FERRUM, Va. – Sophomore placekicker Jarrett Wright (Charlotte, N.C. / Ardrey Kell) booted a 31-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Washington and Lee football team to a 38-35 win over Ferrum on Saturday at W.B. Adams Stadium.

The Generals (5-1, 3-1) held the ball for 38:09 of the game's 60 minutes and amassed 554 yards of total offense behind a season-high 232 rushing yards by sophomore running back Josh Breece (Lorton, Va. / Stone Bridge).

Breece scored on the first play from scrimmage, rushing 65 yards for a touchdown for a 7-0 lead just 21 seconds into the game.  W&L never trailed in the contest, but Ferrum (3-3, 1-3) pulled even twice, 28-28, at the half and 35-35 following a 33-yard touchdown run by junior running back Brian Mann with 4:52 left in the fourth quarter.

The Blue & White began its final possession on its own 31-yardline with 4:43 remaining.  W&L converted two third downs on the drive, which featured seven Breece runs that picked up 38 of the Generals' 55 yards on the drive.  W&L called timeout with two seconds remaining to set up Wright, who had missed twice earlier in the contest.  However, this time he slipped the game-winner through and the Generals rushed the field to mob their kicker.

W&L jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter on a second Breece touchdown run, this time from 39 yards out.  Mann returned the ensuing kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown, but the Blue & White responded with an 8-play, 76-yard drive finished off by a 3-yard touchdown run from first-year running back Alex Wertz (Sterling, Va. / Dominion) for a 21-7 lead with 13:06 left in the second quarter.

Ferrum scored just two plays into its next drive on a 75-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Zack Clifford to sophomore running back Austin Pennington.  That made the score 21-14 W&L with 12:20 left in the second quarter. 

The score swelled to 28-14 on a 47-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Drew Richardson (Watkinsville, Ga. / Athens Academy) to sophomore wide receiver Montgomery Owen (Nashville, Tenn. / Montgomery Bell) with 1:57 left in the half, but the momentum swung shortly thereafter.

First, Mann scored on a 71-yard touchdown run with 1:33 left in the half, and the Generals fumbled on the next series, with the ball being returned 53 yards to the W&L 8-yardline with 29 seconds left in the half.  Clifford then found sophomore wide receiver Quentin Wallace with an 8-yard scoring strike on third down, and the teams entered the half tied at 28-28.

W&L forced a punt on the first possession of the second half and marched 80 yards on eight plays, with Breece scoring on a 37-yard touchdown run for a 35-28 lead with 7:10 left in the third quarter.  The score held until Mann's touchdown tied it with 4:43 left in the contest.

Breece tallied a season-high three touchdowns on 24 carries.  With his 232 yards he moved past Brett Murray '13 for sixth-place on the all-time rushing list with 2,686 yards.  Junior running back Jimmie Johnson (Hoover, Ala. / Hoover) added 57 yards on six carries, and senior running back Collin Sherman (Virginia Beach, Va. / Cox) also had 57 yards on 11 carries.  Wertz finished with 47 yards and one touchdown on nine carries.  Richardson completed 6-of-9 passes for 47 yards and one touchdown, while Owen snared six balls for 82 yards and one touchdown.  On defense, junior linebacker Will Corry (Watkinsville, Ga. / Athens Academy) led the way with eight tackles.

Ferrum gained 373 yards of total offense, 177 of which came on three long touchdown plays.  Mann finished with 161 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries.  Clifford completed 11-of-19 passes for 179 yards and two touchdowns, while Pennington caught three balls for 89 yards and one score.  Junior linebacker A.J. Camp had a game-high 13 tackles.

Washington and Lee returns to action next Saturday with a 1:00 pm contest at Guilford College.

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