BRIDGEWATER, Va. – Junior quarterback Willie Logan threw for 245 yards and two scores, while the Bridgewater special teams unit blocked a field goal and a punt as the Bridgewater Eagles football team held off a late rally from the visiting Wasps of Emory & Henry to claim a 27-21 victory on Senior Day at Jopson Field.
Following a three and out on Bridgewater's game-opening drive, the Wasps used a 15-play drive to move inside the Bridgewater 10. Emory & Henry punched the ball to the eight yard line to setup up a 25-yard, chip-shot field goal from Matt Turchin. Defensive end Danny Groggbroke through the line and swatted the Turchin kick out of the air and Lucas Elliott recovered as the Eagles kept the Wasps off of the scoreboard.
After the blocked kick, the Eagles embarked on a 15-play, 84-yard scoring drive. Three straight runs from running back Ryan Green-Ellis pushed the Eagles inside the Emory & Henry five before Green-Ellis busted into the end zone from the two to put Bridgewater up 7-0 with 14:33 to play in the first half.
With three and change to play in the opening half, Emory & Henry drove into Bridgewater territory before a sack from Joel Francis on third down brought up fourth and long for the Wasps, forcing a punt. The Eagles got their second key special teams play of the first half when Jayme Perry cracked through the upback and blocked a Zach Nedzbala punt to set the Bridgewater offense up with good field position.
Bridgewater tried to strike immediately on a trick play, but the pass from Ross Rushing fell incomplete. On the next play, Logan connected with Michael Colee from 26 yards out to extend the Bridgewater lead to 14-0 which how it would remain at the intermission.
Out of the halftime break, the Bridgewater defense held the Wasps in check on their first drive, due in part to Francis' second sack of the day.
Following a Nedzbala punt, the Eagles drove deep into Emory & Henry territory, but a 36-yardChandler DeHaven field goal missed wide right to keep the Eagles lead at a 14-0 tally midway through the third.
Emory & Henry answered the missed field goal with a 10-play, 80-yard scoring drive. Boden hit Sean Edmonds on a 31-yard pattern to get the Wasps inside the Bridgewater 10 before Boden bolted into the endzone three plays later from two-yards out to cut the Bridgewater lead to 14-7.
The Eagles answered with a 10-play drive of their own to take a 20-7 lead. Bridgewater used a heavy dose of Logan-to-Perry through to air to regain a two-score lead when Logan connected with Perry from 29-yards out to build the Bridgewater advantage to 13 after the DeHaven PAT failed.
Bridgewater took a 27-7 lead midway through the fourth quarter on a Logan two-yard keeper, but the Wasps wouldn't go away as Boden tossed two touchdown strikes late in the fourth quarter to make it a game in the waning minutes.
Boden went 6-of-6 through the air on a quick seven-play scoring drive to cut the Bridgewater lead to 27-14 with 5:18 to play. The Emory & Henry trigger man connected with Chad Williams and the Wasps wide receiver stretched across the plane of the endzone to cut the Bridgewater lead to 13.
Three plays later, the Wasps stripped the ball from Ryan Green-Ellis and Emory & Henry recovered to set up the offense from the Eagles' 38. Boden hit Edmonds on a 31-yard strike to cut the Bridgewater advantage to 27-21 with 3:36 to play.
Bridgewater took the ball back at the 17-yard line and used a heavy ground attack to force the Wasps to call their final two timeouts. Green-Ellis put the nail in the coffin with a two-yard carry with under 45 seconds to play to secure a 27-21 victory for the Eagles.
Logan threw for 245 yards and two scores on 18-of-26 passing and added 34 yards on eight carries.
Green-Ellis added a game-high 64 yards on 18 carries as Bridgewater rushed for 171 yards on the afternoon.
Nine different receivers caught a pass for the Eagles on the day, paced by a four-catch effort from Shawn Lee.
Senior linebacker Salem Nganga led the Eagles with a game-high 14 tackles on the afternoon.
Bridgewater limited Emory & Henry to 22 yards on the ground on 20 carries, but the Wasps gained the majority of their real estate on a 30-for-42 effort through the air from Boden. Boden threw for 300 yards and two scores in the loss.
Wide receiver Chad Williams paced the Emory & Henry aerial attack with eight catches for 58 yards and a score, while DaVon Ross added five receptions in the loss.
Linebacker Devan Sproles paced the Wasps defense with 13 tackles on the day.
The Eagles converted 11-of-17 key third downs, while holding the Wasps to a 5-of-14 effort on third down.
The win secures Bridgewater's fourth straight winning season.
Bridgewater is back in action on November 3 at Randolph-Macon. Kick off from Day Field is set for 1 p.m.