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Box Score

ANNVILLE, Pa. - Junior Charlie Parker racked up 210 all-purpose yards and had two touchdowns as Lebanon Valley College held off a Gettysburg College comeback to win their season opener, 19-13, at a rain-soaked Arnold Field.

The game was played in the driving rain and wind of Tropical Storm Hanna, and was delayed twice due to lightning.

The Dutchmen (1-0) ran out to a 19-0 lead before giving up two third-quarter touchdowns to the Bullets (0-1), who drove nearly the length of the field at the end of the fourth quarter but fell short in a comeback bid.

It was the third straight time LVC has beaten Gettysburg at home, following a 13-12 win in 2006 and 2004's 7-3 victory.

"You talk about, we won three of our last four games last year, win our first game this year, and winning is contagious," said Head Coach Jim Monos. "But we have a hard schedule ahead of us and a tough  opponent in Ursinus next week."

Sophomore quarterback Caleb Fick completed 8-of-16 passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns, including an 82-yard strike to Parker in the first half. Gettysburg's Matt Flynn was 13-of-29 for 170 yards and a touchdown.

Sophomore safety Dane Eichelberger led a solid LVC defense with two interceptions. Seniors Brian Cottone and Andrew Shambach each racked up 10 tackles, and Shambach batted away the potential game-tying touchdown with seven seconds left in the game.

It was Parker who kept the LVC offense moving, carrying the ball 34 times for 128 yards, and adding the touchdown grab as his only reception for LVC's first score. Early in the second quarter, the junior snagged a pass from Fick in the flat and took off, racing up the sideline and diving into the end zone for an 82-yard touchdown.

"There aren't enough ways to get the ball to Charlie Parker, because he's a good football player," said Monos. "Nobody smells the goal line better than he does."

Watch the post-game interview with Coach Jim Monos

Fick made it 13-0 later in the half when he connected with Matt Donley on a 28-yard floater.

The Bullets threatened at the tail end of the half, but Eichelberger's interception at his own two ended the threat. Eichelberger then keyed LVC's next score, picking off Flynn's first pass of the second half to set up excellent field position at the Gettysburg 36. Five plays later, Parker turned the corner and dove in for a two-yard score and a 19-0 lead.

The Bullets responded with a long drive capped by Ricky Manigat's three-yard scoring run with 7:28 to go in the quarter, and five minutes later, Brian Betley hauled in a 26-yard pass from Flynn to cut the lead to 19-13

After a second lightning delay stopped the game for a half hour with 3:38 left, Lebanon Valley had an outstanding chance to shut the game out midway through the fourth quarter, grinding to the Gettysburg two. The Bullets ended the drive, however, with Tim Widdoes' interception of Fick.

With a 1:22 left and needing a touchdown to tie and the PAT to win, the Bullets drove from their own five to the LVC 25, and took four stabs at the end zone in the final 30 seconds before Shambach batted down a pass for Brian Betley to end the threat.

Game Notes: The game was delayed twice by lightning, first extending halftime and then again with 3:38 remaining in the game ... Parker posted his 11th career 100-yard rushing performance ... Eichelberger, making his first career start at free safety, had two interceptions and three tackles ... Despite the weather, both teams took care of the ball, each fumbling once, with Gettysburg losing theirs ... Freshman Colt Zarilla was outstanding at punter for LVC, putting four punts inside the 20, including two inside the five ... LVC and Gettysburg have alternated wins on their home fields every year since 2003 ... According to the National Weather Service at Ft. Indiantown Gap, the Lebanon Valley received just under two inches of rain during the course of the game.