Saturday, October 5
Hamilton, N.Y.
1:00 PM
Lehigh University
2-3 , 1-0
21
at
14
Colgate
0-6 , 0-1
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Lehigh
0
14
0
7
21
Colgate
7
7
0
0
14
Photo by: Rich Barnes
Strong defense, late score push Lehigh past Colgate 21-14 in league opener
10/5/2019 5:57:00 PM | Football
HAMILTON, N.Y. – Freshman Zaythan Hill scored the go-ahead touchdown on a nine-yard run with 33 seconds remaining and the Lehigh defense capped a superb effort by stopping Colgate one yard short as the Mountain Hawks opened Patriot League play with their second consecutive win, a 21-14 triumph over the defending Patriot League champion Raiders in the league opener for both teams Saturday at Andy Kerr Stadium.
The Mountain Hawks were stuffed on a 4th-and-1 deep in Colgate territory with 1:22 to play, but Colgate's Grant Breneman fumbled and sophomore Bartek Rybka recovered. Four plays later, Hill scored his first career touchdown to put Lehigh in front for the first time. Colgate drove down the field in the final 29 seconds, but on 1st-and-Goal from the Lehigh nine, Breneman his Garrett Oakey in the left flat, but junior Divine Buckrham came through with the game-saving tackle at the one yard line.
The Lehigh defense was outstanding for a second straight week as the Mountain Hawks held Colgate to 213 total yards and just nine yards rushing. The Mountain Hawks sacked Breneman seven times, one week after sacking Merrimack quarterbacks six times.
The win moves Lehigh to 2-3 overall and 1-0 in the Patriot League, while Colgate falls to 0-6, 0-1 in the league.
"This team is showing a lot of grit," Lehigh head coach Tom Gilmore said. "A lot of people questioned that. I don't think anyone can question that (now), the way that we're playing. We're not playing a perfect game by any stretch of the imagination, but they played hard and played with a lot of toughness. Even the last play, keeping them out by about a foot or two. That's all it took to win the game, but we found a way to do it."
Senior quarterback Tyler Monaco completed 16-of-28 for 231 yards and a touchdown and also scored his first career rushing touchdown. Hill and classmate Nate Hope totaled 62 rushing yards, while Hope added 79 yards and a touchdown on two receptions. Lehigh rushed for a season-high 97 yards.
Colgate struck first, midway through the opening quarter as Nick Wheeler sacked Monaco in the end zone and forced a fumble, which Prince Ekwughalu recovered for a touchdown to give Colgate a 7-0 lead.
Lehigh answered late in the first quarter as a 25-yard pass from Monaco to junior Jorge Portorreal converted a 3rd-and-18. On the first play of the second quarter, Monaco hit Hope out of the backfield for a 19-yard scoring pass to tie the game at 7-7.
The Raiders responded on their next possession with their only offensive touchdown of the game, as Malik Twyman capped a six-play, 70-yard drive with a three yard run.
The Mountain Hawks pulled even at the end of the first half after getting the ball at the one yard line with 5:36 before halftime and marching 99 yards for a tying score. The big play was a 60-yard completion to Hope. Monaco scored on a one-yard keeper to make the score 14-14 at intermission.
"I can't be any prouder of Tyler," Gilmore said. "That's for sure. After what happened last week and in the first couple minutes of this game, he came back and made a lot of really good plays, and a lot of things a normal person wouldn't notice. The choices and checks that he made. He was doing a lot of really good things and obviously it was good enough to win the game."
Both defenses controlled play through most of the second half, Lehigh's defense brought continual pressure as the Mountain Hawks limited the Raiders to just 31 second-half yards up until their final drive, while recording five of their seven sacks.
"Colgate had nine yards rushing today," Gilmore said. "Nine yards. That's just tremendous effort. The defense came out to play and they got it done."
Lehigh mustered just 149 yards after halftime. The Mountain Hawks bypassed a field goal with just under 90 seconds remaining, but sophomore Rashawn Allen was tackled for a two-yard loss. Three plays later, Lehigh got the ball back at the Colgate 36 on its only takeaway of the day. A completion to sophomore Austin Dambach gained 17 yards before positive runs from Hope and Hill set up Hill's go-ahead touchdown run.
Breneman finished 19-of-27 for 204 yards. Draught and Oakey combined for 10 catches and 95 yards to pace the Raiders.
Lehigh will have its second bye week next weekend and will return to action on Saturday Oct. 19 when the Mountain Hawks visit Fordham. The Mountain Hawks will then host back-to-back games at Goodman Stadium as Georgetown visits Oct. 26 as part of Family Weekend, presented by PSECU and Holy Cross comes to town Nov. 2 for the Salute to Service game.
EXTRA POINTS… Lehigh starts league play at 1-0 for the 10th time in 12 seasons… The Mountain Hawks have now won seven of the last 10 games against Colgate… Dambach led the receiving corps with six catches for 64 yards… Portorreal added 45 yards on three catches… freshman Mikhari Sibblis added two sacks… junior Erik Slater and seniors Juwan Morrow and Davis Maxie chipped in for the remainder of Lehigh's sacks… junior Jaylen Floyd had five tackles and two pass breakups… Lehigh has won four of its last five league openers with the last three of those wins coming against Colgate… the Mountain Hawks wore their brown pants for the first time this season, paired with white helmets and jerseys.
Like Lehigh Football on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive updates throughout the season.
Photo gallery photos by: Justin Wolford, Rich Barnes and Audra Smires
Gallery: (10/5/2019) Football at Colgate, 10/5/19
The Mountain Hawks were stuffed on a 4th-and-1 deep in Colgate territory with 1:22 to play, but Colgate's Grant Breneman fumbled and sophomore Bartek Rybka recovered. Four plays later, Hill scored his first career touchdown to put Lehigh in front for the first time. Colgate drove down the field in the final 29 seconds, but on 1st-and-Goal from the Lehigh nine, Breneman his Garrett Oakey in the left flat, but junior Divine Buckrham came through with the game-saving tackle at the one yard line.
The Lehigh defense was outstanding for a second straight week as the Mountain Hawks held Colgate to 213 total yards and just nine yards rushing. The Mountain Hawks sacked Breneman seven times, one week after sacking Merrimack quarterbacks six times.
The win moves Lehigh to 2-3 overall and 1-0 in the Patriot League, while Colgate falls to 0-6, 0-1 in the league.
"This team is showing a lot of grit," Lehigh head coach Tom Gilmore said. "A lot of people questioned that. I don't think anyone can question that (now), the way that we're playing. We're not playing a perfect game by any stretch of the imagination, but they played hard and played with a lot of toughness. Even the last play, keeping them out by about a foot or two. That's all it took to win the game, but we found a way to do it."
Senior quarterback Tyler Monaco completed 16-of-28 for 231 yards and a touchdown and also scored his first career rushing touchdown. Hill and classmate Nate Hope totaled 62 rushing yards, while Hope added 79 yards and a touchdown on two receptions. Lehigh rushed for a season-high 97 yards.
Colgate struck first, midway through the opening quarter as Nick Wheeler sacked Monaco in the end zone and forced a fumble, which Prince Ekwughalu recovered for a touchdown to give Colgate a 7-0 lead.
Lehigh answered late in the first quarter as a 25-yard pass from Monaco to junior Jorge Portorreal converted a 3rd-and-18. On the first play of the second quarter, Monaco hit Hope out of the backfield for a 19-yard scoring pass to tie the game at 7-7.
The Raiders responded on their next possession with their only offensive touchdown of the game, as Malik Twyman capped a six-play, 70-yard drive with a three yard run.
The Mountain Hawks pulled even at the end of the first half after getting the ball at the one yard line with 5:36 before halftime and marching 99 yards for a tying score. The big play was a 60-yard completion to Hope. Monaco scored on a one-yard keeper to make the score 14-14 at intermission.
"I can't be any prouder of Tyler," Gilmore said. "That's for sure. After what happened last week and in the first couple minutes of this game, he came back and made a lot of really good plays, and a lot of things a normal person wouldn't notice. The choices and checks that he made. He was doing a lot of really good things and obviously it was good enough to win the game."
Both defenses controlled play through most of the second half, Lehigh's defense brought continual pressure as the Mountain Hawks limited the Raiders to just 31 second-half yards up until their final drive, while recording five of their seven sacks.
"Colgate had nine yards rushing today," Gilmore said. "Nine yards. That's just tremendous effort. The defense came out to play and they got it done."
Lehigh mustered just 149 yards after halftime. The Mountain Hawks bypassed a field goal with just under 90 seconds remaining, but sophomore Rashawn Allen was tackled for a two-yard loss. Three plays later, Lehigh got the ball back at the Colgate 36 on its only takeaway of the day. A completion to sophomore Austin Dambach gained 17 yards before positive runs from Hope and Hill set up Hill's go-ahead touchdown run.
Colgate's final drive was highlighted by a 24-yard completion from Breneman to Nick Draught, a 12-yarder to Jason Kcheowksi and a pass interference penalty which set up the 1st-and-Goal, but Buckrham's game-saving tackle locked up Lehigh's fourth win in its last five visits to Hamilton.0:33 Q4 | Zaythan. Hill. TOUCHDOWN! Monaco hands it off to the freshman Hill for the nine-yard TD and Lehigh takes a late 21-14 lead over Colgate. Watch the conclusion: https://t.co/XQHmR4a1zr. #GoLehigh pic.twitter.com/5JHWV3s9kG
— Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) October 5, 2019
Senior linebacker Keith Woetzel led the defensive charge with 13 tackles and 2.5 sacks, while junior Pete Haffner added eight tackles and a sack.THAT DOES IT! With one second remaining, Divine Buckrham makes the tackle at 1 yard line and Lehigh holds on for the 21-14 victory over Colgate! #GoLehigh pic.twitter.com/kLmlEGfA8R
— Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) October 5, 2019
Breneman finished 19-of-27 for 204 yards. Draught and Oakey combined for 10 catches and 95 yards to pace the Raiders.
Lehigh will have its second bye week next weekend and will return to action on Saturday Oct. 19 when the Mountain Hawks visit Fordham. The Mountain Hawks will then host back-to-back games at Goodman Stadium as Georgetown visits Oct. 26 as part of Family Weekend, presented by PSECU and Holy Cross comes to town Nov. 2 for the Salute to Service game.
EXTRA POINTS… Lehigh starts league play at 1-0 for the 10th time in 12 seasons… The Mountain Hawks have now won seven of the last 10 games against Colgate… Dambach led the receiving corps with six catches for 64 yards… Portorreal added 45 yards on three catches… freshman Mikhari Sibblis added two sacks… junior Erik Slater and seniors Juwan Morrow and Davis Maxie chipped in for the remainder of Lehigh's sacks… junior Jaylen Floyd had five tackles and two pass breakups… Lehigh has won four of its last five league openers with the last three of those wins coming against Colgate… the Mountain Hawks wore their brown pants for the first time this season, paired with white helmets and jerseys.
Like Lehigh Football on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive updates throughout the season.
Photo gallery photos by: Justin Wolford, Rich Barnes and Audra Smires
Team Stats
LEHIGH
COLGATE
Total Yards
328
213
Pass Yards
231
204
Rushing Yards
97
9
Penalty Yards
66
20
1st Downs
18
15
3rd Downs
5
3
4th Downs
1
0
TOP
32:28
27:32
1st Quarter
LEHIGH 0, COLGATE 7
COLGATE - Ekwughalu, B 0 yd fumble recovery (Puzzi, Chris kick)
2nd Quarter
LEHIGH 7, COLGATE 7
LEHIGH - Hope, Nate 19 yd pass from Monaco, Tyler (Henning, Austin kick) 7 plays, 50 yards, TOP 3:47
LEHIGH 7, COLGATE 14
COLGATE - Twyman, Malik 3 yd run (Puzzi, Chris kick), 6 plays, 70 yards, TOP 2:53
LEHIGH 14, COLGATE 14
LEHIGH - Monaco, Tyler 1 yd run (Henning, Austin kick), 13 plays, 99 yards, TOP 5:18
4th Quarter
LEHIGH 21, COLGATE 14
LEHIGH - Hill, Zaythan 9 yd run (Henning, Austin kick), 4 plays, 39 yards, TOP 0:33
Game Leaders
Passing Leaders
CMP
16
TD
1
YDS
231
INT
0
Players Mentioned
RB
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DB
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WR
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DB
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LB
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RB
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DL
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DL
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WR
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DL
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DL
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DL
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LB
/ FootballLehigh Sports Central: Football
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