EASTON — The clock dwindled to under a minute, and chaos erupted. Fans poured over the railings and stormed the field. Players leaped into each other’s arms as helmets flew through the crisp Saturday air.
The 14-mile trip down Route 22 never felt sweeter for Lehigh (12-0, 7-0 Patriot League).
In front of a sold-out crowd of 13,367, the Mountain Hawks emerged victorious in a back-and-forth 42-32 brawl against rival Lafayette College (8-4, 6-1 Patriot League) that delivered everything the program has been chasing: an undefeated season, a Patriot League Championship and a ticket to the FCS playoffs.
“There’s a lot of gratitude for being here, for being at Lehigh, and a lot of gratitude for these players,” coach Kevin Cahill said. “They’re special.”
Junior running back Luke Yoder controlled the game with 234 rushing yards and four touchdowns, including an 80-yard dash to open the second half that shifted momentum back in Lehigh’s favor. Sophomore quarterback Hayden Johnson orchestrated the Mountain Hawk offense, throwing for 159 yards and running in a touchdown of his own.
Lafayette’s senior quarterback Dean DeNobile recorded 275 passing yards. Junior running back Kente Edwards gained 157 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Sophomore wide receiver Mason Kuehner led both teams with 11 receptions for 99 yards.
When the final whistle blew, Lehigh concluded its regular season at 12-0, the first undefeated 12-game regular season in program history.
“We’ve dreamed about this day,” Johnson said. “We’ve worked for this day, throughout the preseason, offseason, and last year in the spring. We just kind of clicked and bonded as a group of brothers.”
With eight minutes remaining in the first quarter, Edwards rushed down the middle for an early one-yard touchdown, claiming a 7-0 lead.
On the ensuing possession, Yoder rushed 29 yards into the endzone to tie the game 7-7.
Lafayette opened the second quarter with an answer to the previous touchdown. DeNobile tucked the ball himself for a two-yard score to reclaim a Leopard lead, 14-7.
After forcing a Lehigh punt, the Leopards attempted a trick play. DeNobile swung a pass to receiver Carson Persing, who attempted to throw it deep. However, Lehigh’s senior defensive back Nick Peltekian intercepted the throw to force a turnover, mitigating any scoring threat.
Lehigh took advantage of the possession, with Johnson connecting with junior wide receiver Mason Humphrey for a 77-yard score to tie the game 14-14.
After executing a two-minute drill, Lafayette was three yards away from the endzone. The Leopards attempted three times to punch in a score, but couldn’t push through. Junior kicker Jack Simonetta converted a field goal on the fourth down to reclaim the lead for the Leopards, 17-14.
During Lehigh’s final possession of the second quarter, they quickly advanced 24 yards down the field. Johnson attempted a deep pass down the sideline to sophomore wide receiver Matt D’Avino, but had his attempt intercepted by Lafayette’s junior defensive back Avery Jones.
Lafayette took a 17-14 lead into the half. Edwards collected 125 rushing yards by the end of the first half, marking his seventh 100-yard game of the season.
The Mountain Hawks received the ball in the second half and immediately went to work. Yoder’s 80-yard dash on the opening play of the second half gave Lehigh a 21-17 lead.
DeNobile then threw deep to first-year wide receiver Matthew Scerbo for a 35-yard grab to help the Leopards gain some ground. It paid off, as Edwards punched in a one-yard score, reclaiming the lead 24-21.
Lehigh continued to respond and make big plays. Yoder rushed for 33 yards to Lafayette’s 40-yard line. Johnson followed up with his own scramble, rushing down the middle for 37 yards to reach the 3-yard line.
Yoder capped off the drive with another touchdown, giving Lehigh a 28-24 lead. The run marked the Mountain Hawks’ 64th 200-yard rushing game against Lafayette.
After stopping Edwards on fourth down, the Mountain Hawks extended their lead to double-digits.
Yoder capitalized on the strong starting field position, rushing up the middle for his fourth score of the game, giving Lehigh a 35-24 lead. It was Yoder’s fourth game on the season with multiple rushing touchdowns.
Johnson praised the running back for his success on the ground throughout the season.
“(Yoder)’s a special kid. He’s just great,” he said. “I’m grateful to have him as my running back, and just being his quarterback, it’s really easy to operate in the games, when you have so many people worrying about him and our run game.”
Despite Yoder’s excellence in the endzone, the Leopards continued to fight.
DeNobile completed a deep pass to Kuehner for 30 yards to advance the Leopards closer to the endzone. Edwards quickly followed up with a four-yard score, narrowing the lead to 35-30. Kuehner later caught a pass for a successful two-point conversion, to bring the Leopards to within a field goal.
The Mountain Hawks then iced the game with a Johnson score from a yard out.
Following the final whistle, Yoder was named the MVP of the 161st Rivalry game.
The team’s leading rusher deflected the credit to his teammates.
“I might be the one that’s on the headlines, but I’ll give the credit to my offensive line,” he said. “You know, just being up front, sending the line of scrimmage every play, being the most physical unit out there. It just makes my job a little easier.”
With the victory, the all-time record stands at 82-74-5 in favor of Lafayette. This game marks Cahill’s first undefeated season as a coach.
Lehigh will now prepare for postseason play, and will learn their next opponent on Sunday, when the FCS Selection Show airs at noon on ESPNU. The broadcast will disclose Lehigh’s seeding, matchup and whether the 12-0 record earned them a home game in the first round.
But while the team awaits, Cahill wants to enjoy the victory at hand.
“My focus right now is to enjoy this and have a great time tonight,” he said. “These don’t come along very often. We know we have more games to play.”
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