Football
Gettysburg 42, Lebanon Valley 28
Box Score
ANNVILLE, Pa. - Lebanon Valley committed five turnovers and was hit for 140 yards of penalties as mistakes plagued them in a season-opening loss to Gettysburg, 42-28.
Gettysburg's rushing game ran wild for 374 yards, including 100-yard days by Jamel Mutunga (155 yards, 1 TD) and quarterback Kyle Whitmoyer, who had 137 yards and three rushing TD's in his debut. It was the most yards surrendered on the ground by LVC since the Bullets had 398 yards against them in 2003.
Ben Guiles ran for 154 yards on 23 carries with two touchdowns, but also gave away two fumbles, including a back-breaking 45-yard touchdown recovery by Tyler Fasenella in the third quarter.
"I said to the players, it's a team loss," said LVC head coach
Jim Monos, whose team entered the season coming off a best-ever 9-2 2009 campaign. "Turnovers, mistakes cost us, missed opportunities to convert. I'm disappointed."
LVC never seemed to get any momentum going and looked shocked as the Bullets (1-0) pulled out to a fast 21-0 lead in the first quarter, starting with a 77-yard bustout by Whitmoyer.
A blocked punt by freshman
Doug Lester gave LVC the ball on the one to start the second quarter, and
Blair Ransom put the Dutchmen (0-1) on the board with one play before Guiles added a seven-yard touchdown three minutes later.
Guiles tied it right out of the half when he broke free for a 57-yard score on the first play from scrimmage, and
Caleb Fick hit
Colt Zarilla for the two-point try.
Gettysburg responded with a 14-point swing, first as Mutunga capped a long drive, and then when Guiles was hit by Larry DelViscio, losing the ball for Fasanella to take the house. That turned a 21-21 tie into a 35-21 Gettysburg lead in a 43-second span.
Fick added a touchdown late in the third quarter as he converted a fourth-and-goal, but LVC would be held scoreless in the fourth quarter as they failed to get a drive going.
"A real early-season gutcheck," Monos said, responding to what the team needs to do as they head into a game against Grove City next weekend. "The expectations are high, and you come in and lose the home opener like we did today, and you have to take a look."
LVC was penalized 10 times for 140 yards, including four personal fouls; Gettysburg was also flagged 10 times, for 106 yards.
Fick finished going 8-for-24 for 149 yards; Zarilla didn't complete a pass, throwing two picks.
Cory Homer led the LVC defense with 15 tackles, including a sack;
Jason Gigous also had a big day making his first start at linebacker, stopped 11 with a 44-yard interception return.
Notables
Guiles rushed for the fifth 100-yard game of his career ... The last time LVC was penalized for 100+ yards in a non-overtime game was in 2001 against Juniata ... The Dutchmen had another punt block in the first half in addition Lester's, but it was waved off on a roughing-the-punter penalty ... LVC hadn't allowed 300 yards rushing since 2007. LVC allowed less than 100 yards per game on average in 2009 ... Gettysburg had seven first-time starters on defense ... LVC had several players making their first career starts, including Alex Kirchner (FB), Tim Picerno (WR), Ed Tobin (WR), TJ Giovarelli (LT), Clay Chaney (ILB), Jason Gigous (ILB), and Bryn Duffield (OLB) ... The Dutchmen used four different punters: Zarilla, the starter, punted twice for a 43-yard average, but LVC also had boots by Clay Chaney (34 yards, inside-20) and a beauty by Kevin Greene (54 yards, inside 20), and Fick quick-kicked for a 33-yard touchback ... Picerno, in his first career start, caught 6 passes for 112 yards, but was injured and did not return after his final catch, a big 45-yard gain in the fourth quarter ... 21 of Gettysburg's 42 points came off turnovers ... Despite a mostly sunny day, a stiff westerly crosswind wreaked havoc with kickers all day long, and Gettysburg twice took an out-of-bounds penalty on a kick-off ... LVC controlled the ball for just 24:30; they averaged 32:27 per game last year.
