LEXINGTON, Va. --- Senior running back Josh Breece (Lorton, Va. / Stone Bridge) scored on a 1-yard touchdown run with 1:42 remaining in the game to lift the Washington and Lee football team to a 28-24 win over Ferrum on Saturday afternoon at Wilson Field.
The victory extended the Generals' winning streak to eight straight and clinched the 2021 Old Dominion Athletic Conference title.
W&L carried a 14-10 lead into the fourth quarter, when each team scored a pair of touchdowns. The Panthers (6-3, 3-3) took their first lead of the game with 14:47 left in the final quarter when senior quarterback Titus Jones hit senior wide receiver Nic Cook with a 14-yard touchdown pass to cap off a 10-play, 51-yard drive. The score made it a 17-14 game.
The Generals (8-1, 5-0) answered on the next series, driving 58 yards on nine plays to take a 21-17 lead with 9:57 left on a 6-yard touchdown run by sophomore quarterback Stephen Murrin (Fort Worth, Texas / Fort Worth Country Day).
Ferrum countered on its next possession with an 8-play, 70-yard drive that resulted in a 1-yard touchdown run by Jones. The score made it a 24-21 game with 5:49 left.
The Blue & White began its final offensive possession on the Ferrum 47-yardline after senior running back Alex Wertz (Sterling, Va. / Dominion) returned the kickoff 49 yards. Eight plays later, Breece plunged over the goal line for the four-point lead that the defense made stand up in the final 1:42.
The game was tight throughout and the Generals held a slim 334-323 edge in yards gained. W&L produced 308 yards on the ground led by Murrin, who rushed 14 times for 109 yards and one touchdown. He also completed 3-of-5 passes for 26 yards. First-year running back Jacob Romero (Fredericksburg, Va. / Massaponax) tallied 81 yards on 11 carries and Breece notched 61 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. Senior running back Coby Kirkland (Duncan, Okla. / Duncan) rushed 10 times for 35 yards and two touchdowns, including one on a 2nd-and-goal from the 1-yardline as time expired in the first half.
On defense, W&L was paced by junior linebacker David Onyejekwe (Falls Church, Va. / McLean), who posted eight tackles. Senior linebacker Alex Andros (Fredericksburg, Va. / Courtland) added six tackles, 2.5 for a loss, and one sack.
Jones carried the Ferrum offense by completing 23-of-32 passes for 273 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed 13 times for 11 yards and a score. Sophomore wide receiver Tmahdae Penn caught six passes for 104 yards and senior linebacker Billy Higgins recorded a game-high 15 tackles.
Washington and Lee will complete the regular season on Saturday when it travels to Shenandoah for a 1:00 pm contest.
--- This release is courtesy of the Washington and Lee University department of athletic communications. ---
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