Lebanon Valley College Athletics

ANNVILLE, Pa.— Seniors shined all over the field as the Lebanon Valley College football team defeated Albright College, 38-30, for its fourth consecutive win on Senior Day in Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) play on Saturday, Nov. 14, at Arnold Field. The Flying Dutchmen and Lions have met 105 times, dating back to 1898, with LVC winning the last six contests.

LVC (4-6, 4-5 MAC), who won four straight games for the first time since 2023, started out strong in its season finale. The offense scored on four of its first five possessions and the defense held Albright to one first down and just 29 yards of offense through the first 20 minutes of the game as Dutchmen raced out to a 28-0 lead.

The LVC offense continued its scorching hot play of recent weeks, marching 78 yards in nine plays for its first score. Owen Strouse connected with Ethan Heisey for a 35-yard pass play down the middle of the field and Noah Hoff for a short 5-yard completion. Then Jayden Stanfield took over with five rushes for 40 yards, including a 12-yard touchdown run, putting LVC in front 14-0.

The Dutchmen defense continued to frustrate the Lions and earned another three-and-out to give LVC the ball back on its own 23 with five minutes to go in the first quarter. After Stanfield's 36-yard scamper down the sideline, Strouse found Harrison Delissaint for a 23-yard touchdown strike.

In the closing seconds of the first quarter, LVC special teams delivered a huge play with Montgomery Sensening blocking an Albright punt and setting the Dutchmen up with great field position at the Albright 41-yard line. A reception by Hoff, a short run from Standfield, and an Albright penalty led LVC into the red zone. With 1st-and-10 from the 11-yard line, Stanfield followed his offensive line blocking into the end zone for his second touchdown of the day that stretched LVC's lead to 21-0 after Connor Hazel's third extra point.

Yet another three-and-out by Albright gave LVC the ball near midfield with 12:54 to play in the second quarter. Strouse and Heisey teamed up for another 30+-yard pass play, and later, facing 4th-and-2 on the 6-yard line, Strouse hit Blake Weaver in the corner of the end zone for LVC's fourth touchdown of the day.

Albright (4-6, 3-6 MAC) made a quarterback change and Desai Drummond led the Lions on a five-play, 84-yard touchdown drive to trim the deficit to 28-7 midway through the second quarter.

With Albright moving the ball again, Brandon Choi delivered a momentum-changing play, sacking Drummond and forcing a fumble that Anthony Pez recovered at the LVC 41. Delissaint made an incredible catch on the sideline for a 25-yard gain followed by two Heisey grabs, including an 18-yard touchdown in the left corner of the end zone, giving LVC a 35-7 halftime lead.

On LVC's opening drive of the second half, Hazel drilled his eighth field goal of the season, from 28 yards, to move the score to 38-7.

Albright mounted a fourth-quarter comeback with the Lions defense forcing a safety and a 47-yard touchdown from Drummond to Normauri Johnson, bringing the Lions within 38-15 with 10:36 to go in the fourth quarter. Drummond added a rushing touchdown and two-point conversion to DeAndre Clemons, cutting the score to 38-23 with six minutes remaining.

After LVC turned the ball over on downs, Albright added another quick touchdown with Drummond running it in from 12 yards out. The extra point made it 38-30 with under two minutes on the clock. Albright opted to kick off and LVC ran out the clock behind strong blocking from the offensive line.
 
Inside the Box

• Choi tied his season-high with 14 tackles, surpassing 100 tackles for the season and becoming the first LVC player to reach that milestone since Cory Homer in 2011. Choi, who also forced a fumble on a quarterback sack, will finish the regular season as the MAC leader in tackles.
• Strouse finished 17-of-27 for 254 yards and three touchdowns. He tallied 10 touchdowns over his last four games.
• LVC scored at least 34 points for the fourth straight week, its highest-scoring four-game stretch since 2023. The Dutchmen amassed more than 400 yards of offense, most of them in the first half.
• Heisey, who started Saturday ranked third in the MAC in receiving yards per game, caught six passes for 112 yards and a touchdown. He's reached at least 100 yards in three straight games and four times this season.
• Stanfield carried 27 times for 138 yards and two touchdowns and came into Saturday as the league leader in all-purpose yards and second in overall scoring.
• With a field goal and five extra points, Hazel added to his conference lead in field goals. He went into the weekend ranked sixth in overall scoring.
• J.D. McCallion recorded eight tackles, and Calvin Bent added seven stops for the defense. Kaies Handy and Sheadan Makosy each registered a sack.
• LVC's offensive line, who entered the weekend tied for best in the MAC in sacks allowed, did not allow a sack again against Albright.
• LVC defeated Albright for the sixth consecutive year. In keeping with campus tradition, the football team will lead the LVC student body on the March to Kreiderheim—the residence of College President James MacLaren—on Monday, Nov. 17. Students will request the day before Thanksgiving off from classes for an early start to the holiday break.

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