COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Last-second FG stings Wasps

The snap was high, the rush was heavy and the kick was wobbly.

But when the ball finally snuck through the goalposts, Washington & Lee senior kicker Peter Alston was mobbed by jubilant teammates.

It was a heartbreaking scene for fans and players of Emory & Henry. For the second time this season, the Wasps lost on the final the play of the game.

Behind Alston’s 40-yard field goal, the W&L Generals took a 17-14 ODAC thriller before 4,261 fans at Fred Selfe Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

“This one stings a little bit, but we’ve got to bounce back,” said E&H junior linebacker Devan Sproles. “We’re getting ready to make the turn, and games like this are only going to make us stronger.”

With an average of 40 points and 339 yards rushing per game, W&L (5-1, 2-0) features one of the most prolific offenses in NCAA Division III. While clever senior quarterback Charlie Westfal ran for 121 yards and passed for 214, the Wasps (4-2, 1-1) were able to keep the unique W&L triple-option attack in check and frustrate the defending conference champs.

Spreading the ball around to seven receivers, E&H quarterback Kyle Boden threw for 310 yards and a score. Hopes for a potential signature win for E&H dimmed after the Wasps fumbled at the W&L 21-yard line with 4:47 left in the game.

Westfal then engineered a well-conceived 12-play drive to set the stage for Alston. There were four seconds left on the clock when the 160-pound kicker took the stage.

“I’ve never had an opportunity like that before in high school or college,” said Alston, a graduate of Norfolk Academy. “As a kicker, you always want the game on your feet. It was exciting to get it done.”

Alston missed badly on a 36-yard field goal attempt late in the third quarter. But 17-year W&L coach Frank Miriello had confidence his kicker could equal his career-long distance.

“I went over to Peter with three minutes left in the game and told him that he was going to win the game for us. Peter said he was going to do it. And we were both right,” Miriello said.

Players from both teams froze in position as Alston approached the ball.

“I’ve got to admit that I got down on one knee there, but Pete was cool as a cucumber,” Westfal said. “He went out there and had no doubt that he was going to put that ball through.”

The Generals went up 14-7 with 10:36 remaining when Westfal connected with running back Russell Stewart on a 55-yard scoring pass.

Boden then delivered one of his prettiest throws of the season with 5:48 left. With his reliable offensive line buying him ample protection, the sophomore from Knoxville, Tenn., found 5-foot-10 senior receiver Adrian Jordan down the sideline and threaded a precise pass. As the W&L defensive back closed in, Jordan yanked the ball away and then sped down the field for the game-tying score.

“We knew that we had to make a play and we were able to get it done,” Jordan said. “Kyle threw a good pass, and I knew nobody was going to catch me after I got the ball.”

In a career-best outing, Jordan collected five receptions for 160 yards. Preston Jennings added six catches.

“We’re a fast-paced offense with a lot of playmakers,” Jordan said. “That keeps the defense guessing.”

William Pearl breathed life into the slumbering E&H rushing attack. The junior from Atlanta accounted for 108 yards on 13 carries. After W&L took a 7-0 lead into the final quarter, Pearl scored on a 2-yard burst with 12:26 remaining.

E&H coach Don Montgomery lamented the missed opportunities by his team. For example, a 59-yard drive in the opening quarter ended when Boden was intercepted at the W&L 13.

“We made a couple big plays, but we failed to finish off some drives and sputtered on offense,” Montgomery said.

Junior free safety Tyler Houk (15 tackles), senior end Daniel Preston (14 tackles), Sproles (11 tackles) and senior noseguard Keith Taylor (10 tackles) all had big days for the E&H defense. The Wasps played without linebacker Shane Wicks, who recently suffered a potential season-ending ankle injury.

“We feel like we can take on anybody. That’s just our attitude on defense,” Sproles said.

The Wasps needed just one more stop Saturday. But the W&L kicker was steady under pressure.

“We’ve all worked together in practice, so we were ready to go,” Alston said. “I could tell after I hit the ball that it was going to be a pretty good kick.”

agregory@bristolnews.com | Twitter: @Greg_BHCSports | (276) 645-2544