Saturday, November 11
Hamilton, N.Y.
1:00 PM
Lehigh University
21
at
37
Colgate
Photo by: Olivia Hokanson
Mountain Hawks Done In By Sluggish Start At Colgate
11/11/2023 5:21:00 PM | Football
HAMILTON, N.Y. – Colgate raced out to a 16-0 halftime lead and scored the game's first 30 points on the way to a 37-21 win over Lehigh Saturday at Andy Kerr Stadium. The Mountain Hawks scored 21 of the game's final 28 points but couldn't overcome the struggles of the first two-and-a-half quarters.
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Senior Dante Perri threw for 146 yards and two touchdowns in relief of sophomore Brayten Silbor. Perri completed 10-of-21 passes. Senior Connor Kennedy led the receiving corps with seven catches for 126 yards, both career highs, and a touchdown.
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Colgate's first-year quarterback Jake Stearney impressed, completing 28-of-34 passes for 360 yards and a trio of third quarter touchdown passes. Treyvhon Saunders hauled in eight receptions for 132 yards and a score.
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The loss drops Lehigh to 2-8 overall and 1-4 in the Patriot League, while Colgate evens its record at 5-5 overall and moves to 3-2 in the league.
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"We talked about it coming out in the second half that we needed to go and make an impact and clearly it didn't work," head coach Kevin Cahill said. "We have to come out and play better than that. It was an embarrassing loss to come up here against a league opponent and play a game like that. I told the team it was an embarrassing loss and we need to fix it."
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Sacks by graduate student Dean Colton and sophomore TJ Burke brought an abrupt end to Colgate's first offensive possession, but the Raiders' next two drives both covered 90-plus yards and resulted in points.
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Jacob Jaworski capped a 15-play, 90-yard drive with a 24-yard field goal to open the scoring. Lehigh then answered with a drive down to the Colgate one-yard line. An apparent touchdown pass from Silbor to first-year tight end was ruled incomplete and then the Mountain Hawks were stuffed on 4th-and-goal from the one. Colgate proceeded to drive 99 yards in 12 plays and took a 10-0 lead on a one-yard touchdown run by Brendan Cassamajor.
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A one-yard touchdown run by Jaedon Henry left Colgate up 16-0 at halftime.
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In the second half, the Raiders added to their lead with a 55-yard connection from Stearney to Saunders and then a 25-yarder to Max Hurleman.
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Lehigh scored its first points on a 46-yard touchdown run by first-year Luke Yoder with 4:49 to go in the third but the Raiders answered with a 21-yard touchdown pass from Stearney to Brady Hutchinson.
The Mountain Hawks' special teams stepped up early in the fourth quarter. Jaworski's 29-yard field goal attempt was blocked by first-year Kingsley Acho with sophomore Brycen Edwards returning the blocked kick out to the 36-yard line. Lehigh's next three plays were completions from Perri to Kennedy covering 14, 28 and finally 32 yards for a touchdown to bring the Mountain Hawks within 37-14.
After a stop by the Lehigh defense the Mountain Hawks but together a long drive, prolonged by a muffed punt that the Mountain Hawks recovered at the Raider 17. Perri hit first-year Mason Humphrey for a 13-yard touchdown on 4th-and-6 for the final score of the day.
"Dante's a veteran kid," Cahill said. "He did a nice job distributing the ball to where it needed to be. We've had confidence in him all year long. He had his chance today and did a nice job with it."
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Lehigh finished with 341 yards of total offense, while Colgate gained 485. Both teams rushed for 125 yards on the day.
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Yoder led Lehigh with 76 yards on 13 carries, while senior Jack DiPietro added 41 on six rushes.
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Defensively, sophomores Nick Peltekian (14 tackles) and Tyler Ochojski (12 tackles) led the way. Both players established new career highs for tackles.
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"We started to compete as the game went on," Cahill said. "I wouldn't say we kept competing. The score was out of hand and all of a sudden we started competing. That tells you a lot about your team. It's something we need to look at. We need to come out competing. I firmly believe we lost this game on Tuesday (the way we practiced).
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The Mountain Hawks are back home next Saturday to host Lafayette in the 159th meeting of college football's most-played rivalry, presented by Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute. Game time is set for noon from Goodman Stadium. Tickets are still available and can be purchased at LehighTickets.com or by calling 610-758-4263 during business hours.
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EXTRA POINTS… Colgate defeated Lehigh in Hamilton for the second straight time and now leads the series 32-27-2… the Mountain Hawks are now 15-6 in their last 21 games the week prior to Lafayette… four of those six setbacks have been against Colgate…. Acho's blocked field goal was the second for a Lehigh player this season… Mike DeNucci blocked a field goal at Bucknell on Oct. 21… Lehigh has rushed for 100 or more yards in all five Patriot League games.
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Like Lehigh Football on Facebook and follow on X/Twitter and Instagram for exclusive updates throughout the season.
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Senior Dante Perri threw for 146 yards and two touchdowns in relief of sophomore Brayten Silbor. Perri completed 10-of-21 passes. Senior Connor Kennedy led the receiving corps with seven catches for 126 yards, both career highs, and a touchdown.
Â
Colgate's first-year quarterback Jake Stearney impressed, completing 28-of-34 passes for 360 yards and a trio of third quarter touchdown passes. Treyvhon Saunders hauled in eight receptions for 132 yards and a score.
Â
The loss drops Lehigh to 2-8 overall and 1-4 in the Patriot League, while Colgate evens its record at 5-5 overall and moves to 3-2 in the league.
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"We talked about it coming out in the second half that we needed to go and make an impact and clearly it didn't work," head coach Kevin Cahill said. "We have to come out and play better than that. It was an embarrassing loss to come up here against a league opponent and play a game like that. I told the team it was an embarrassing loss and we need to fix it."
Â
Sacks by graduate student Dean Colton and sophomore TJ Burke brought an abrupt end to Colgate's first offensive possession, but the Raiders' next two drives both covered 90-plus yards and resulted in points.
Â
Jacob Jaworski capped a 15-play, 90-yard drive with a 24-yard field goal to open the scoring. Lehigh then answered with a drive down to the Colgate one-yard line. An apparent touchdown pass from Silbor to first-year tight end was ruled incomplete and then the Mountain Hawks were stuffed on 4th-and-goal from the one. Colgate proceeded to drive 99 yards in 12 plays and took a 10-0 lead on a one-yard touchdown run by Brendan Cassamajor.
Â
A one-yard touchdown run by Jaedon Henry left Colgate up 16-0 at halftime.
Â
In the second half, the Raiders added to their lead with a 55-yard connection from Stearney to Saunders and then a 25-yarder to Max Hurleman.
Â
Lehigh scored its first points on a 46-yard touchdown run by first-year Luke Yoder with 4:49 to go in the third but the Raiders answered with a 21-yard touchdown pass from Stearney to Brady Hutchinson.
ÂAnd just like that, Luke Yoder is gone! 💨
— Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) November 11, 2023
Watch: https://t.co/iZowhDtfN4@PatriotLeagueTV @espn pic.twitter.com/m85kdVqeaa
The Mountain Hawks' special teams stepped up early in the fourth quarter. Jaworski's 29-yard field goal attempt was blocked by first-year Kingsley Acho with sophomore Brycen Edwards returning the blocked kick out to the 36-yard line. Lehigh's next three plays were completions from Perri to Kennedy covering 14, 28 and finally 32 yards for a touchdown to bring the Mountain Hawks within 37-14.
First-year Kingsley Acho with the blocked FG and Brycen Edwards with the return!
— Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) November 11, 2023
Watch: https://t.co/iZowhDtfN4@espn @PatriotLeagueTV#GoLehigh #TheNest pic.twitter.com/s3xxjNR0GU
ÂPerri with the pitch-and-catch to Kennedy!
— Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) November 11, 2023
Watch: https://t.co/iZowhDtfN4@espn @PatriotLeagueTV#GoLehigh #TheNest pic.twitter.com/f7J2Cd8wnF
After a stop by the Lehigh defense the Mountain Hawks but together a long drive, prolonged by a muffed punt that the Mountain Hawks recovered at the Raider 17. Perri hit first-year Mason Humphrey for a 13-yard touchdown on 4th-and-6 for the final score of the day.
ÂHumphrey comes through on fourth down!
— Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) November 11, 2023
Watch: https://t.co/iZowhDtfN4@espn @PatriotLeagueTV pic.twitter.com/HaTA9yleRV
"Dante's a veteran kid," Cahill said. "He did a nice job distributing the ball to where it needed to be. We've had confidence in him all year long. He had his chance today and did a nice job with it."
Â
Lehigh finished with 341 yards of total offense, while Colgate gained 485. Both teams rushed for 125 yards on the day.
Â
Yoder led Lehigh with 76 yards on 13 carries, while senior Jack DiPietro added 41 on six rushes.
Â
Defensively, sophomores Nick Peltekian (14 tackles) and Tyler Ochojski (12 tackles) led the way. Both players established new career highs for tackles.
Â
"We started to compete as the game went on," Cahill said. "I wouldn't say we kept competing. The score was out of hand and all of a sudden we started competing. That tells you a lot about your team. It's something we need to look at. We need to come out competing. I firmly believe we lost this game on Tuesday (the way we practiced).
Â
The Mountain Hawks are back home next Saturday to host Lafayette in the 159th meeting of college football's most-played rivalry, presented by Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute. Game time is set for noon from Goodman Stadium. Tickets are still available and can be purchased at LehighTickets.com or by calling 610-758-4263 during business hours.
Â
EXTRA POINTS… Colgate defeated Lehigh in Hamilton for the second straight time and now leads the series 32-27-2… the Mountain Hawks are now 15-6 in their last 21 games the week prior to Lafayette… four of those six setbacks have been against Colgate…. Acho's blocked field goal was the second for a Lehigh player this season… Mike DeNucci blocked a field goal at Bucknell on Oct. 21… Lehigh has rushed for 100 or more yards in all five Patriot League games.
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Like Lehigh Football on Facebook and follow on X/Twitter and Instagram for exclusive updates throughout the season.
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Players Mentioned
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