Saturday, November 18
Bethlehem, Pa.
12:30 PM
Lehigh University
5-6 , 5-1
38
vs
31
Lafayette
3-8 , 3-3
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Lafayette
7
17
7
0
31
Lehigh
14
0
14
10
38
Mountain Hawks rally past Lafayette 38-31 to claim #Rivalry153, Patriot League Championship
11/18/2017 6:00:00 PM | Football
The Rivalry: Lehigh vs. Lafayette
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The 153rd meeting of Lehigh-Lafayette was a tale of two halves, much like the Mountain Hawks' season. The Mountain Hawks' first half mirrored their 0-5 start after yielding 206 yards and turning the ball over three times to fall into a 24-14 hole. But much like the second half of its season, Lehigh bounced back after halftime scoring three touchdowns and relying on a defensive effort that limited the Leopards to just 24 yards in the second half to claim a 38-31 victory at Goodman Stadium. The Lehigh-Lafayette game was presented by JFR Salvage.
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The win, Lehigh's third straight in the Rivalry, clinched the Mountain Hawks' league-best 12th Patriot League championship and second straight. Lehigh and Colgate tied at 5-1 in league play, but the Mountain Hawks clinched the league's automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs by way of their 41-38Â win in Hamilton, N.Y. on Oct. 7.
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Junior quarterback Brad Mayes was named the game's most valuable player, completing 26-of-35 passes for 397 yards and three touchdowns, including the go-ahead 41-yard strike to senior Gatlin Casey with 7:49 to play. Casey and classmate Troy Pelletier both eclipsed the 100-yard receiving mark on nine catches, with Casey totaling 154 yards and a touchdown and Pelletier adding 107 yards and two scores. Junior Dominick Bragalone eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark for the seventh straight week, carrying 29 times for 113 yards and two touchdowns.
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Lehigh completes the regular season at 5-6 overall but enters the playoffs winning five of its last six games. Lafayette's season ends at 3-8.
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"This is very fitting, just the way our season has been, going 0-5 and getting back to winning a championship," Lehigh head coach Andy Coen said. "These kids stuck together. There was never any panic. Our coaching staff did a great job making the tweaks they needed to make on both sides of the ball. I really credit the guys I work with and am blessed to work with the people that I have. That's why we win, because we have great people around us. I'm really thrilled for this group of young men."
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As many rivalry games go, Lafayette unveiled several wrinkles in the first half, while capitalizing on three Lehigh turnovers to seize the momentum. The Leopards drove 73 yards in 10 plays on the opening drive and took the early lead on a one-yard Nick Pearson run, only to see Lehigh answer on a five-yard Bragalone run.
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Mayes' first touchdown pass to Pelletier, covering eight yards, gave Lehigh a 14-7 lead after one quarter. Lafayette struck back, capitalizing on a muffed punt to tie the game and then a fumbled kickoff to take a 17-14 lead on Jeffrey Kordenbrock's 33-yard field goal with 10:22 left in the half.
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C.J. Amill's six-yard touchdown run extended the Leopards' lead to 24-14. Lafayette had a chance for more late in the half following a fumble recovery near midfield but Lehigh's defense stood tall after an 11-play drive moved the ball deep into Mountain Hawk territory. A bad snap on a late field goal attempt resulted in a fumble recovery for senior Tyler Cavenas and Lehigh went into the locker room trailing by 10.
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Lehigh appeared to re-claim momentum on its second drive of the second half as a 49-yard pass to freshman Jorge Portorreal set up a one-yard touchdown by Bragalone, but Amill was able to put the Leopards back in front by 10 after a 96-yard touchdown return on the ensuing kickoff.
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The Mountain Hawks' offense kept plugging away, however. Lehigh answered with a 10-play, 74-yard drive that featured an 18-yard pass to senior Sasha Kelsey to convert a 4th-and-4 and eventually Mayes and Pelletier hooked up for a six-yard touchdown to bring Lehigh within three.
(11/18/2017) Football vs. Lafayette, 11/18/17
Lafayette recorded a first down on its second offensive play of the second half. It would be the only first down recorded by the Leopards in the final 30 minutes. A 3-and-out got Lehigh the ball back and Ed Mish's 32-yard field goal tied the game at 31-31 with 12 minutes to play.
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After another Lafayette punt, Lehigh drove 82 yards in seven plays capped by Mayes' long ball to Casey, who made a diving grab in the end zone to give Lehigh the lead.
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Following another stop by the Lehigh defense, the Mountain Hawks got the ball back with 5:55 to play and were able to run out the clock, thanks to a Bragalone three-yard rush on 3rd-and-1, a Mayes 22-yard pass to Casey on 3rd-and-2 and finally, a Mayes one-yard keeper to pick up a 3rd-and-1.
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Total yards finished 495-230 in favor of Lehigh. The Mountain Hawks gave up 187 on the ground, most of which came in the first half, and just 43 through the air. Lafayette had just 10 first downs, while Lehigh had nearly a five-minute edge in time of possession.
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Pearson led Lafayette with 95 rushing yards on six carries, while Selwyn Simpson added 57 on 17 carries. Sean O'Malley finished 6-of-18 for 43 for Lafayette.
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"I give Lafayette a lot of credit," Coen said. "Obviously they came in with a bunch of things that we hadn't seen and you can't prepare for everything, but Coach Garrett did a great job with his offensive staff and kept us off guard then he kind of ran out of some of those things in the second half. Our defense was really dominant in the second half. We were able to get in a groove in the second half and really felt very confident. We were able to get it done."
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Sophomore Safety Riley O'Neil led Lehigh with eight tackles, while junior Mark Walker and senior Tyler Cavenas each had six. Cavenas added 2.5 tackles-for-loss.
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Down at the half, fifth-year senior offensive lineman and team captain Zach Duffy gave the speech that helped inspire Lehigh's halftime turnaround.
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"I really just called on the seniors," Duffy said. "I said this weeks ago, a team only goes as far as the senior class. Those guys really stepped up today, taking ownership of it. I couldn't be more proud of the team, the resiliency that we've had. Starting off 0-5, a lot of people gave up on us. The position we were in, it was fitting. We were used to being down. It's kind of the story of our season. We really turned it on and I couldn't be more proud of this team."
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The Mountain Hawks will learn their NCAA playoff fate when the field is announced Sunday at 11 a.m. on ESPNU. The first round will be played on Saturday, November 25.
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EXTRA POINTS… Lafayette leads the all-time series 78-70-5 but Lehigh has won eight of the last 10 Rivalry games and 34-of-53 since the 100th meeting in 1964… the Mountain Hawks have now won four Patriot League titles in the last eight seasons… Pelletier's first quarter touchdown reception set a new Patriot League career record of 35, passing Colgate's Corey Hill and Fordham's Javarus Dudley…  Saturday's game marked the first time this season that Lehigh allowed a touchdown on its opponent's opening possession and still managed to win… The Mountain Hawks won despite recording zero sacks and zero takeaways after totaling four sacks and six takeaways over the previous two weeks… the football team's win combined with the swimming and diving teams' sweep of the Leopards Friday night gives Lehigh a 10-1 lead over Lafayette across all sports in 2017-18… Saturday's attendance was 15,270 in a game that began under cool, damp conditions and ended in steady rain.
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Like Lehigh Football on Facebook and follow on Twitter for exclusive updates throughout the season.
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The 153rd meeting of Lehigh-Lafayette was a tale of two halves, much like the Mountain Hawks' season. The Mountain Hawks' first half mirrored their 0-5 start after yielding 206 yards and turning the ball over three times to fall into a 24-14 hole. But much like the second half of its season, Lehigh bounced back after halftime scoring three touchdowns and relying on a defensive effort that limited the Leopards to just 24 yards in the second half to claim a 38-31 victory at Goodman Stadium. The Lehigh-Lafayette game was presented by JFR Salvage.
Â
The win, Lehigh's third straight in the Rivalry, clinched the Mountain Hawks' league-best 12th Patriot League championship and second straight. Lehigh and Colgate tied at 5-1 in league play, but the Mountain Hawks clinched the league's automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs by way of their 41-38Â win in Hamilton, N.Y. on Oct. 7.
Â
Junior quarterback Brad Mayes was named the game's most valuable player, completing 26-of-35 passes for 397 yards and three touchdowns, including the go-ahead 41-yard strike to senior Gatlin Casey with 7:49 to play. Casey and classmate Troy Pelletier both eclipsed the 100-yard receiving mark on nine catches, with Casey totaling 154 yards and a touchdown and Pelletier adding 107 yards and two scores. Junior Dominick Bragalone eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark for the seventh straight week, carrying 29 times for 113 yards and two touchdowns.
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Lehigh completes the regular season at 5-6 overall but enters the playoffs winning five of its last six games. Lafayette's season ends at 3-8.
Â
"This is very fitting, just the way our season has been, going 0-5 and getting back to winning a championship," Lehigh head coach Andy Coen said. "These kids stuck together. There was never any panic. Our coaching staff did a great job making the tweaks they needed to make on both sides of the ball. I really credit the guys I work with and am blessed to work with the people that I have. That's why we win, because we have great people around us. I'm really thrilled for this group of young men."
Â
As many rivalry games go, Lafayette unveiled several wrinkles in the first half, while capitalizing on three Lehigh turnovers to seize the momentum. The Leopards drove 73 yards in 10 plays on the opening drive and took the early lead on a one-yard Nick Pearson run, only to see Lehigh answer on a five-yard Bragalone run.
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Mayes' first touchdown pass to Pelletier, covering eight yards, gave Lehigh a 14-7 lead after one quarter. Lafayette struck back, capitalizing on a muffed punt to tie the game and then a fumbled kickoff to take a 17-14 lead on Jeffrey Kordenbrock's 33-yard field goal with 10:22 left in the half.
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C.J. Amill's six-yard touchdown run extended the Leopards' lead to 24-14. Lafayette had a chance for more late in the half following a fumble recovery near midfield but Lehigh's defense stood tall after an 11-play drive moved the ball deep into Mountain Hawk territory. A bad snap on a late field goal attempt resulted in a fumble recovery for senior Tyler Cavenas and Lehigh went into the locker room trailing by 10.
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Lehigh appeared to re-claim momentum on its second drive of the second half as a 49-yard pass to freshman Jorge Portorreal set up a one-yard touchdown by Bragalone, but Amill was able to put the Leopards back in front by 10 after a 96-yard touchdown return on the ensuing kickoff.
Â
The Mountain Hawks' offense kept plugging away, however. Lehigh answered with a 10-play, 74-yard drive that featured an 18-yard pass to senior Sasha Kelsey to convert a 4th-and-4 and eventually Mayes and Pelletier hooked up for a six-yard touchdown to bring Lehigh within three.
Lafayette recorded a first down on its second offensive play of the second half. It would be the only first down recorded by the Leopards in the final 30 minutes. A 3-and-out got Lehigh the ball back and Ed Mish's 32-yard field goal tied the game at 31-31 with 12 minutes to play.
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After another Lafayette punt, Lehigh drove 82 yards in seven plays capped by Mayes' long ball to Casey, who made a diving grab in the end zone to give Lehigh the lead.
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Following another stop by the Lehigh defense, the Mountain Hawks got the ball back with 5:55 to play and were able to run out the clock, thanks to a Bragalone three-yard rush on 3rd-and-1, a Mayes 22-yard pass to Casey on 3rd-and-2 and finally, a Mayes one-yard keeper to pick up a 3rd-and-1.
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Total yards finished 495-230 in favor of Lehigh. The Mountain Hawks gave up 187 on the ground, most of which came in the first half, and just 43 through the air. Lafayette had just 10 first downs, while Lehigh had nearly a five-minute edge in time of possession.
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Pearson led Lafayette with 95 rushing yards on six carries, while Selwyn Simpson added 57 on 17 carries. Sean O'Malley finished 6-of-18 for 43 for Lafayette.
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"I give Lafayette a lot of credit," Coen said. "Obviously they came in with a bunch of things that we hadn't seen and you can't prepare for everything, but Coach Garrett did a great job with his offensive staff and kept us off guard then he kind of ran out of some of those things in the second half. Our defense was really dominant in the second half. We were able to get in a groove in the second half and really felt very confident. We were able to get it done."
Â
Sophomore Safety Riley O'Neil led Lehigh with eight tackles, while junior Mark Walker and senior Tyler Cavenas each had six. Cavenas added 2.5 tackles-for-loss.
Â
Down at the half, fifth-year senior offensive lineman and team captain Zach Duffy gave the speech that helped inspire Lehigh's halftime turnaround.
Â
"I really just called on the seniors," Duffy said. "I said this weeks ago, a team only goes as far as the senior class. Those guys really stepped up today, taking ownership of it. I couldn't be more proud of the team, the resiliency that we've had. Starting off 0-5, a lot of people gave up on us. The position we were in, it was fitting. We were used to being down. It's kind of the story of our season. We really turned it on and I couldn't be more proud of this team."
Â
The Mountain Hawks will learn their NCAA playoff fate when the field is announced Sunday at 11 a.m. on ESPNU. The first round will be played on Saturday, November 25.
Â
EXTRA POINTS… Lafayette leads the all-time series 78-70-5 but Lehigh has won eight of the last 10 Rivalry games and 34-of-53 since the 100th meeting in 1964… the Mountain Hawks have now won four Patriot League titles in the last eight seasons… Pelletier's first quarter touchdown reception set a new Patriot League career record of 35, passing Colgate's Corey Hill and Fordham's Javarus Dudley…  Saturday's game marked the first time this season that Lehigh allowed a touchdown on its opponent's opening possession and still managed to win… The Mountain Hawks won despite recording zero sacks and zero takeaways after totaling four sacks and six takeaways over the previous two weeks… the football team's win combined with the swimming and diving teams' sweep of the Leopards Friday night gives Lehigh a 10-1 lead over Lafayette across all sports in 2017-18… Saturday's attendance was 15,270 in a game that began under cool, damp conditions and ended in steady rain.
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Like Lehigh Football on Facebook and follow on Twitter for exclusive updates throughout the season.
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Team Stats
LAFAYETT
LEHIGH
Total Yards
230
495
Pass Yards
43
397
Rushing Yards
187
98
Penalty Yards
39
59
1st Downs
10
25
3rd Downs
3
6
4th Downs
0
1
TOP
27:39
32:21
1st Quarter
LAFAYETT 7, LEHIGH 0
LAFAYETT - Pearson, Nick 1 yd run (Kordenbrock, J. kick), 10 plays, 73 yards, TOP 5:58
LAFAYETT 7, LEHIGH 7
LEHIGH - Bragalone, Dom 5 yd run (Mish, Ed kick), 6 plays, 72 yards, TOP 2:27
LAFAYETT 7, LEHIGH 14
LEHIGH - Pelletier, Troy 8 yd pass from Mayes, Brad (Mish, Ed kick) 7 plays, 57 yards, TOP 3:07
2nd Quarter
LAFAYETT 14, LEHIGH 14
LAFAYETT - Simpson, Selwyn 5 yd run (Kordenbrock, J. kick), 2 plays, 25 yards, TOP 0:46
LAFAYETT 17, LEHIGH 14
LAFAYETT - Kordenbrock, J. 33 yd field goal 4 plays, 5 yards, TOP 1:36
LAFAYETT 24, LEHIGH 14
LAFAYETT - Amill, C.J. 6 yd run (Kordenbrock, J. kick), 5 plays, 64 yards, TOP 2:22
3rd Quarter
LAFAYETT 24, LEHIGH 21
LEHIGH - Bragalone, Dom 1 yd run (Mish, Ed kick), 5 plays, 54 yards, TOP 1:35
LAFAYETT 31, LEHIGH 21
LAFAYETT - Amill, C.J. 96 yd kickoff return (Kordenbrock, J. kick)
LAFAYETT 31, LEHIGH 28
LEHIGH - Pelletier, Troy 6 yd pass from Mayes, Brad (Mish, Ed kick) 10 plays, 74 yards, TOP 4:25
4th Quarter
LAFAYETT 31, LEHIGH 31
LEHIGH - Mish, Ed 32 yd field goal 11 plays, 65 yards, TOP 4:09
LAFAYETT 31, LEHIGH 38
LEHIGH - Casey, Gatlin 41 yd pass from Mayes, Brad (Mish, Ed kick) 7 plays, 82 yards, TOP 2:18
Game Leaders
CMP
26
TD
3
YDS
397
INT
0
Players Mentioned
RB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
DL
/ Football
OL
/ Football
WR
/ FootballQB
/ Football
DB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
WR
/ Football
LB
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