Despite holding a fourth quarter lead, the Georgetown football team (2-5, 0-2 Patriot League) lost a heartbreaker 24-21 this past Saturday at Lafayette (3-3, 1-1 Patriot League). In a back-and-forth game that saw both teams take the lead twice, the Hoyas failed to overcome costly mistakes and take advantage of scoring opportunities.
“At times, we played our best football of the year,” said Georgetown Head Coach Rob Sgarlata. “At the end of the day, we did not take care of the details and did not do enough of the little things to win.”
The Hoyas opened the game with a promising start. Junior quarterback Kyle Nolan capped an impressive drive with a 7-yard touchdown pass to sophomore tight end Matthew Buckman to give the Hoyas an early 7-0 lead. On the subsequent Lafayette drive, senior defensive tackle Peter Daibes forced and recovered a fumble at the Layfayette 18. The offense, however, had to settle for a 28-yard field goal attempt that the Leopards blocked.
The Blue and Gray regained their composure on their following possession, though, as junior running back Jo’el Kimpela’s 19-yard touchdown run extended their lead to 14-0 early in the second quarter. The lead did not last long, as Lafayette senior running back Ross Scheuerman scored on Layfayette’s next two possessions to bring the score to 14 all.
In the third quarter, junior kicker Ryan Gralish kicked a 25-yard field goal to give Lafayette their first lead of the game. The Hoyas regained the lead early in the fourth quarter when Nolan threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Justin Hill. The Leopards then responded as Scheuerman’s 5-yard touchdown run gave Lafayette the lead for good.
In spite of the loss, the Hoyas offense piled up 487 total yards of offense, including 282 yards rushing. Kimpela ran for a career-high 159 yards on 20 carries, while senior running back Daniel Wright ran for 106 yards on 15 attempts. For his effort, Kimpela earned a Patriot League weekly honorable mention.
“After looking at the stat sheet, the positives jump off of the page,” said Sgarlata. “Offensively, we had our most productive day of the season.”
Sgarlata did acknowledge, nonetheless, that the Hoyas still have to execute when it matters most. The Blue and Gray committed nine penalties for 115 yards, allowed an 80-yard punt return that led to a Lafayette touchdown, had a blocked punt, and struggled on third and fourth down.
“In critical situations, we were unable to convert a third or fourth-and-1,” said Sgarlata. “We were also unable to hold onto a four-point lead in the fourth quarter. (https://primer.com.au/) These situations are won by paying attention to the little things.”
The Hoyas now enter a much-needed bye week and will return to action for the annual homecoming game on Oct. 25, when they will face Bucknell (5-1, 1-0 Patriot League). The Hoyas will look to win their first homecoming game since the 2011 season. Sgarlata feels his team can use the bye week to their advantage and looks forward to the challenge that Bucknell presents.
“I am happy with our progress, but not satisfied with the results,” said Sgarlata. “We will work this week to play smarter and work toward a victory versus Bucknell.”
Photo by Carolyn Zaccaro
