Lebanon Valley 30, Albright 24 (2OT)
 
LVC Offensive Starters
QB Kegarise, TB Fink, FB Robinson, WR Wise, WR Diggs, TE Clark, LT Amarose, LG Fiadino, C Shiley, RG Werner, RT Heft
 
LVC Defensive Starters
DE Maguire, DT Donlan, DT Whitfield, DE McLeod, LB Brubaker, LB Trujillo, LB Gerhart, CB Okomba, FS Adams, SS Jenkins, CB Gaumer
 
Albright Offensive Starters
QB Lahay, RB Bootman, WR Dickerson, WR Miller, WR Zehner, TE Forbes, LT Ryan, LG Emsley, C Valdez, RG Ocasio, RT Jones
 
Albright Defensive Starters
DE Sanchez, NG Marini, DE Foster, LB Smith, LB Steffen, LB Viera, LB Vital, FS Jefferson, SS Lawson, CB Stewart, CB Bowsky
 
How It Happened
If one was to look up 'rivalry' in the dictionary, there may be a picture of Albright vs. LVC football. The Dutchmen confirmed that notion this afternoon in a thrilling season finale against the Lions.
 
Lebanon Valley saved its most exciting game of the season for last, and didn't disappoint the big crowd on Saturday afternoon, Nov. 10 at Arnold Field. In the 98th all-time meeting between the Dutchmen and Lions, fans were treated to one of the most nail-biting games in recent memory, and LVC came out on top thanks to Steve Salerno's 20-yard rush in double overtime, which sealed the victory for the Dutchmen on a frigid fall afternoon. LVC ended its 2018 season with a 2-8 mark and a 2-6 Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) record, while the Lions went winless, finishing the season at 0-10, 0-8 MAC.
 
Up by 10 at 24-14 heading into the fourth quarter, Albright began a drive with 14:51 left on the clock. The Lions drove down the field, and on second down and eight at LVC's 26-yard line, Jimmy Lahay found Jory Cole wide open down the right side and Cole walked into the endzone to cap a nine-play, 70-yard Lions' drive to bring Albright to within three at 24-21 with 11:28 left in the fourth. On the ensuing drive, the Dutchmen put together a nice drive, but they gambled and went for it on fourth and four at Albright's 37 and Kody Kegarise's pass was incomplete, resulting in a turnover on downs. The Lions took advantage of LVC's gamble and put together a long, 15-play, 59-yard drive that was capped by Kevin Goetz's 20-yard field goal that tied things up at 24-24.
 
With 1:55 remaining in the fourth, the Dutchmen were hoping to get into field-goal range at the very least, and with the ball at the LVC 36, Kegarise found Tyeair Diggs wide open down the right side and Diggs caught it at Albright's 31-yard line for the first down. From there, the Dutchmen moved the ball slowly, but with 13 seconds left, LVC was able to get into field-goal range for Nick Bentz. From 45 yards out, Bentz's kick looked to be good, but a swirling wind knocked it down and it fell just short of the upright. The Lions then ran the clock out with 13 ticks left and the game went into overtime.
 
Albright won the toss in overtime and elected to defer, giving the ball to LVC to start. Steve Salerno picked up back-to-back rushes for six and nine yards, respectively, and after a Hunter Wilson rush for five yards to the Albright two, Salerno ran the ball for a yard to get to the one-yard line. After a Dutchmen timeout, on fourth and goal, LVC gambled again, but Albright stopped Salerno short of the goal line and came away without any points. On the Lions' possession, the visitors were doomed by penalties, beginning with Lahay's intention grounding penalty that backed Albright to LVC's 31-yard line. During a timeout, the Lions' sideline was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct, pushing the Lions back 15 more yards. On fourth and 31, Lahay's pass was incomplete and the contest went to a second OT.
 
Albright got the ball first in double overtime and the Dutchmen's defense stood tall, stopping Malik Bootman for just a two-yard run, followed by a two-yard loss thanks to Tyler Gerhart's tackle. After their third-and-goal pass was incomplete, Goetz came on to attempt a 20-yard field goal, but the kick went wide right, sparking the crowd and giving LVC life. It didn't take the Dutchmen long on their second possession, as Salerno picked up a five-yard rush, and on the next play, he ran through a hole and past the defense for the touchdown to give LVC a thrilling 30-24 win.
 
The Lions got on the board first in the opening quarter when Lahay completed a 61-yard pass to Kyle Dickerson who scored with 9:57 remaining in the first to put Albright up 7-0. The Dutchmen responded in the second quarter with a 10-play, 64-yard drive, capped by Salerno's six-yard rushing TD to tie things up at 7-7, which held heading into the second half of action.
 
Similar to last week, LVC needed a spark from its defense in the second half, and got just that when Jacob Hellman intercepted Lahay's pass and returned it 27 yards to Albright's 38. The offense took advantage of the miscue, and Wilson began the drive with an impressive 20-yard rush to the Lions' 18. Later in the drive, Salerno continued his torrid day with a nine-yard rushing score to put LVC up 14-7 with 10:29 left in the third. Albright, however, answered back with the big play, as Lahay found Dickerson for a 36-yard TD to again tie the game, this time at 14-14.
 
On the Dutchmen's next drive, Kegarise found Tyler Melhorn for a 14-yard catch at Albright's 43, and Salerno took over from there, earning 21 rush yards in four rushes, followed by Bentz's 23-yard field goal that put the home squad up 17-14. After a three-and-out for the Lions, Goetz's punt went just 11 yards, giving the Dutchmen solid field position at Albright's 42. LVC changed up its style of play in its ensuing drive when Kegarise found Tyeair Diggs for a 58-yard touchdown that put the Dutchmen ahead 24-14.
 
A Tradition Unlike Any Other
Thanks to today's win, the LVC student body will now march to Kreiderheim, home of President Lewis E. Thayne, and request the day before Thanksgiviing (Nov. 21) off from class. That day is scheduled to be a half-day of classes. Before today's win, 2016 was the first year since 2011 that an orderly mob of Dutchmen, led by the football team and Annville fire police and personnel, marched from Arnold Field up the hill to Kreiderheim, where they were granted the day off by President Thayne. The march is set for this Monday at 4 p.m.
 
Inside the Numbers
 - Kegarise went 7-for-14 for 126 yards and a touchdown.
 - Salerno finished with a game-high 137 yards on 24 attempts to go along with three TD's.
 - Wilson rushed 13 times for 74 yards.
 - Diggs totaled 111 yards on five receptions and one score.
 - Albright's QB Lahay ended with 302 yards on 21-of-37 throwing with three touchdowns and one pick.
 - Dickerson led all wide receivers with 12 catches for 187 yards and two scores.
 - Anthony Jenkins paced the defense in tackles with nine, while Zachary Adams added seven.
 - Tyler Hodges and Brandon Brubaker made six tackles apiece.
 - Hellman finished with one interception and two passes broken up.
 - The Lions' Sam Viera made a game-high 16 tackles, while Kaamal Stewart, Nate Steffen, and Ryan Rogers each added nine.
 - In the teams' 98th all-time meeting, the Lions now hold a 61-34-3 overall mark.
 - LVC ended the season on a two-game win streak.
 
Senior Day
Before today's game, LVC honored its 27 seniors and one junior, including Dallas Arner, Chance Atkins, Tyler Hodges, Nick Sweitzer, Gary Wise, Tyler Melhorn, Adam Domovich, Jared Kramp, Ryan Fink, Alec Soltys, Zachary Adams, Derrec Robinson, Teddy Denver, Bret Hertzog, Steve Salerno, Adam Wagaman, Cooper Fiadino, Jacob Harder, Scott Werner, Lee Amarose, Brett Mars, Evan Shiley, Ryan Johnson, Trent Donlan, Jacob Whitfield, Austin Maguire, and Alex Trujillo. The Dutchmen also honored junior Scotty Dickmyer, as well as the senior cheerleaders: Alyssa Boisvert, Shea Fisher, Emily Good, and Samantha Lash.
 
Season Recap
Today's game marks the end of LVC's 121st campaign in program history. It also wraps up head coach Joe Buehler's '89 third season as head coach. There is still business to be done, however, as the LVC student body is set to march on Kreiderheim on Monday at 4 p.m., hoping for a well-earned day off.
 
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