LEXINGTON, Va. – Washington and Lee rushed for a conference-record 503 yards and totaled 562 total yards in posting a 45-28 win over Emory & Henry in ODAC football action on Saturday at Wilson Field.
The Generals (4-1, 2-0) jumped out to a 14-0 lead just 5:44 into the game on a pair of touchdown runs by senior running back Luke Heinsohn (Charlottesville, Va./Covenant). Heinsohn capped an 8-play, 69-yard drive to open the game when he scored from 1-yard out. After the defense forced a 3-and-out by the Wasps on the next possession, Heinsohn took the first play 47 yards for a touchdown and a 14-0 lead.
Emory & Henry (3-2, 0-2) closed to 14-7 just 1:52 later when sophomore running back Joe Vaughn (Gate City, Va./Gate City) ended a 7-play, 71-yard drive with a 3-yard touchdown run. However, Heinsohn scored his third touchdown at the 11:56 mark of the second quarter to put the Generals up 21-7.
W&L added a 21-yard touchdown run by senior running back Sasha Vandalov (Vienna, Va./James Madison) and a 27-yard field goal by Heinsohn as time expired for a 31-7 lead at the halftime break.
E&H took the opening kickoff and promptly marched 65 yards on seven plays as Vaughn scored his second rushing touchdown, another 3-yard scamper, to cut it to 31-13 with 12:51 left in the third quarter. The PAT was missed.
The Generals retaliated at the 7:50 mark as junior quarterback Nick Lombardo (Duluth, Ga./Peachtree Ridge) capped a 76-yard drive with a 12-yard touchdown pass to senior tight end Eli Chester (Cumming, Ga./North Forsyth) for a 38-13 advantage. E&H made it 38-21 with 3:14 left in the penultimate quarter when junior quarterback Kyle Boden (Knoxville, Tenn./Karns) scored on a 10-yard touchdown run and then found senior wide receiver Davon Ross (Glen Wilton, Va./James River) for a 2-point conversion.
Senior running back Brett Murray (Lookout Mountain, Tenn./Baylor) ended a 13-play drive with a 1-yard touchdown run for a 45-21 lead with 12:15 left to play and E&H provided the final margin when senior linebacker Ross Ellis (Abingdon, Va./Wofford) scored on a 47-yard fumble return with 9:17 remaining.
The Generals held the ball for better than 37 minutes in the contest, racking up 29 first downs. Lombardo paced the rushing effort with a career-high 164 yards on 23 carries. He also completed 3-of-10 passes for 50 yards and a touchdown. Heinsohn carried just 13 times for 138 yards and three touchdowns, moving into the Top 5 in ODAC history in career scoring with 255 points. Vandalov gained 85 yards and a touchdown on just seven carries, while Murray amassed 59 yards and a touchdown on 15 rushes. Senior safety Jake Pelton (Charlottesville, Va./Monticello) led the defense with 12 tackles, and senior defensive lineman Greg Barton (New York, N.Y./Dalton School) tallied four tackles and a pair of sacks.
Vaughn led an Emory & Henry offense that gained 344 yards by rushing for 171 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries. Boden completed 23-of-31 passes for 147 yards and Ellis paced the Wasps' defense with 15 tackles and the fumble recovery score.
Washington and Lee returns to action on Saturday as it hosts Randolph-Macon for a 1:00 pm contest.
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