Box Score LEXINGTON, Va. – Washington and Lee amassed 631 yards of total offense, converted on 11-of-14 third downs and controlled the ball for 37:02 of the game's 60 minutes en route to posting a 59-42 win over Shenandoah on Saturday at Wilson Field.
The Generals (6-4, 5-2) jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter on the strength of an 11-play drive and a 14-play drive that ate up 11:52 of the game's first 15 minutes. Senior running back Evan Hinkle (Glen Allen, Va. / Deep Run) scored on a 5-yard run at the 9:47 mark and junior running back McKenna Johnston (Jupiter, Fla. / Benjamin School) scored from 14 yards out on a shuffle pass from senior quarterback Charlie Nelson (Redding, Conn. / St. Luke's) at 0:50 for the early advantage.
The Hornets (6-4, 4-3) made it 14-7 at the 13:45 mark of the second quarter on a 19-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Hayden Bauserman to senior wide receiver Qlyl Middelijn. However, W&L ripped off a 9-play, 73-yard drive that was capped by a 13-yard touchdown strike from Nelson to senior tight end Jack Taylor (Broad Run, Va. / Battlefield) at 9:36.
W&L senior linebacker John Carrick (Charlotte, N.C. / Providence Day) sacked Bauserman on the first play of the next series, forcing a fumble that was recovered by senior defensive lineman Matt Barton (New York, N.Y. / Dalton School) at the SU 5-yardline. The Blue & White scored three plays later on a 5-yard touchdown scamper by senior running back Marshall Hollerith (Richmond, Va. / St. Christopher's) for a 28-7 lead at 8:55 of the second quarter.
Middelijn scored his second touchdown of the game on an 18-yard pass from Bauserman at 5:50, but the Generals retaliated with a 69-yard drive that was capped with a 9-yard touchdown run from Nelson at 3:48. Shenandoah missed a 46-yard field goal on the final play of the first half and W&L carried a 35-14 lead into the intermission.
The Hornets took the opening kickoff of the second half and marched 81 yards for a touchdown that made it 35-21 just 2:35 into the third period. First-year running back Mario Wisdom finished things off with a 1-yard plunge for the touchdown.
W&L booted a 21-yard field goal for a 38-21 lead at 7:50 of the third, but the Hornets struck for another touchdown that cut the lead to 38-28 with 5:03 left in the quarter. Bauserman found junior wide-out Dershone Hayman from 21 yards out for the score.
Hinkle scored his second touchdown of the game on a 4-yard touchdown run just 2:13 after the Hayman score, but Bauserman hooked up with junior wide receiver Michael Ashwell for a 31-yard touchdown with 50 seconds left in the third period to make it a 45-35 game.
The Hornets attempted an onside kick that W&L recovered on the Shenandoah 49-yardline, and Nelson converted on a 4-yard touchdown run 10 plays later for a 52-35 lead. SU cut it to 52-42 on a 38-yard return of a blocked punt by Weldon Gilchrist at 6:45, but senior running back Connor Chess (Fairfax, Va. / Flint Hill) finished things off with a 5-yard touchdown run on the ensuing possession for the 17-point victory.
The two teams combined for 1,145 yards of offense and W&L rushed for 506 yards in the game. Nelson led the offense by combining for 245 yards of total offense and four touchdowns. He rushed for 120 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries, and completed 12-of-13 passes for 125 yards and two more scores. Hollerith rushed for a season-high 138 yards and one touchdown on 17 carries, finishing his career second on the all-time rushing list with 3,450 yards. He also placed second all-time in scoring with 252 points. Hinkle notched 17 carries for 94 yards and two touchdowns, while Chess finished with 75 yards and a touchdown on nine carries.
On defense, W&L was paced by junior linebacker Max Garrett (Fairfield, Conn. / Choate Rosemary Hall), who tallied 13 tackles. Junior defensive back Thomas Freeland (Franklin, Tenn. / Ensworth) added 11 stops.
Shenandoah notched 514 total yards but was just 3-of-8 on third down and 1-of-3 on third down. Bauserman completed 31-of-41 passes for 352 yards and four touchdowns. Ashwell caught 12 passes for 159 yards and a touchdown, and sophomore running back Jalen Hudson totaled 70 yards on eight carries and caught five passes for 45 yards. Middelijn snared four balls for 74 yards and two touchdowns. On defense, senior linebacker Malik Sims amassed 13 tackles.
Washington and Lee concludes the season with a 6-4 overall record and a 5-2 mark in conference play.
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