LEXINGTON, Va. - The Washington and Lee University football team held off a second half comeback by Shenandoah University to preserve a 17-14 Senior Day win on Saturday afternoon at Wilson Field.
The Blue and White honored their 18 senior members prior to kick off this afternoon. Together, this group has led the Generals to a 28-14 overall record with a 21-7 mark in conference play and a 15-6 record at Wilson Field. They helped lead the team to back-to-back Chesapeake Challenge wins, defeating Wilkes in the Cape Henry Bowl in 2024 and Lycoming College in the Cape Charles Bowl in 2025
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Hornets (5-4, 3-3 ODAC) won the coin toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff. Shenandoah marched down to the Generals' (6-3, 4-2 ODAC) 16-yard line, but on fourth-and-1, Brennan Stout stopped running back Aidan McCloskey for no gain to force a turnover on downs.
- The Blue and White looked to capitalize on the defensive stand, but a fumble on second-and-7 at the Shenandoah 28-yard line halted the drive, giving the Hornets the ball back with 3:31 remaining in the first quarter.
- W&L's defense forced a three-and-out on the Hornets' ensuing possession before the Generals opened the scoring with an eight-play, 67-yard touchdown drive. Three consecutive big rushing plays from Ryan Clemens, Fidel Small and Anthony Crawford moved the Generals inside the SU red zone before Michael Schoenberg opened the second quarter with an 11-yard rushing touchdown to give the home team a 7-0 lead.
- Following a turnover on downs and a punt, the Hornets took over at their own 26-yard line with 7:38 remaining in the first half. Shenandoah advanced to the W&L 26-yard line before Brady Ravin forced Roge't Walker to fumble, and Nolan Wirick scooped up the loose ball to set up another scoring opportunity for the Generals.
- With 1:54 remaining in the half, the Generals marched down to the Shenandoah 7-yard line on an 11-play, 71-yard drive. Grant Snyder capped off the possession with a 25-yard field goal to send the Blue and White into halftime with a 10-0 advantage.
- Coming out of halftime, the Generals wasted little time finding the end zone. Following a one-yard rush from Clemens, Ty Collins broke free for a 57-yard run to the Shenandoah 12-yard line. After another three-yard rush from Clemens, Carter Shallcross punched it in from nine yards out to extend W&L's lead to 17-0.
- Shenandoah responded on its ensuing possession, methodically moving down the field on a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. On first-and-goal from the W&L 4-yard line, the Generals appeared to intercept a pass from Mekhi Brown, but Will Yoder came down with the ball for a four-yard touchdown reception to cut the deficit to 17-7.
- Clemens opened W&L's next drive with a 23-yard rush before adding another 10 yards two plays later. However, Collins lost the football on a run to the left, giving the Hornets possession near midfield. Shenandoah capitalized on the turnover with a nine-play, 52-yard touchdown drive. Roge't Walker capped off the possession with a two-yard touchdown reception to make it a three-point game, 17-14.
- Neither team could establish much momentum as the game entered the fourth quarter. The Hornets eventually forced a Generals punt with 2:50 remaining, giving Shenandoah an opportunity to tie or take the lead. The Hornets methodically moved down the field, converting a pair of fourth-down attempts to keep the drive alive. Brown connected with McCloskey to advance to the W&L 32-yard line before spiking the ball with three seconds remaining.
- After initially keeping the offense on the field, the Hornets sent their field goal unit out in an attempt to force overtime. Carson Gallant lined up for a 49-yard field goal, but Tanner Krug got a hand on the kick, sealing a 17-14 victory for the Blue and White.
W&L GAME NOTES
- The Blue and White notched their second consecutive victory to improve to 6-3 overall and 4-2 in ODAC play. The win also snapped a two-game losing streak against the Hornets and extended W&L's lead in the all-time series to 8-6.
- W&L's offense totaled 321 yards on just 47 plays, averaging 6.8 yards per play. The Generals rushed 42 times for 273 yards and two touchdowns while completing three passes for 48 yards.
- The Generals committed two turnovers and punted three times while holding possession for just 20 minutes. W&L converted 3-of-8 (37%) third-down attempts while successfully converting its lone fourth-down opportunity.
- Defensively, the Generals recorded three sacks, including two on the Hornets' final drive, while forcing one punt and a fumble.
SU GAME NOTES
- The Hornets fell to 5-4 on the season with a 3-3 mark in league play.
- Shenandoah registered a team-high 414 yards of total offense on 82 plays, throwing for 287 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 127 yards. They dominated time of possession, holding onto the ball for nearly 40 minutes of game time. They were 7-of-15 (46%) on third down and 3-of-6 (50%) on fourth down.
TOP PERFORMERS
- Mekhi Brown led all passers, completing 34-of-42 passes for 287 yards and two touchdowns. Ty Collins finished 3-of-5 through the air for 48 yards while rushing seven times for 94 yards.
- Ryan Clemens led all rushers with 115 yards on 23 carries, while Michael Schoenberg and Carter Shallcross each found the end zone for the Blue and White. Aidan McCloskey paced the Hornets with a team-high 100 rushing yards on 18 carries.
- Roge't Walker hauled in a game-high 11 passes for 104 yards and a touchdown, while Will Yoder caught a four-yard touchdown pass. RJ Corbey led the Blue and White with one reception for 25 yards.
- Brennan Stout led all tacklers with 19 total stops, including five solo tackles, while O'Keefe McKinney registered a career-high 12 tackles, including one tackle for loss. Allan Gushue also reached double figures with 11 tackles and a tackle for loss. Ace Heinrichs paced the Hornets with 10 total tackles, including five solo stops.
- Mac Palmer and Tanner Krug tied for the game high with two tackles for loss apiece, while Krug recorded a career-high two sacks. Lesean Toulson and Tayton Smaldone led the Hornets with one tackle for loss each.
UP NEXT
- The Generals wrap up the regular season on Saturday, Nov. 14 as they travel to Salem, Va. for a 2 p.m. match up against Roanoke College at Salem Stadium.
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.
