Box Score
Photo Gallery (courtesy d3sports.com)

EDWARDSVILLE, Pa. – Junior Charlie Parker ran for a school-record 267 yards to help Lebanon Valley College hold on to beat Wilkes University, 28-21, on Saturday at Ralston Field.

The Dutchmen (3-1, 1-0 MAC) got their first win over Wilkes (0-4, 0-1 MAC) since 1992, snapping a 13-game win streak by the Colonels in the series. LVC also continued its best start since 1979, when it began 4-0.

The win sets up a key MAC showdown next week between 3-1 teams as LVC travels to #16 Delaware Valley.

LVC picked apart Wilkes' run defense to the tune of 333 yards. Parker ran 44 times for 267 yards and a pair of touchdowns, tying him with Rick Coleman with 21 career TD's. His 267 yards broke Ken Wilson's long-standing school record of 241 yards set against McDaniel in 1989. Freshman Ben Guiles added 66 yards on 10 totes.

Caleb Fick was solid, completing 11 of 25 for 171 yards and two touchdowns. LVC rolled out 504 yards of total offense to Wilkes' 269.

The Colonels coughed up five fumbles, with Jeff Ochoa coming up with two recoveries as LVC's defense came up with big play after big play to stop Wilkes early.

Wilkes threatened on the opening drive, but Jamar Beverly lost his handle on the ball at the one-yard line and Ochoa pounced on it in the end zone to end the drive. LVC then drove the length of the field but stalled and came away empty-handed after Dan DiBona missed a 28-yard field goal.

Both teams traded possessions around the start of the second quarter, but after LVC punted it after three-and-out, Wilkes quarterback Rob Johnson fumbled on first down and Will Keylor fell on the ball.

That set up a first-shot 37-yard touchdown strike from Fick to Joe Brennan to open the scoring.

On the ensuing kick-off, Shawn Gregson broke the coverage and had only DiBona to beat, but the kicker managed to strip the ball loose at midfield and Jur'ey Fowlkes recovered the fumble. That set up a long LVC drive capped by Matt Donley's five-yard touchdown catch with 6:58 to go in the half.

Wilkes finally got on the board in the third with Rob Pietrucha's four-yard catch, but LVC responded two series later with a 12-yard run by Parker to take a 21-7 lead.

The fourth quarter saw both offenses turn up the heat. Wilkes started with Prushinski's 15-yard strike to pull within a touchdown, but the Dutchmen responded with another Parker score to go up 28-14. Wilkes made it interesting with a late strike to Anthony Dorunda, but LVC was able to run out the clock and hold on for the win.

Game Notes: Parker's big day moved him up two spots on the LVC all-time rushing list. With 2,364 career yards, he is now second behind Coleman, who had 3,106 ... Parker surpassed Pete Henning (2,203 yards) and Wilson (2,305) ... Parker also tied Coleman for career rushing touchdowns with 21 and is two behind Wilson's program record ... Parker also set a single-game record for carries with 44, surpassing Steve Vajda's 40 in 1990 ... The 267 yards was only the third 200-yard game by a Dutchman, with the other two (241 and 204 yards) set by Wilson ... Four different Dutchmen picked up fumbles - Ochoa had two along with one each by Fowlkes, Keylor, and Trevor Goodman ... Brennan finished with 92 yards receiving ... DiBona missed two field goals and Matt Nawracaj had his 22-yard bid blocked ... Wilkes was held to 51 yards rushing.