Lehigh Goes to 3-0, Beating Duquesne 35-21 In Their First Visit to Pittsburgh In Over 70 Years
BETHLEHEM, PA – Lehigh football’s first trip to Pittsburgh in over 70 years was a business-like 35-21 win over Duquesne, a game where the Mountain Hawks never trailed but had to battle hard for four quarters to secure Lehigh’s first 3-0 start since 2013.
“We knew this team was talented and would be tough, and we were going to get their best shot,” LB Tyler Ochojski said afterwards, “and I was proud to see the resiliency of this defense, and QB Hayden Johnson, WR Geoff Jamiel, all those guys.”
After a scoreless first quarter, Lehigh opened up the scoring after a strange end to a 10 play, 64 yard drive. Johnson found Jamiel with a hard pass, but it bounced off his hands, then bounced off a couple of Duquesne defensive backs before TE Garrett Guess alertly plucked the ball out of the air in the back of the end zone for Lehigh’s first score.
Down 7-0 and in the waning moments of the first half, Duquesne equalized on a couple of big pass plays from QB Tyler Riddell, the first to WR Joey Isabella, and an eight yard touchdown pass to TE Daniel Tarabrella soon thereafter.
“We battled them. Sometimes games statistically are against you and you’re still fighting, you’re still making plays,” Dukes coach head coach Jerry Schmitt said. “We got down but came back and responded.”
It was in this time of the game, the “middle eight” as head coach Kevin Cahill likes to call it – the last four minutes of the first half and the first four minutes of the second half – that the Mountain Hawks really seemed like they won the game.
WIth 2:45 left in the half, Duquesne forced a punt, and the Lehigh defense held firm, pressuring Riddell and DE Dillon Sheehan and a host of Lehigh defenders stuffing one of Riddell’s completion for a short gain.
Lehigh would then get the ball back with 45 seconds left in the half, giving Johnson just enough time to connect with Jamiel, in the middle of the field, weaving and breaking several tackles for a big 54 yards touchdown. Sophomore DB Mekahi Smith intercepted a Riddell pass in the final seconds of the first half to give Lehigh a 14-7 lead at halftime.
Out of halftime, Lehigh’s defense forced another 3-and-out, with the offense on the ensuing drive embarking on an efficient 8 play, 63 yard drive, mixing up the run and pass well and WR Matt D’Avino hauling in the TD grab over the middle and seeing his way into the end zone, giving the Mountain Hawks a 21-7 lead.
Johnson went 17 for 25 passing for 224 yards and 3 passing touchdowns – and no turnovers.
Duquesne answered the D’Avino strike quickly, with a 66-yard touchdown from Riddell to Isabella to get back within seven, but Lehigh very businesslike went on a 7 play, 75 yard drive ending with RB Jaden Green scoring on an elusive 27-yard run, breaking tackles and bouncing to the outside to put Lehigh up 28-14.
The Dukes then answered with a 13-play scoring drive, with Duquesne getting back within one score on a one-yard touchdown run by RB Luke Kuchner as the fourth quarter opened..
As the Dukes opened the door, Lehigh then effectively closed it with an 8 play, 59 yard drive and a heavy diet of rushing from RB Luke Yoder and RB Jaden Green. Closing things out wad RB Aaron Crossley, pushing the ball into the end zone from one yard out to put the score at 35-21 Lehigh, which is where the game would end up.
Yoder, Green and Crossley would end up with a combined 151 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Duquesne marched down the field once again. The Dukes drove to the Lehigh 12 when Ochojski came in off the edge and sacked Riddell, knocking the ball loose with Sheehan recovering the for the Mountain Hawks, effectively calling ballgame. The Dukes fought hard the whole way through.
“To come on the road and win a game is hard,” Coach Cahill said afterwards, “I’m just proud of the way we battled all the way through.”
Lehigh goes on the road again next week in a critical Patriot League battle in Lewisburg, PA as the Mountian Hawks take on Bucknell. Duquesne also heads on the road next week to take on an FBS opponent in Akron.
 Duquesne | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
 Lehigh | 0 | 14 | 14 | 7 | 35 |
DUQ: PASS – Riddell,Tyler (211); RUSH – Solomon, Jr.,Shawn (43); REC – Isabella,Joey (153)
LEH: PASS – Johnson, Hayden (224); RUSH – Yoder, Luke (68); REC – Jamiel, Geoffrey (95)
Game Information
Scoring Summary
| 2nd | LEH | 12:28 | LEH – Guess,Garrett 13 yd pass from Johnson,Hayden (Garrido,Nick kick) 10 plays, 64 yards, TOP 04:41 | 0 | 7 |
| 2nd | DUQ | 02:32 | DUQ – Tarabrella,Daniel 8 yd pass from Riddell,Tyler (Marcinko,Matt kick) 9 plays, 80 yards, TOP 04:35 | 7 | 7 |
| 2nd | LEH | 00:35 | LEH – Jamiel,Geoffrey 54 yd pass from Johnson,Hayden (Garrido,Nick kick) 1 plays, 54 yards, TOP 00:10 | 7 | 14 |
| 3rd | LEH | 09:47 | LEH – D’Avino,Matt 8 yd pass from Johnson,Hayden (Garrido,Nick kick) 8 plays, 63 yards, TOP 04:22 | 7 | 21 |
| 3rd | DUQ | 07:47 | DUQ – Isabella,Joey 66 yd pass from Riddell,Tyler (Marcinko,Matt kick) 4 plays, 80 yards, TOP 01:55 | 14 | 21 |
| 3rd | LEH | 04:30 | LEH – Green,Jaden 27 yd run (Garrido,Nick kick), 7 plays, 75 yards, TOP 03:17 | 14 | 28 |
| 4th | DUQ | 12:37 | DUQ – Kushner,Logan 1 yd run (Marcinko,Matt kick), 13 plays, 83 yards, TOP 06:48 | 21 | 28 |
| 4th | LEH | 07:29 | LEH – Crossley,Aaron 1 yd run (Garrido,Nick kick), 8 plays, 59 yards, TOP 04:59 | 21 | 35 |
| 21 | 35 | |||||
Chuck has been writing about Lehigh football since the dawn of the internet, or perhaps it only seems like it. He’s executive editor of the College Sports Journal and has also written a book, The Rivalry: How Two Schools Started the Most Played College Football Series.
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