Box Score
ANNVILLE, Pa. - Lebanon Valley improved to 6-1 for the first time since 1961 as it rolled by King's, 40-14, in front of an enthusiastic Oktoberfest Weekend crowd at Arnold Field.
The Dutchmen (6-1, 3-1 MAC) remain a game behind Delaware Valley and Albright for first place in the MAC after both of those teams won on Saturday. Lebanon Valley will bid to go 7-1 next week at Widener, which would mark the best record in program history.
Caleb Fick and
Colt Zarilla combined to throw for 193 yards and three touchdowns for LVC, with two TD passes going to
Sean Donovan. The two-headed rushing attack of
Charlie Parker (109 yards, 1 TD) and
Ben Guiles (76 yards) led the Dutchmen to 220 yards on the ground.
King's racked up 348 yards of offense and ran for 220 yards, but the LVC defense generated three interceptions on Corey Lavin, including a pick-six by
Matt Lillis on his second interception of the day and another grab by
Dane Eichelberger.
"I'm really proud of our football team," said Head Coach
Jim Monos. "They moved the ball on us in the first half, but they only got two field goals. We hit some big pass plays, some big plays for scores."
It was LVC's second straight game and third this season of scoring 40 or more points as they barreled out to a 20-3 halftime lead after a driving downpour to start the game delayed kick-off nearly 20 minutes.
A scoreless first quarter yielded a high-scoring second, and Andrew DeRito hit a 28-yard field goal to cap a 13-play King's drive and take an early 3-0 lead.
LVC responded with what is fast becoming its trademark, a quick big-play surgical strike as Fick went long for Donovan, who danced the sideline 60 yards to the end zone.
With King's driving after the kick-off, Lillis shifted the game for the Dutchmen with his interception of Lavin, and that set up the Valley's second score. With Zarilla under center, LVC went for a play-action fake reverse, and Zarilla hit a wide-open
Joe Brennan, who broke through two tackles as he went 54 yards to the house less than four minutes after Donovan.
"We've got firepower, we've said that all along," Monos said. "
Caleb Fick started slow, but came on strong and played a good football game."
"We had a couple of shots downfield and we took them, and it really paid off," Donovan said. "Not only wide receivers, but we have weapons at running back, this offense is really explosive and we're starting to show what we can do."
Another DeRito field goal cut it to 13-6, and LVC had just 1:18 before halftime to produce another score. Fick masterfully put together a five-play, 56-yard drive in that span, completing a nine-yard pass to a diving Donovan at the front flag to take a 20-6 lead into the break.
Lebanon Valley scored again to start the second half, with Parker capping off an eight-play drive with a six-yard run up the middle to take a 26-6 lead. However, Lavin showed his footwork on the next drive, breaking loose at midfield and outrunning the LVC defense 49 yards to the house to cut the lead to 26-14 after a two-point conversion.
But that would be all the scoring King's would get. On King's next possession, Lavin was picked off by Lillis on the sideline, and the senior cornerback went 31 yards the other way to put LVC up 33-14.
"The backbreaker was that interception for a score," Monos said.
Fullback
Bryan Lynch punctuated the win in the fourth quarter, bursting up the middle on third down for a one-yard touchdown.
Game Notes
Before the game, LVC's 2009 Hall of Fame class was honored, which included football alumnus Erik Orndorff '93 ... Charlie Parker was also honored for becoming LVC's all-time leading rusher last week at FDU-Florham ... The game started 20 minutes late due to lightning in the area during pre-game ... Most of the first and fourth quarters were played in a driving downpour ... LVC, 6-1 in 1961, also won their first MAC championship that year. Bill McHenry, LVC's coach that year, gave a pre-game speech to LVC on Saturday ... Brennan ended up with 100 yards total receiving on five catches, his eighth career 100-yard game ... Parker's 107 yards was his 15th career 100-yard game. He and Guiles have combined to post 100-yard games six times this year ... The King's offensive line, which has allowed just three sacks all year, allowed just one sack by Alex Gilchrist and Eichelberger ... Lillis' interception for a touchdown was LVC's first since Bill Dixon '09 did it against Susquehanna in 2007 ... King's 220 yards rushing was the second-highest total allowed this year by LVC, which was only giving up 76 yards per game on the ground coming into the weekend ... Zarilla had an outstanding punting day despite the wind, booting three for a 40.7-yard average and putting one inside the five ... Brittany Ryan had two PATs hit the upright while making two ... Dan DiBona made the final two PATs.
Big Offensive Performer...
Wide receiver
Sean Donovan caught just two passes for 69 yards, but they both counted for touchdowns as the senior produced two second-quarter TD's.
Big Defensive Performer...
Cornerback
Matt Lillis intercepted two passes, including one for a touchdown, had another pass break-up, and registered four solo tackles.
The Big Plays...
Donovan's 60-yard TD catch and Brennan's 54-yarder happened just 4:10 apart in the second quarter, setting the tone for the entire game.
It Was Over When...
Lillis took a pick-six 31 yards to the end zone in the third quarter, putting LVC up 33-14.
