For the second year in a row, the football team watched in anguish as Lehigh University hoisted the Patriot League trophy at the conclusion of the 161st Rivalry Game. The Leopards fell in a 42-32 shootout that crowned Lehigh as back-to-back Patriot League champions.
The Maroon and White (6-1 Patriot League, 8-4 overall) struggled against the run all day, allowing 234 yards and four touchdowns to Lehigh (7-0 Patriot League, 12-0 overall) running back Luke Yoder.
“He’s a great running back,” junior linebacker Jaylon Joseph said about Yoder. “It was very hard to stop him, and that was our main goal. And that’s ultimately what would have won us the game.”
The Leopards wasted no time getting on the board, piecing together a seven-minute drive that saw junior running back Kente Edwards lunging into the endzone from one yard out. The Mountain Hawks responded with a 65-yard drive that resulted in a touchdown, knotting the game up 7-7 early.
“Great blocking from my o-linemen, as usual,” Edwards said. “A little clogged up, but still finding holes.”
Senior quarterback Dean DeNobile immediately went to work with quick connections to wide receivers junior Carson Persing and sophomore Mason Kuehner. The signal caller bulldozed into the endzone with a two-yard rush to take the lead.
After a Lehigh punt, the Maroon and White offense picked up where they left off, driving down to the Mountain Hawk 34-yard line. However, Persing was intercepted on a trick play, allowing Lehigh to tie the wgame back up on a 77-yard deep shot two plays later.
“In this game, the team that makes more mistakes usually doesn’t end up on the right side,” said head coach John Troxell.
Edwards continued to churn out yards for the Leopards to set them up with a chip-shot field goal from junior kicker Jack Simonetta. Junior defensive back Avery Jones leapt into the air on a Mountain Hawk deep shot on the ensuing drive to secure the Leopards a 17-14 lead heading into halftime.
Lehigh shot out of the tunnel with a boost, as an 80-yard rush on the first play of the second half catapulted the Mountain Hawks on top 21-17.
“Our plan was to get them behind the chains and try to get them to pass the ball,” Joseph said. “That’s just not how it worked out.”
Both teams exchanged punts before the Leopards found some magic on offense again. DeNobile launched a 35-yard bomb to freshman wide receiver Matthew Scerbo to set up Edwards’ second touchdown of the day, putting the Leopards on top 28-24.
The Mountain Hawks answered with another quick drive to jump back on top. At the start of the fourth quarter in their own territory, the Leopards went for it on a fourth-and-one situation, but Edwards was stuffed to give Lehigh the ball back.
“I honestly thought I had it over,” Edwards said.
Lehigh made quick work of the turnover on downs to extend their lead to 11.
“Run fits and making sure we’re in the right gaps,” Troxell said. “If you watch it, I’m sure we’re gonna see some missed tackles and guys not making plays in space.”
The Maroon and White kept the juice flowing offensively as DeNobile connected with sophomore wide receiver Mason Kuehner downfield to set up Edwards’ fifth hat trick of the season. Sophomore quarterback Jason Penza then found Kuehner on the two-point attempt to pull the game within three.
Needing a stop to stay alive, the Leopards once again could not match up against Lehigh’s offense, as the Mountain Hawks drove their way down the field to seal the 42-32 final score.
“I think our guys left it on the field,” Troxell said. “We didn’t come out on the right side of the scoreboard, but at no point did we back down.”
Despite the loss, Joseph said he is already looking forward to 2026.
“We’re gonna keep pushing,” he said. “We’re gonna chin up, chest out and we’re gonna be prepared.”