Lebanon Valley visits Lycoming in what has turned into a major early-season game of consequence in the MAC. The 2-0 Dutchmen will look to keep rolling along against the Warriors, who upset #22 Delaware Valley last week.
 

Game Info Game Day Central LVC Media Notes / Two Deep Lyco Media Notes / Two Deep

Game Coverage Live Stats: athletics.lycoming.edu Live Video: athletics.lycoming.edu Radio: Flying Dutchmen Radio Network (WMSS 91.1 FM / WWSM 1510AM) Radio Webcast: WMSSFM.com

Live Video On the Web
Saturday's game will be video streamed by Lycoming at athletics.lycoming.edu. All five of LVC's home games will be carried on LVCtv, and next week's game at Stevenson will also be streamed.

On the Radio
The game will be broadcast on the Flying Dutchmen Radio Network on WMSS 91.1 FM in Middletown and WWSM 1510 AM in Annville. John Wilsbach and Brian Keyser will call the action. The game will be streamed live and free at WMSSFM.com and GoDutchmen.com.

Weather Forecast
[Forecast] A great day for football - partly cloudy with a high of 81.

Going to the Game
Tickets, available at the gate, are $5 for adults, $3 for seniors and students. Children under 12 are free. Parking in the area is limited; follow these directions for details.

If You Only Know Five Things...
1. With Lycoming upsetting preseason MAC favorite Delaware Valley last week and LVC at 2-0, this game becomes a key early-season match-up with conference title implications.
2. LVC has the MAC's #1 rushing offense at more than 202 yards per game this season. Lycoming's rush defense has allowed 161 yards per game.
3. For the second straight week, Lebanon Valley received votes in this week's d3football.com Top 25 poll after topping Montclair State and Misericordia to start the season. LVC was one of three MAC teams to appear, with #22 Widener and Albright also receiving votes.
4. LVC's fullbacks have been key scorers, with Evan Fink leading the MAC with three rushing touchdowns and Alex Kirchner adding another.
5. LVC has won two of the last three trips to Williamsport, including last time in 2010.

Series History
The game is the 28th meeting all-time ... Lycoming leads the series 23-4, winning the first 21 games ... LVC has won four of the last six, however ... The first meeting was on Nov. 19, 1955, a 25-7 Lycoming win ... The two teams played in 1956, then did not play again until 1985 ... Lycoming won 10-7 at a snow-covered Arnold Field last year ... LVC won last time in Williamsport, 28-14 ... Coach Jim Monos is 4-14 against Lyco.

Recapping Misericordia
A mid-game storm couldn't slow down Lebanon Valley as it racked up 553 yards of offense en route to a 47-7 win over Misericordia, in what was the first game played on artificial turf at Arnold Field.The Dutchmen led 27-0 at the half and had two touchdowns from Evan Fink and scores by Joey Miller and Jake Zeigler. LVC ran for 235 yards overall, while quarterbacks Leo Kyte and Brian Murphy combined for 318 yards passing. The game was delayed 58 minutes at halftime by severe storms moving through the region, and turned a hot and muggy first half into a cool second half. The storm could barely dampen the excitement to christen the new FieldTurf at Arnold Field, hosting its first varsity football game since its installation this past summer. Miller's wide-open 22-yard touchdown catch put LVC on the board first, and another big Miller catch set up Fink's first score to open the second quarter. Murphy threw his first career touchdown to Zeigler later in the half, and Fink capped a long drive to end the first half. Brendan Kain slipped to the edge to open the second half from 18 yards out, but Misericordia got on the board with their first-ever points, an easy 1-yard pass from Pickett to Lucchesi midway through the third. LVC finished things off with Kenny King's short effort and a fourth-quarter dive over the top by Alex Kirchner.

Noting LVC's Offense
One change to the two-deep at wide receiver, where Joey Miller has taken over the starting spot ... Miller impressed vs. Misericordia, catching the opening touchdown and making two one-foot-inbounds catches among five receptions for 81 yards ... Jake Zeigler was also excellent last week, leading all receivers with 82 yards on four catches with a touchdown ... Leo Kyte was 13-of-20 for 173 yards and a touchdown in less than three quarters of work, shaking off an early interception to have a solid game ... Sophomore Brian Murphy was impressive in four series' of work, completing six of eight passes for 145 yards and a touchdown ... Three of Murphy's six completions went to Yahya McIntyre ... Freshman Connor Snyder also got his first career reps at QB in the fourth quarter vs. Misericordia ... LVC's rushing game went by committee in the comfortable win, with Pete Panichi leading the way with 73 yards ... Three of LVC's five rushing touchdowns were scored by fullbacks, with two by Evan Fink and another from Alex Kirchner ... Conrad Heisey ran for 33 yards and also took a shovel pass 57 yards for the game's longest play ... Brendan Kain and Kenny King added touchdowns, while Matt Richmond, Tanner Link, and JP Gething got their first career varsity carries ... Nate Myers made his second straight start at tight end and had a 16-yard catch ... The offensive line did not surrender a sack as LVC ran for 235 yards ... Freshman Dustin Jones was a game-time call to start at left tackle for an injured Nate Valdez ... Valdez was available, however, and is expected to be start at Lycoming.

Noting LVC's Defense
One two-deep change on defense, where Joey Scerbo, who started against Misericordia, takes over at WDE with Andrew Livingston behind him ... No fewer than 32 Dutchmen made tackles against Misericordia ... David Kennedy and Andrew Burkholder led the way with five stops each ... Kennedy had a sack and two tackles for a loss, while Burkholder added a hurry ... Scerbo earned his first career start and made four tackles with two hurries ... DJ Poligone and Jacob Heaton also had sacks, and Kyle Pfirman and Livingston combined for another ... Dachonn Johnson, Erik Schmeck, and Burkholder had pass break-ups ... LVC didn't have a defensive score for the first time in four games, since last year's game against Wilkes ... LVC held Misericordia to 14 first downs and just 244 yards of offense overall, including 109 yards rushing on 24 attempts ... They also held the Cougars to 2-for-13 on third-down attempts.

Noting LVC's Special Teams
No changes on special teams for LVC at Lycoming ... Sean Fakete hit five extra points against Misericordia and averaged 57 yards per kickoff ... He missed one PAT and another fell victim to a low snap as the rain began, which holder Jake Zeigler couldn't convert on a two-point scramble ... Zeigler punted twice for a 32.0 ypp average, with his first punt into a stiff wind ... Neither punt was returnable ... Matt Richmond had a good day returning, taking three punts for a 6.0 ypr average and a kickoff back 37 yards ... Bryan Ek had a 17-yard kick return.

LVC Receives Top 25 Votes
For the second straight week, Lebanon Valley received four votes in the d3football.com Top 25 poll. LVC was one of three MAC teams to appear, with #22 Widener, and Albright also receiving votes.

Starting Strong
LVC is seeking to go 3-0 for the first time since 2009, when it began 3-0 before a loss to Delaware Valley. Prior to that, you'd have to go all the way back to 1979 to find the last 3-0 beginning for the Dutchmen.

LVC's Best Starts
Year    Start    Final
2009    3-0    9-2+
1979    4-0    5-4
1969    3-0    6-2*
1968    3-0    4-4
1961    4-0    6-1*
1960    3-0    7-2
1952    3-0    4-3
+ - ECAC Southwest Bowl title
* - MAC Champion

Full Speed Ahead
Ben Guiles '12 has graduated. Quick, name the MAC's rushing touchdown leader after two games. Give up? It's none other than the man who used to clear the way for LVC's all-time TD leader, fullback Evan Fink. Fink has three trips to the end zone this season and has been all over the field, carrying 14 times for 47 yards. Alex Kirchner has just one carry at fullback, but he made it count, a one-yard over-the-top plunge against Misericordia for a touchdown.

Grinding Drives
LVC's offense in 2011 was record-breaking, and it got things done quickly. Through the first two games of last season, LVC averaged just 2:16, 6 plays, and 56 yards per scoring drive. This season, the Dutchmen have scored just one less time through two games, but have become more methodical and taken their time doing it. In 2012, LVC's scoring drive average has been 7 plays, 63 yards, and 3:06. That's including the one-play, five-yard drive after Montclair's botched punt snap; excluding that, it's closer to 8 plays, 69 yards, and 3:25 per drive. LVC has five scoring drives of nine or more plays in 2012, compared to three in 2011.

Nice To See You Again
Saturday is a homecoming of sorts for LVC safety Josh Borreli, who transfered to Annville from Lycoming. Borreli, a Hummelstown native and Lower Dauphin product, had eight tackles and two fumble recoveries in 10 games as a freshman in 2010 for the Warriors. This season, Borreli has eight stops with an interception return for a touchdown, and he was the Week 1 MAC Player of the Week.

Fakete Eyes More Records
Junior kicker Sean Fakete set an LVC single-season record with 43 PATs last year, and his eight field goals ranked second all-time. In doing so, he became the first LVC kicker in a decade to earn all-MAC honors. He co-holds the single-game PAT record (7, twice) and the single-game scoring record by a kicker (13). He already has some career records in sight, with Brittany Ryan '11's PAT mark of 82 within reach this season (Fakete has 68) after he moved up to third all-time with five boots last week.

Colletts Collects Preseason All-America Honors
Senior center Sam Colletts has earned three preseason all-America nods this summer. The all-ECAC and all-MAC pick was named a first-teamer by USA College Football, a second-teamer by the D3Senior Classic, and a third-teamer by Beyond Sports College Network.
 
Lycoming Quick Look
After not scoring an offensive point against Brockport, Lycoming's offense awakened at #22 Delaware Valley. Quarterback Tyler Jenny finished 12-for-20 for 134 yards and two touchdowns, hitting six different receivers led by sophomore John Sibel, who nabbed four passes for 37 yards. Freshman Ryan Umpleby caught three passes for a team-high 43 yards. The Warriors' rushing attack also returned against the Aggies, as they ran the ball 44 times for 175 yards, led by 57 yards from sophomore Craig Needhammer and 54 yards from senior Parker Showers. Both Jenny and junior wildcat quarterback Matt Atkinson ran for 32 yards. Defensively, Nate Oropollo was named the MAC Defensive Player of the Week after a four-sack performance and the Warriors held DVC's Aaron Wilmer to just 17-of-37 passing.  Sophomore Tanner Troutman made nine tackles, one for a loss, grabbed his second interception of the season, and also broke up two fourth-quarter passes in his first start at safety. Kabongo Bukasa paces the Lycoming linebackers, tied for third in the MAC with 9.5 tackles per game.

Next Time Out
LVC will visit Stevenson for the first time next Saturday before returning home to face #22 Widener on Sept. 29.