Motivated after losing for the first time this season in their previous football game, the Washington-Liberty Generals responded in a big way and got back on track with a 52-26 blowout victory over the host Marshall Statesmen in Oct. 6 Liberty District high-school action.
The 52 points were the most in a single game this season for W-L, which averages 42.4 points per contest. With the win, the Generals improved to 6-1 overall and 2-1 in the district, tied for second place.
“We were as motivated a team as we’ve ever been after last week’s loss [to Herndon], and we wanted to have a good performance and bounce back big,” Washington-Liberty coach Josh Shapiro said. “We were really mad about losing that game.”
Against Marshall, senior quarterback Jon Bhojwani threw six touchdown passes to four different players and passed for 254 yards to lead the Generals. Joseph Cordaro and Jon Malatesta each caught two TD passes, with Jackson Nowinski and Anthony Louis catching one each. Bhojwani completed 16 of 25 passes without an interception.
“We can move the ball on offense and on defense, we are who were are,” Shapiro said. “We had another good game through the air tonight.”
Nowinski caught five passes for 58 yards, Zach Meehan caught three and Malatesta, Cordaro and Michael Barber caught two each.
The Generals also moved the ball well on the ground. Louis ran for 89 yards and a touchdown, Sean Guffey ran for 63 and Brayden Black for 40. Guffey caught one pass.
Washington-Liberty kicker Marcelo Carrasquillo had a big game by booting a 50-yard field goal, falling short on another 53-yard attempt, and he kicked seven extra points. The 50-yarder hit the net behind the end zone.
“That one would have been good for 55 yards at least,” Shapiro said.
Louis had 72 yards in kick returns and Nowinski 41.
The Generals’ top tacklers on defense were Meehan, Guffey, Connor Hurren, Ben Hughes, William Clarke, Bryce Johnson and Roman Falvo. Ian Crowley had a fumble recovery and Brian Baptiste had an interception. Hughes had two tackles for losses and four solo tackles.
NOTES: The Generals last scored more than 50 points in a game in 2016, amassing 55 in a victory over McLean . . . The next game for W-L will be against the undefeated McLean Highlanders, away on Friday, Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. McLean is 6-0 overall and 2-0 in the Liberty District.
