SALEM, Va. - The Washington and Lee University football team capped off their 2024 season with a 40-21 win over Wilkes University to claim the Cape Henry Bowl on Saturday afternoon at Salem Stadium.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Generals (7-4) opened the game with an impressive seven-play, 63-yard drive, capped off by Ty Collins connecting with Andrew Bland for a 24-yard touchdown pass.
- Wilkes (7-4) responded with a drive that extended into the second quarter, where Xavier Powell punched it in from one yard out to tie the game at 7-7.
- The Blue and White answered with a nearly six-minute possession. W&L marched 73 yards down the field on 14 plays, culminating in Fidel Small taking a hand off to the left for a one-yard touchdown, putting the Generals ahead 14-7.
- Wilkes quickly tied the game at 14 when Powell found Devin Higgins for a 17-yard touchdown, finishing off a seven-play, 71-yard drive that took just three minutes.
- Jacob Romero scored his first touchdown of the afternoon on the Generals' next possession. The senior running back punched it in from two yards out, but a missed extra point left the Blue and White up 20-14.
- On the first play of Wilkes' next drive, Connor O'Malley intercepted Powell, but the ensuing Generals' possession stalled, sending them into halftime with a six-point lead.
- The Generals' defense forced a Wilkes punt to start the second half and capitalized on the opportunity. Small scored his second touchdown of the day, capping off an impressive 15-play, 51-yard drive to extend the Generals' lead to 27-14.
- In the fourth quarter, Collins connected with Bland again, this time for a 28-yard touchdown, giving the Blue and White a commanding 33-14 advantage.
- On Wilkes' next drive, Jack Johnson stopped Devin Higgins short of the first down marker, forcing a turnover on downs. The Generals built on the momentum, marching 91 yards on 11 plays. Marcus Payne capped the drive with a six-yard touchdown run, giving the Generals a 40-14 lead.
- Wilkes added one last touchdown as Powell found Jason Dean for a one-yard score, bringing the final score to 40-21 in favor of the Generals. Collins took a knee on the final possession, securing W&L's first postseason bowl game victory in program history.
W&L GAMES NOTES
- The Blue and White concluded their season with a 7-4 record, securing the first postseason bowl game win in program history. W&L has now finished with a winning record for the ninth consecutive season.
- The Generals amassed 529 total yards of offense, including 358 rushing yards and 171 passing yards. They found the end zone twice through the air and recorded a game-high four rushing touchdowns. They dominated the time of possession, controlling the ball for nearly 40 minutes of game time.
- The Blue and White converted 9 of 16 third-down attempts (56%) and successfully converted 4 of 6 fourth-down attempts (66%).
WU GAME NOTES
- Wilkes concluded the season with a 7-4 record, recording 286 total yards of offense. The team rushed for 118 yards, their second-lowest mark of the season.
- The Colonels punted three times for a total of 106 yards and committed six penalties, resulting in 65 penalty yards. They converted 6 of 11 third-down attempts (55%) but failed to convert on both of their fourth-down attempts.
- Defensively, Wilkes allowed a season-high 358 rushing yards and gave up their second-highest point total of the season, allowing 40 points.
TOP PERFORMERS
- Ty Collins completed nine of his 17 passes for a career-high 171 yards and two touchdowns. Xavier Powell went 14-of-27 for 168 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.
- Jacob Romero posted a career-high 151 rushing yards on 19 carries, scoring one touchdown while averaging an impressive 7.9 yards per carry. With his career day, he posted his second-straight season with 1,000 rushing yards. Anthony Crawford followed closely with 139 yards on 29 carries, while Powell led the Colonels with 77 rushing yards and one touchdown.
- Bland led the Blue and White receiving corps with four catches for 70 yards and two touchdowns. Devin Higgins led all players with four catches for 73 yards and one touchdown.
- Tallen Murray of Wilkes led the game defensively with 18 tackles (10 solo), 1.5 tackles for loss, and one sack. Tyler Wetzel contributed 15 tackles, including seven solo stops. For the Blue and White, Jalen Todd led the way with nine tackles (six solo) and one quarterback hurry. Uno Christopher added six tackles (four solo) and led the team with one tackle for loss.
Nestled in the mountains of Virginia, Washington and Lee University is a proud member of NCAA Division III and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Founded in 1749, W&L is the ninth-oldest college in the United States and a top-ranked liberal arts university. With over 500 student-athletes in 24 varsity sports, the Generals have celebrated over 265 conference championships. Learn more about the Blue and White by visiting www.generalssports.com or on social media at @WLUGenerals.
