by Caitlin F. McCarthy
The Sewanee Tigers faced longstanding rivals, the Washington and Lee Generals, on Wilson Field in on September 28. The Tigers were vying for a win.
It was a win that they unfortunately could not quite grasp. Washington and Lee started the game off with a six-play, 80 yard drive, and a 37 yard touchdown run. The Sewanee football team was ready to retaliate and show W&L how the Tigers do it. Running back Devante Jones (C’16) made a 15 yard touchdown run, bringing the two teams back to being neck and neck. On that drive, the Tigers had rushed nine times, totaling 73 yards.
“Our team played very well in the first half against W&L, a very good team overall. We made a few mistakes that we can’t make against good teams, but we also had some good plays that are heading us in the right direction for our upcoming conference games” said Cody Daniel (C’16) after the game.
Sadly, the Tigers could not keep up their excellent play. The Generals, hyped up by the Sewanee touchdown, reciprocated with yet another touchdown. Following this, the defenses from both teams settled in on the subsequent two possessions. However, Curtis Johnson (C’14) was not ready to give up on his fellow teammates. Ingeniously finding Charlie Powell (C’15), Johnson threw the ball to Powell for a 40 yard touchdown.
As the second quarter progressed, the Generals took the lead back when their star player, Marshall Hollerith, found the end zone. Giving one final push before the half, Callum Wishart (C’16) scored a 27 yard field goal. The Tigers did not get to celebrate for long before W&L scored on a 2 and 1 yard run by Hollerith.
“In the second half of the game, we didn’t have the best start, but I’m proud that our team doesn’t quit. We have played behind before and we know how it is to lose close games, so we’re trying everything we can to come out on top” said Daniel (C’16). Washington & Lee enjoyed a very strong third quarter, after leading the score against the Tigers at halftime, 21-17. Psyched after the half, the Generals scored 14 points without interruption, giving the second half a bad start for the Tigers. In a valiant last try, Daniel (C’16) ran 36 yards into the end zone, scoring an awesome touchdown. However this was still not enough to come back from the 14 point early second half deficit, and the Generals defeated our beloved Sewanee Tigers 35-24.
While the Tigers had their second lowest rushing total in the season thus far – they only ran 218 yards over 43 carries, versus the 458 yards by W&L – they still obtained notable individual milestones. Daniel finished the game with a season-high 64 yards and a touchdown. On Defense, safety Alex Kops (C’16) accomplished a career-high 12 tackles.
So far this season, the Sewanee Tigers won their opener against the DePauw Tigers and lost the subsequent three games to the Willamette Bearcats, Maryville Scots, and Washington & Lee Generals. “The past few games have been big challenges for our team, games where we competed and walked away with our heads held high. The guys on the team take pride in representing this great university every time we step on the field. There is excitement and high intensity at practice still now as we prepare for conference play. We are determined to reach our goal of a winning season this year and compete for conference play” saidJohnson (C’14).
Editor’s Note: The Sewanee Purple is very proud to celebrate the Tiger’s incredible comeback against the Birmingham-Southern Panthers on October 5.