MARCUS CANTON | WASHINGTON AND LEE | CORNERBACK
Canton, a junior from Tarrytown, N.Y., helped Washington and Lee's defense limit Wittenberg University to just seven points in the Generals' 13-7 victory in overtime on Saturday in Lexington. Canton registered 12 tackles including five solo and 1.0 for a loss that cost the Tigers' offense five yards. That TFL gave WLU's offense a chance to put points on the board at the end of the first half as he not only stopped WU's receiver for a loss of five yards, but he jarred the ball loose which Parker Maynard recovered with 25-seconds on the clock. Canton also made a stop (with Brennan Stout) on WU's first down play in overtime, limiting the Tigers to two yards. Ultimately, WU was forced to kick a field, which it missed to end their lone OT possession and set up WLU's game-winning drive. Canton's tackle figures – overall, solo, assisted (7) – are new career-highs, far surpassing his previous personal-bests (2 in each category) from last season.

AIDAN McCLOSKEY | SHENANDOAH | RUNNING BACK
McCloskey, a senior from Clarksburg, Md., was the big play explosive back that powered Shenandoah to 252 yards rushing in the Hornets' 30-3 season-opening win at Methodist University. McCloskey racked up 138 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries to post an eye-opening 12.5 yards per rush. He posted five runs of more than 10 yards including a 21-yard burst in the second quarter to give SU a 20-3 lead just before halftime. He also had runs of 44, 17, 15, and 14 yards to help the Hornets to their most team rushing yards since registering 261 yards on the ground in a 42-20 win over Ferrum on October 12, 2024. For McCloskey, the 138 yards marked a new career-best and his second career 100-yard rushing game, surpassing the 108 yards he gained last season in a 48-3 win over Averett on October 25.

AIDEN GREFE | BRIDGEWATER | PUNTER
Grefe, a senior from Elkton, Va., had a stellar day flipping field position for the Eagles despite Bridgewater's 17-0 season-opening loss at Stevenson University. Grefe, last year's All-ODAC First Team punter after averaging 43.4 yards per boot to rank second all-time in conference history, started off 2026 with six punts covering 269 yards for a 44.8 per punt average. That is the eight-highest mark in BC single-game history. Twice he pinned Stevenson inside their own 20-yard line including one at the 4-yard line following a 51-yard blast. His longest effort of the day was a 59-yard boot in the third quarter.

• GENERAL NOTES
  • ODAC teams went 3-5 in the first week of the season with only Washington and Lee playing at home.
  • The Generals have been involved in the last two overtime games in the league – a 20-17 win over Bridgewater in 2025 and Saturday's 13-7 triumph over Wittenberg.
  • The Eagles' 17-0 loss at Stevenson on Friday marked BC's first loss via shutout since a 17-0 setback at Washington and Lee in 2021.
  • Randolph-Macon's 27-14 loss at Dickinson snapped a string of six-straight wins in season-openers for the Yellow Jackets; their last loss came via a 17-12 result to Johns Hopkins, which happens to be RMC's opponent next Saturday.
• OFFENSE
  • Averett quarterback Brandon Saunders threw for 162 yards and a pair of touchdowns to Tre'Sean Suber (3 for 32) and A.J. Williams (1 for 2). Tyrek Samuel ran for 71 yards on 10 carries, and Zymarcus Stover caught 8 passes for 70 yards.
  • Bridgewater transfer quarterback (UVA-Wise) Parker Burke completed 17-of-24 passes for 118 yards in his first start for BC. Back Tommy Nelson ran for 50 yards on 14 carries.
  • Hampden-Sydney running back and 2025 ODAC leading rusher Terry Hicks led all ODAC backs in Week 1 with 156 yards on 22 carries (7.1/rush). Quarterback Connor Creech threw for 148 yards and a touchdown and added 35 yards on a score on the ground.
  • Guilford running back Maurice Andrews accounted for the Quakers' lone touchdown with a 58-yard sprint just before the end of the first quarter. Receiver Shane Shapiro led all ODAC pass-catchers with 10 receptions for 69 yards.
  • Randolph-Macon receiver Basit Qadri (6 for 66) accounted for both of RMC's touchdowns with one receiving and recovering his own blocked punt in the end zone.
  • RMC back Mitchell Johnson ran for 49 yards on 9 carries.
  • Roanoke running back Polo Hill ran for 132 yards on 16 carries, while Jerrett Shepherd ran for one touchdown and covered 39 yards on a scoring pass play from Linwood Johnson. Johnson threw for 2 TDs and ran for another.
  • Shenandoah running back Aidan McCloskey led a 252-yard rushing effort by SU's offense with 138 yards and a TD on 11 carries (12.5/rush). Bryce Buchanan added 47 yards and a score on 12 carries. Receiver Jackson McFarland led all ODAC receivers with 7 catches accounting for 61 yards and a touchdown.
  • Washington and Lee backs Ryan Clemens and Marc Geffrard accounted for the Generals' touchdowns with 2-yard and 7-yard efforts, respectively. Geffrard's came in OT to give WLU the win. Clemens ran for 69 yards on 19 carries, while Carter Shallcross added 63 yards, Michael Schoenberg 40, and Ty Collins 36 to power the Generals' 220-yard effort. Collins went 8-of-16 through the air for 92 yards, while Shallcross caught 4 passes for 67 yards.
• DEFENSE
  • Averett linebacker Charles Hatcher led the squad with 10 tackles, while Daniel Gee notched 1.0 TFLs.
  • Bridgewater registered three interceptions by Oscar Whitely (team-high 9 tackles), CJ Milazzo (7 stops), and Joey Strong (1.0 sacks).
  • Linebacker Nick Iannone led Guilford with 9 stops including a half-sack. Ben Finkelstein intercepted a pass. A.J. Norfush registered a strip-sack.
  • Hampden-Sydney linebacker Frank Brewer posted a team-best 12 tackles including a career-high 3.5 TFLs. Matthew Wright forced and recovered a fumble, while Mitch Ladamus made 11 stops. The Tigers notched 4 sacks led by Kenen Barlowe with 1.5.
  • Randolph-Macon linebacker Matthew MacNichol registered a career-high 12 tackles to go with an interception he returned 33 yards to lead to RMC's first touchdown. Jacob Kyger (11) and Jabril Dashiell (10) also registered double-figure stops.
  • Roanoke defensive back DeAngelo Walker capped the scoring at VUL with a 34-yard interception return for a touchdown. He also had 3 tackles.
  • Shenandoah edges Phoenix Andes-Stowell and Ryan Apietu each registered 2.0 sacks to lead a defensive unit that posted 5 sacks that cost Methodist 32 yards of offense. Defensive back Jaren Mitchell posted the first points of SU's season with a 62-yard interception return for a touchdown.
  • Washington and Lee linebacker Brennan Stout led all ODAC players with 18 tackles, the second-most of his career (21 in 2025). Marcus Canton (12) and Mac Palmer (10) registered double-figure tackles with Canton forcing a fumble. Nolan Wirick intercepted a pass.
• SPECIAL TEAMS
  • Averett defensive back Kori Moates returned 5 kickoffs for 135 yards including a 40-yard burst.
  • Bridgewater punter Aiden Grefe averaged 44.8 yards on six kicks with 2 inside the 20-yard line and 2 over 50 yards including a 59-yarder.
  • Guilford punter Ryan Black was busy with 7 kicks at a 36.0 average and 1 inside the 20-yard line.
  • Randolph-Macon returners Brock Jackson (3 for 84) and Mitchell Johnson (1 for 26) combined for 110 yards on 4 returns (27.5/return).
  • Roanoke kicker Ethan Cyr registered 7 points, going 4-of-5 on PATs and booting a 23-yard field goal.
  • Maroons' punter Zach Niklas was only called upon twice, but he averaged 54 yards on those boots powered by a 67-yard field-flipper that was downed at the VUL 3-yard line in the third quarter.
  • Shenandoah kicker Carson Gallant capped the game's scoring with a 35-yard field goal, while punter Connor Moyssiadis averaged 40.2 yards on 4 punts with one inside the 20-yard line.
  • Washington and Lee punter Fulton Weaver had a strong first collegiate game with a 38.6 average on 7 punts including 1 inside the 20-yard line.