Football
Lebanon Valley 28, Lycoming 14
Box Score
WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - Lebanon Valley won its fourth game in a row, running out to a 21-0 lead and never letting up as it topped Lycoming 28-14 at Person Field.
Ben Guiles had a 110-yard, two-touchdown rushing day to break the LVC single-season rushing record at 1,143 yards, while
Matt Lillis had two interceptions, including a 90-yard pick-six in the first quarter.
Caleb Fick threw for 186 yards and a touchdown to
Tim Picerno. LVC improved to 5-4 overall and 4-2 MAC with the win, and will face rival Albright next week in a bid to get to 6-4 and be eligible for a possible ECAC Bowl berth.
The much-anticipated match-up of the MAC's top two running backs between Guiles and Lycoming's Josh Kleinfelter never materialized after Kleinfelter left the game injured on Lyco's second drive. Zach Klinger passed for 256 yards and a touchdown to lead Lycoming, but also had three costly interceptions, including two in the fourth quarter to negate any comeback attempt.
Guiles ran for 59 of his 110 yards in the fourth quarter as he racked up his 10th career 100-yard game. He surpassed
Charlie Parker '10's season record of 1,105 yards, set in 2008, and also tied Parker's mark of 15 rushing touchdowns.
Turnovers, which had bitten LVC all season long, were finally an advantage as LVC grabbed three interceptions and a fumble while giving away just one.
LVC sprinted out to a 21-0 lead against a Lycoming (5-4, 3-3 MAC) team that had been unbeaten at home, with Guiles scoring from a yard out before Lillis' return gave the Dutchmen full momentum.
Picerno hauled in a seven-yard score from Fick in the second half before the Warriors finally got on the board with Parker Showers' 13-yard run late in the half.
Guiles added a second one-yard score to make it 28-7 in the third quarter to put LVC firmly in control. Lycoming tried to mount a comeback in the fourth starting Josh Dixon's 10-yard catch, but Klinger threw picks on consecutive drives, first to Lillis in the end zone, and then to
Nic Shirey at midfield.
LVC will return to Arnold Field next Saturday to host Albright at 1 p.m.
Game Notes
Lillis' 90-yard interception return was the second-longest in school history, and longest since Jon Grella's 87-yarder in 1993 ... John Kimmel had a 100-yarder in 1962 ... Lillis game into the game without an interception this season after leading the MAC with seven last year ... It was his third career INT return for a touchdown ... Andrew Hurst got his first career start at inside linebacker, making five tackles and forcing a fumble ... Kevin Smith also got his first start at nose tackle and had four stops, one for a loss ... Caleb Fick would need 276 yards against Albright (or in any potential ECAC Bowl game) to become LVC's all-time leading passer by yardage ... He has 5,659 career yards .. Sean Fakete was 4-for-4 on PATs ... Dane Eichelberger recovered a fumble to go with seven tackles ... Alex Gilchrist had 1.5 sacks among five tackles ... Jur'ey Fowlkes led LVC with a career-high eight tackles.
