1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final  Wagner 7 0 10 6 23  Lafayette 7 14 0 14 35
1-3	Final Stats | Photo Gallery   	2-2

 

 Quick Stats LC WC  First Downs 21 17  Rushing Yards 149 144  Passing Yards 234 179  Total Yards 383 323  Total Plays 74 66  Fumbles-Lost 0-0 0-0  Penalties-Yards 5-60 7-75  Interceptions-Yards 0-0 1-18  3rd Down Conversions 6-16 2-13  4th Down Conversions 0-0 0-1  Sacks By-Yards 1-6 4-20  PAT Kicks 5-5 2-2  Field Goals 0-0 1-4    Stat Leaders  Passing C-Att Yds TD Int  WC - Gehring 11-31 179 3 0  LC - Searfoss 14-23 173 2 1  Rushing Car Yds TD Long  WC - Peoples 12 68 0 15  LC - Scheuerman 29 128 2 55  Receiving Rec Yds TD Long  WC - Smith 5 71 0 36  LC - Scheuerman 5 91 0 27

EASTON, Pa. -- Ross Scheuerman's 29th carry of the game, a 55-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter, sealed Lafayette's 35-23 win over Wagner on Saturday night at Fisher Stadium. The senior tailback finished the game with two touchdowns on 128 yards and a career-high in carries.

Scheuerman also emerged as the team's top receiving threat with five catches for 91 yards on a night when starting QB Drew Reed was knocked from the game in the second quarter with a shoulder injury and replaced by fellow sophomore Blake Searfoss. Searfoss completed 14-of-23 for 173 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.

Wagner came ready to play, returning the opening kickoff 51 yards to the Lafayette 46. On the Seahawks' first play from scrimmage, QB Brian Gehring (11-31-0 for 179, 3TD) found Brandon Peoples down the middle for a 46-yard touchdown and 7-0 lead just 17 seconds into the game.

Lafayette (2-2) responded on its first drive. Reed kept the scoring chance alive, scrambling for 13 yards on a third and long. On the next play, Reed found senior WR Mike Duncan on a flea flicker for a 43-yard touchdown to tie the game 7-7.

Wagner missed two field goals, a 42-yarder at 7:15 in the first and a 41-yard attempt with at 14:43 in the second to maintain the score. Lafayette took the lead for good midway through the second quarter.

Freshman linebacker Brandon Bryant forced a fumble that Steve Mercado recovered at the Wagner eight-yard line.  On the ensuing drive, Searfoss hit freshman Matt Mrazek in the flat for the rookie's first career TD catch. Thomas Martin's PAT handed Lafayette a 14-7 advantage.

Near the end of the first half, the Leopards got the ball back at their own eight-yard line. Scheuerman escaped for a 15-yard run and then caught passes of 22 and 11 yards and Lafayette had a first down at the Wagner 39. The Seahawks handed Lafayette 15 more yards on an unsportsmanlike penalty, taking the ball to the 24. Searfoss capped the drive with a 24-yard TD strike to Justin Adams and Lafayette led 21-7 at halftime.

Lafayette opened the second half with a pair of three and outs. Wagner finally took advantage in the kicking game when Bryan Maley booted a 39-yard field goal to close the gap to 21-10.

The Seahawks (1-3) used a turnover to pull within four. Daniel Mack picked off Searfoss and returned the INT to the Leopards' 17-yard line. Two plays later, Gehring found TE Ryan Owens for an 18-yard score to trim the Lafayette lead to 21-17 with 6:01 left in the third quarter.

Lafayette appeared to put away Wagner with a six-play, 49-yard drive with 5:44 left in the game. On 3^rd-and-10, Searfoss hit Scheuerman for 22 yards and a first down. The next play Scheuerman took the handoff from Searfoss and broke free down the Lafayette sideline for a 27-yard touchdown run and a 28-17 lead.

Wagner answered quickly, covering 61 yards on four plays to inch within five. Bryant Watts was in the proverbial right place at the right time, catching a deflected ball while lying on his back in the end zone under the five-minute mark in the fourth quarter. The two-point conversion play call was good, but the pass was dropped by the Wagner receiver and Lafayette maintained its 28-23 margin.

The Leopards closed it out on their next possession. On 3^rd-and-10, Wagner's DeAngelo James was flagged for a 15-yard penalty to keep the Lafayette drive alive in a punting situation. Five plays later Scheuerman broke away for the game-clinching 55-yard TD with 1:29 left on clock for the 35-23 final.

Defensively, linebacker Mark Dodd made nine stops while Jared Roberts, who moved to cornerback from strong safety for the game, made eight. Bryant was in on seven tackles with one for loss and a forced fumble.

Lafayette, the reigning Patriot League champion, opens conference play on Friday night at Fordham which garnered an NCAA FCS Playoff at-large berth in 2013 and was the 2014 preseason favorite. The 6:30 p.m. game will be televised nationally by CBS Sports Network, Lafayette College s first Friday matchup since 1977.

NOTES: Scheuerman moved up to seventh in career rushing touchdowns with 22, tying Tony Giglio '74. It was Scheuerman's ninth career 100-yard rushing game and his third straight this season.