his way to a pair of one-yard scoring runs to give him four touchdowns on the day and seal the Tigers’ win.  King, who was held to just two yards rushing in the first half, burst out for 113 on the ground in the final 30 minutes.  He also had 49 yards receiving.  Nance finished with 287 yards passing, while Holton Walker hauled in eight passes for 146 yards.  Taylor finished with 168 yards passing and 68 yards rushing for SU.  David Bell caught two passes for 81 yards.  Jajuan Johnson led all tacklers with 16 stops, while Byron Mitchell and Michael Messick intercepted passes.  H-SC got 13 tackles and a forced fumble from Steven Fogleman.  John Moore and Martin Owens came away with interceptions.

For a complete look at the opening week of ODAC football, view the ODAC Football Report: Week 8.  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.

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