ASHLAND, Va. – Randolph-Macon scored 10 points in the final 39 seconds to pull off a 36-35 win over Washington and Lee in ODAC football action on Saturday afternoon at Day Field.
A 21-16 defensive battle opened up abruptly in the last seven minutes of the game, with the two teams combining for 34 points in the final 6:47 of the contest.
Junior running back
Josh Breece (Lorton, Va. / Stone Bridge) broke out for a pair of 75-yard touchdown runs in the final 6:34, with the second giving W&L a 35-26 lead with 3:06 left in the game. W&L appeared to have picked off a pass on the second play of the next series, but the Generals were called for offsides and the Yellow Jackets pressed on, driving 88 yards on 11 plays to pull within 35-33. First-year quarterback Presley Egbers found junior wide receiver Mike Avent with a 6-yard touchdown pass with 39 seconds remaining to bring Macon within two points.
R-MC lined up for an onside kick and recovered the ball on its own 46-yardline. The Yellow Jackets gained 33 yards before stopping the clock to set up a 38-yard field goal with seven seconds remaining. Junior placekicker Chris Vidal drilled the kick to give R-MC the improbable victory.
Randolph-Macon led 13-7 at halftime, as the Generals struggled to move the ball. However, W&L scored on big plays in the second half, starting with a 66-yard touchdown reception by junior wide receiver Mongtomery Owen (Nashville, Tenn. / Montgomery Bell) in the third quarter for a 14-13 lead. Owen also hauled in a 75-yard touchdown from sophomore quarterback
Jack Pollard (Richmond, Va. / Douglas Freeman) early in the fourth quarter, and Breece registered the two 75-yard touchdown runs on back-to-back offensive plays.
All told, W&L finished with 450 yards of total offense, led by Breece who recorded a season-high 195 yards and two touchdowns on just eight carries. The game vaulted Breece into second-place on the school's career rushing list with 3,490 yards. He can surpass Luke Heinsohn '13 for first-place with just 28 more yards.
Owen caught three passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns, while Pollard completed 5-of-10 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns. Senior linebacker
Will Corry (Watkinsville, Ga. / Athens Academy) led the W&L defense with 12 tackles.
Randolph-Macon finished with 502 yards offensive yards led by senior running back Tre Frederick, who gained 154 yards on 32 carries. Egbers rushed for 115 yards and one touchdown on 21 carries, and he completed 23-of-35 passes for 218 yards and two touchdowns. Junior linebacker Tyler DeBerry totaled nine tackles and a half sack to pace the R-MC defense.
Washington and Lee returns to action on Saturday when it hosts Southern Virginia for a 1:00 pm contest.
