HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, Va. – Washington and Lee University converted four of four two-point conversions and stopped Hampden-Sydney College on its lone two-point attempt with just 29-seconds remaining for a dramatic 32-30 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) football road win on Saturday afternoon on Fulton Field at Lewis C. Everett Stadium. The host Tigers drove 83 yards on seven plays to score the last-minute touchdown, but needed the two points to tie, and the visiting Generals denied the potential game-tying opportunity on an incomplete pass. W&L improved to 4-1 overall, 3-0 in the ODAC, while H-SC is now 2-3 overall, 2-1 in the ODAC.
The closely-played contest for first place in the league standings saw H-SC get on the scoreboard first when senior quarterback and team captain Tanner Bernard (Lynchburg) ran eight yards to the end zone at 9:49 of the opening quarter. Sophomore placekicker Palmer Smith (Chesapeake) added the first of his three PATs for the early 7-0 advantage. It was a quick three-play, 74-yard possession that featured a 68-yard pass completion from Bernard to senior running back Kaleb Smith (Rocky Mount).
The Tigers got the ball back courtesy of an interception by sophomore safety James-Ryan Salvi (Troutville) and promptly drove to the W&L 28, but the drive stalled and a 45-yard field goal attempt by Palmer Smith was blocked. The Generals responded with a nine-play, 82-yard drive that resulted in a one-yard scoring run by Josh Breece at 10:57 of the second quarter. W&L converted the first of its four two-point attempts, a run by Stephen Murrin, and it was an 8-7 game.
H-SC answered with a late first-half field goal to lead 10-8 at halftime, the kick coming from 31 yards by Palmer Smith with only six-seconds remaining in the half. It capped a nine-play, 29-yard drive for the lead at the intermission.
The Tigers struck again early in the third quarter when Bernard connected with fifth-year slot receiver Nick Kallivokas (Purcellville) for a 42-yard touchdown pass at 13:32, making it 17-8. It was a four-play, 67-yard drive that included a 22-yard completion from Bernard to Kallivokas to get it started.
W&L answered with a 15-play, 82-yard drive that ended with a two-yard scoring pass from Murrin to Alex Vaught at 5:53 of the third quarter. Alex Wertz added the two-point conversion via a run and it was a 17-16 contest. The Generals took a 24-17 advantage early in the fourth quarter when Murrin found Coby Kirkland for a 70-yard passing touchdown at 14:50. Breece converted the two-point attempt via another run.
H-SC responded quickly when Bernard connected with fifth-year wide receiver and second-year team captain Dillon Costello (Haymarket) on a 42-yard scoring play at 12:52, capping a quick five-play, 67-yard drive that also included a 23-yard pass play from Bernard to Costello—tying the game at 24-24.
W&L then drove 74 yards on 12 plays with Breece scoring the decisive touchdown on a 15-yard run with 5:43 on the clock. The eventual game-winning two-point conversion was via another Murrin run.
H-SC made it exciting at the end when Kaleb Smith found fifth-year tight end and team captain Ed Newman (Farmville) in the end zone on fourth-and-goal at the W&L three-yard line, as Smith looked to run before making a jump pass over the middle to Newman for the touchdown with just 29-seconds left to play. The Tigers had to go for the two-point conversion to tie the contest, but Bernard's pass attempt was incomplete after pressure from the Generals. The long drive was jump-started via a 61-yard completion from Bernard to sophomore wide receiver Braeden Bowling (Cary, NC) on the first play of the possession that started with 3:09 on the clock. H-SC did convert a successful onside kick by Palmer Smith that was recovered by sophomore linebacker Dorian Green (Axton), but the four-straight incompletions allowed the visitors to gain possession and kneel down once to end it.
Bernard passed for a career-high and a game-high 393 yards (22-34) and two touchdowns with no interceptions, adding 12 yards on the ground and one touchdown. Kaleb Smith had 23 yards rushing on 11 attempts, adding 101 yards receiving on seven catches. Costello had a game-high 128 yards receiving and one touchdown on eight receptions, Kallivokas added a career-high 103 yards receiving and one touchdown on three catches and Newman had 17 yards receiving and one touchdown on three catches. Sophomore wide receiver Brice Wilson (Lovingston) had two kickoff returns for 49 yards. Sophomore punter George Langhammer (Roanoke) punted two times for an average of 44.5 yards, including a long of 46 yards, and both downed inside the 20. Palmer Smith was 3-3 on PATs and 1-2 on field goals.
Sophomore safety Will Pickren (Mt Pleasant, SC) had a career-high and game-high 17 tackles, including one for loss, fifth-year linebacker and team captain Brendan Weinberg (Apex, NC) had 11 tackles, including 1.5 for loss, and Salvi added a career-high 10 tackles, including one for loss and his first career interception to lead the defense. Senior cornerback Jordan Fields (Chapel Hill, NC) had nine tackles, including one for loss, senior linebacker Stephen Cash (Kill Devil Hills, NC) had eight tackles, including one for loss, and senior linebacker Garrett Robinson (Culpeper) had eight tackles, including 0.5 for loss.
Murrin passed for 107 yards (6-7) and two touchdowns with one interception for W&L, adding 56 yards on the ground—and a pair of the two-point conversions. Breece rushed for 91 yards on 18 carries and two touchdowns, adding one conversion. Kirkland had 70 yards receiving and one touchdown for the Generals, and Vaught added two yards receiving and one touchdown. David Onyejekwe had 10 tackles, including two for loss and one sack.
H-SC is idle next week (October 9) before playing on the road at Emory & Henry College in non-conference action on Saturday, Oct. 16, at 1 p.m. in Emory.