BY JEFF FALK
The mid-term grades are out and the Lebanon Valley College football team has earned itself a B+. Pretty good, but could be better.
An A is still an attainable grade for the Flying Dutchmen. But in order to accomplish it, they’ll have to do it within the confines of a more difficult schedule.
On Saturday afternoon in Wilkes-Barre, Lebanon Valley reached the midway point of its 2013 season with a 17-6 victory over Wilkes. LVC’s defense was simply stifling, surrendering just a single touchdown, 153 yards of total offense and 52 yards on the ground.
The win pushed the Flying Dutchmen to 4-1 overall and 3-1 in the Middle Atlantic Conference. Wilkes slipped to 2-3 on the year and 1-3 in the circuit.
Lebanon Valley never trailed after Austin Hartman took the third snap of the game 68 yards for a touchdown that made it 7-0. But the Flying Dutchmen didn’t put the Colonels away until Annville-Cleona product and tight-end Nate Myers hauled in a 20-yard scoring strike from Brian Murphy with 3:38 remaining.
The touchdown capped a nine-play, 61-yard drive that chewed up 4:50 of the fourth-quarter clock.
After enjoying a 7-6 edge at the break, Lebanon Valley drove 73 yards in 12 plays late in the third quarter. The march resulted in Sean Fakete’s 33-yard field goal that put LVC ahead 10-6.
With four sacks, emerging junior linebacker Frank Gaffney paced the Flying Dutchmen defense, while defensive lineman turned in a pair of sacks. Andrew Burkholder and Fernando Almonte had key interceptions for the Lebanon Valley defense.
The Lebanon Valley offense amassed 335 yards of total offense. Hartman picked up 139 of LVC’s 195 rushing yards on 21 carries.