BY JEFF FALK
The wisdom of even staging the contest came into question. And the Lebanon Valley College football team probably wishes it hadn’t been played.
On Saturday afternoon on a snowy Arnold Field, the Flying Dutchmen dropped a 10-7 decision to Lycoming. The Middle Atlantic Conference game was contested amidst a heavy snowfall and with about four inches of accumulated snow on the playing surface.
After the loss, Lebanon Valley head coach Jim Monos refused to use the conditions as an excuse, saying they were the same for both sides. But the Flying Dutchmen experienced difficulties moving the football against Lycoming’s top-rated MAC defense all afternoon.
The fact that LVC’s top offensive weapon, senior tailback Ben Guiles, was felled by a leg injury in the first half and didn’t return, certainly didn’t help its cause. Lebanon Valley managed just 184 yards of total offense.
Lebanon Valley’s second straight setback left it 5-3 overall and 3-3 in the conference. Lycoming moved to 7-1 on the year and 5-1 in the MAC.
A forced fumble by the usually sure-handed Guiles led to a Lycoming touchdown and a 7-0 lead midway through the opening quarter. Zack Czap’s 29-yard field goal with the wind at his back gave the Warriors a 10-0 halftime advantage.
Lycoming did not complete a pass, rushing the ball 69 times for 217 yards. Lebanon Valley was held to 88 yards on the ground.
The Flying Dutchmen pulled to within three in the third quarter on a spectacular touchdown catch by Tim Picerno. Picerno plucked a Colt Zarilla aerial out of double coverage to make it 10-7.
Next week, Lebanon Valley heads to Wilkes.
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