WORCESTER, Mass. - The Lafayette defense forced four turnovers and Kente Edwards ran for two touchdowns as Lafayette claimed a 21-13 victory at Holy Cross on Saturday. The Leopards remain unbeaten in Patriot League play, improving to 4-0 for the first time since 2009.
Edwards churned out his fourth career 100-yard rushing game, finishing the day with 28 carries for 146 yards. The Lafayette running game managed 215 yards, with junior Ethan Weber contributing 67 and a touchdown.
Defensively, soph. CB Ryan Gadson led the team with 10 tackles and an interception while freshman LB Beckham Dee continued to pile up numbers, finishing with eight tackles and a pick of his own. Junior DL Jaylon Joseph added two sacks, including a game-clinching TFL with less than a minute left. The defensive unit allowed only two field goals on the windy afternoon at Fitton Field.
The Maroon and White forced two first-quarter turnovers, the second leading to an initial score. Late in the period, the teams exchanged strip-sacks as Jason Penza was drilled off the left side and turned it over. Joseph returned the favor with 3:30 left in the first quarter, knocking the ball loose from the Holy Cross quarterback before Dhonte Jackson recovered at the Holy Cross 30.
The Leopards kept the ball on the ground. Edwards added his 11th touchdown of the season, a 10-yard rush, that gave Lafayette a 7-0 margin at the end of the first quarter.
Early in the second, Jalen Edwards forced a fumble for the second consecutive game, popping the ball free and into the hands of Ian Langan. On the ensuing drive at the Crusaders' 18-yard line, Lafayette elected to go for it on 4th-and-4. A Dean DeNobile pass intended for Matthew Scerbo fell incomplete.
Holy Cross had the ball for a final time with 3:14 left in the half, converting third downs of 15 and five yards. The Crusaders added a chip-shot field goal to run the halftime score to 7-3.
After a Leopard punt early in the third quarter, Jayden Clerveaux avoided a tackle at the line of scrimmage and tore off a 67-yard run that set up Holy Cross' second score. Gadson and Kevin Dodard sprinted down the field to save a touchdown. The Crusaders had the ball 4th-and-3 at the six-yard line before Luis Palenzuela converted a 29-yard field goal. The Crusaders trailed 7-6 mid-way through the third.
The hosts captured the lead shortly after, courtesy of returner Max Mosey. He picked up a bouncing punt and ran 59 yards untouched to the endzone. Holy Cross led 13-7 at 5:23.
The Maroon and White answered six plays later, driving 75 yards in 2:26. Sixty-two yards of the drive came on back-to-back plays. On 3rd-and-4, DeNobile connected on a 27-yard pass to Mason Kuehner. Scerbo pulled down a pass that he bobbled initially and then corralled as he fell to the ground for 35 more yards. Weber then punched in the score from a yard out. After a Simonetta PAT, Lafayette reclaimed a 14-13 lead with 2:57 to go in the third.
Following a Holy Cross punt, Lafayette got the ball for a final time with seven minutes left inside Holy Cross territory. Lafayette ran 4:23 off the clock, with Edwards contributing 26 yards and the eventual three-yard TD. Weber added 24 yards on the drive.
The Crusaders made things interesting in the waning moments, advancing the ball to the 12-yard line with 25 seconds left. Holy Cross faced a 4th-and-6 when the Lafayette defense delivered the final blow. Joseph jumped on Holy Cross QB Dominic Campanile to end the game and give the Leopards their second straight win in Worcester.
Lafayette returns home in week 10 to host Colgate on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.
NOTES:
* Edwards' two touchdowns moved him into a tie for 12th place at Lafayette for single-season rushing touchdowns (12).
* The Leopard defense has notched an interception and fumble in four straight contests.
* With the win, Lafayette guaranteed at least a .500 record for the third-straight season and takes a 20-19 lead in the series with Holy Cross..
* In the John Troxell era, Lafayette is now 3-1 in the week following a bye week.
