Game Statistics
By Alex Clark ’04
Hamilton, NY — ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ won its sixth game in its last seven outings, as the Raiders defeated Patriot League foe Lafayette, 31-24, Saturday at snowy Andy Kerr Stadium. With the victory ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ (6-3, PL 3-1) moved into a tie for first place in the Patriot League standings.
Wide receiver Luke Graham wowed fans with 12 catches for 206 yards and two touchdowns. His outstanding day ranked third highest in ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ history for receiving yards, and the most since Corey Hill recorded 274 yards against Navy on October 17, 1998.
The Raiders proved unstoppable in the first half, and scored on their opening drive when Tom McCune bootlegged left and hit fullback Eric Guglielmotti for a two-yard touchdown.
On the ensuing kickoff, ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ’s Brian Lemek recovered a Leopard fumble that gave the Raiders the ball at Lafayette 30 yard-line. Graham recorded the first of his two touchdowns with a fingertip grab in the left side of the end zone to extend the lead to 14-0.
After an 80-yard touchdown drive by Lafayette (4-5, PL 2-2), ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ answered with a five-play, 69-yard drive of its own, capped by another Graham touchdown grab from five yards out.
The Leoaprds put together another impressive drive that marched 70 yards and resulted in a Joe McCourt eight-yard touchdown rush. The Lafayette tailback finished the day with 104 yards on 27 carries.
After a series of turnovers, ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ began a drive late in the second quarter from its own 36. With the help of 21 and 25-yard completions to Graham, McCune moved the Raiders to the Leopard five-yard line. He then took a quarterback keeper to the right side and was flipped into the end zone to give the Raiders a 28-14 lead at the half.
Unfortunately, the heroic effort by McCune proved tragic, as the senior was taken to the hospital due to a ruptured spleen on the play. McCune finished the game 13-of-17 for 202 yards and three touchdowns to accompany the rushing score.
Lafayette struck first in the second half, drawing to within seven at 28-21. With second-string quarterback Chris Brown behind center, the Raiders launched a 64-yard fourth quarter drive that resulted in a Lane Schwarzberg field goal. Schwarzberg’s kick makes him only the third Raider kicker to notch 10 field goals in one season.
Brown completed 7 passes for 82 yards, including a 31-yard strike to Jamal Lamb in his backup role.
Lafayette would draw to within a touchdown with a field goal of its own, but could not catch up to the Raiders. ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ linebacker Tem Lukabu intercepted a last-second desperation lob by Leopard quarterback Marko Glavic to seal the victory.
Ray LaMonica was ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ’s leading rusher with 120 yards on 26 carries. It was his second 100-yard game of the year.