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Sunday, 11/23/2014 7:03:04 AM

Sunday, November 23, 2014 7:03:04 AM

Post# of 25940
Historic football rivalry runs wild in Yankee Stadium

Lafayette's Scheuerman rushes for record 304 yards in win over Lehigh
By Paul Casella / MLB.com | November 22, 2014

NEW YORK -- The most-played rivalry in college football came to Yankee Stadium on Saturday as Lafayette defeated Lehigh, 27-7, in the historic 150th all-time meeting between the schools.
The annual meeting between the two eastern Pennsylvania colleges, separated by fewer than 20 miles, is easily the most anticipated game of the season for either school. The fact that this year's game was played at a neutral location for just the second time out of the 150 installments -- and the first since 1891 when they squared off in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. -- only added to the atmosphere
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With 48,256 fans packing Yankee Stadium to witness each team's final game of the season, Lafayette senior running back Ross Scheuerman led his team to victory with a record-setting day on the ground. He racked up a school-record 304 rushing yards on an eye-popping 45 carries to go along with three touchdowns, all of which came in the first half. Scheuerman's 304 yards were also a conference record for the Patriot League.

Scheuerman had a pair of one-yard touchdown runs before breaking off a 79-yard scamper to push the Leopards' lead to 21-0 midway through the second quarter. He finished the first half with 25 carries for 209 yards, already surpassing his career high for an entire game of 188 yards, set on Oct. 5, 2013, against Bucknell.

"It's incredible, it's amazing," Scheuerman said. "I really don't know what to say. I don't think it's all hit me yet, but I couldn't have done it without those guys up front getting me big holes to run through all day. I really can't put it into words though."

Among those in attendance for the game was new Cubs manager Joe Maddon, a member of Lafayette's class of 1976. Maddon was initially recruited to play football, though he played just one season for the freshman squad before turning his focus strictly to baseball.

Maddon is certainly no stranger to the rivalry, as the last organized football game he ever played in came against Lehigh. Maddon completed 14 of 17 passes for four touchdowns in that game, leading Lafayette to a victory.

As for the most recent meeting between the varsity teams, Maddon compared Saturday's game for the current athletes to his first trip to baseball's historic Wrigley Field -- now his home as the new Cubs skipper -- this past summer. Despite coaching for more than 20 years in the Majors, Maddon had never stepped foot inside the Friendly Confines until Aug. 8.

"I remember I told myself to just stop and look at the whole place because it was a really special moment," Maddon said. "I just hope these kids did the same today and really appreciated the moment and the atmosphere. You look around -- they're playing in front of a full crowd at Yankee Stadium -- so I hope they just enjoy being part of something so special in such a special place."

The Cubs skipper had plenty to cheer about throughout the day, as Scheuerman's historic day pushed Lafayette's record in the rivalry series to 78-67-5. Saturday's victory was the second straight for Maddon's alma mater over Lehigh after dropping five straight meetings from 2008-12.

"My hat's off to Lehigh," Lafayette head coach Frank Tavani said, "but today, I just felt like it was going to be our day. These kids were determined and they showed it right from the start."

These two schools have played one another every year since 1884, with the exception of 1896 due to a player-eligibility dispute. Aside from that 1896 season, the schools met twice a year from 1884-1901 (and three times in 1891) and once per season ever since.

Saturday's meeting marked the 118th consecutive year that the teams have squared off, the longest streak for any two teams in the nation. The intensity of the rivalry was evident by the more than 48,000 people in attendance, making it the second-most attended college football game at the new Yankee Stadium. Only Notre Dame's victory over Army in the first college football game at the new stadium back in 2010 drew more fans (54,251).

Lafayette dominated the action in the first half, outgaining the Mountain Hawks by a 363-57 margin overall, including 218-13 on the ground. The Leopards also racked up 17 first downs to Lehigh's three.

It all led to a 21-0 halftime lead, though Lehigh finally broke through late in the third quarter when freshman running back Christopher Leigh took off for a 70-yard touchdown run to cut the lead to 21-7. Prior to Saturday's game, Leigh had run for just 115 yards on 23 carries all season.

Lehigh blocked a field-goal attempt on the ensuing drive but couldn't muster enough offense to complete a fourth-quarter comeback.

"It was a fabulous atmosphere," Lehigh head coach Andy Coen said. "What a wonderful experience for the players, coaches and fans on both sides of the ledger. I told our kids before the game that they were going to have a great memory just by being here and having an opportunity to play in Yankee Stadium. Unfortunately we didn't get the win, but these guys are going to be able to tell their grandkids about this."

Lafayette delivered the final blow on a 23-yard touchdown pass from Zach Zweizig to Matt Mrazek on a 4th-and-21 play with 2:39 remaining. Zweizig, who finished the day 13-of-23 for 166 yards and the one touchdown, was making his first appearance since Sept. 21, 2013, due to Lafayette having lost two quarterbacks to injury over the past couple of weeks.

"This had to be the biggest event for both schools," Tavani said. "To have the opportunity to get on the national stage and have people understand that college's most-played rivalry is Lafayette-Lehigh -- and there's not a better college football game yearin, year out. This is where you needed to be today."

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