LEXINGTON, Va. - The Washington and Lee University football team kicked off Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) play with a commanding win over Guilford College, 35-7, on Saturday evening at Wilson Field.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- After forcing a Guilford (1-2, 0-1 ODAC) punt on their opening drive, the Generals (1-2, 1-0 ODAC) marched 49 yards in eight plays over 4:07 to take a 7-0 lead. Anthony Crawford capped the drive with a six-yard rushing touchdown.
- Both offenses stalled over the next few possessions before W&L struck again on its fourth drive of the game. The Generals covered 77 yards on 11 plays, with Ty Collins escaping pressure and finding Dominic Hahn, who slipped past defenders and dove into the end zone for a nine-yard score.
- A mishap on the second-half kickoff pinned W&L at its own two-yard line, but the Generals quickly flipped momentum. After a few plays, Fidel Small found a crease on the left side and sprinted 52 yards to the house, stretching the lead to 21-0.
- Alan Haigler shut down Guilford's next drive with an interception at the W&L 30. The Generals capitalized on the turnover, marching 65 yards on six plays. Crawford found the endzone for the second time as he punched it in from four yards out to make it 28-0.
- The Quakers responded with their lone touchdown, a six-yard pass from Luke Hyatt to Cameron Campbell. W&L answered on its final scoring drive as Collins connected with Michael Schoenberg on a five-yard touchdown to seal the 35-7 victory.
W&L GAME NOTES
- The Generals secured their first win of the season, marking their sixth straight victory over Guilford and improving to 24-14 in the all-time series.
- W&L's rushing attack was the difference-maker, piling up a season-high 423 yards on 62 carries for an average of 6.8 yards per rush with three touchdowns. The Generals finished with 472 yards of total offense on 80 plays, averaging 5.9 yards per play. They also controlled the tempo, dominating time of possession at 36:59 and converting nine of 15 third-down attempts.
- Defensively, the Blue and White turned in a stout performance, limiting the Quakers to just 296 total yards, including only 76 on the ground with one touchdown. The defense forced six punts and picked off two passes to help seal the win.
GC GAME NOTES
- The Quakers fell to 1-2 on the season with the loss. They totaled 296 yards of offense, including 220 yards through the air and one touchdown, averaging 11.6 yards per completion.
- Guilford held possession for 23 minutes while converting six of 16 third-down attempts (38%).
TOP PERFORMERS
- Luke Hyatt of Guilford led all passers, completing 19 of 38 attempts (50%) for 220 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. He also added 15 yards on two carries. For W&L, Ty Collins went 7-for-17 (41%) for 49 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.
- Anthony Crawford turned in his third straight 100-yard rushing game, carrying 27 times for 176 yards and two touchdowns at a 6.5 yards-per-carry average. Ryan Clemens added a career-high 80 yards on 12 carries, while Fidel Small contributed 60 yards and a touchdown. Malik Woodard paced the Quakers' ground game with seven carries for 23 yards.
- Through the air, Cameron Campbell led all receivers with five catches for 69 yards and a touchdown. Dominic Hahn led the Generals with 14 receiving yards and a touchdown grab.
- Defensively, Nick Iannone of Guilford posted a game-high 24 tackles, including 19 assists, along with a pass breakup. Travis Burton, Aden Reece, Avery Lilly, and Chase Evans also tallied double-digit stops. For W&L, Mac Palmer was the lone General in double figures, recording 10 tackles and two pass breakups.
- The Generals' secondary made its presence felt, as Jack Johnson and Alan Haigler each recorded an interception, returning them for a combined 34 yards.
UP NEXT
- The Generals start a two game road trip next Saturday as they travel to Ashland, Va. for a match up with Randolph-Macon. Kick off is set for 1 p.m. at Day Field.
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.
