11/10/23

SCRANTON, Pa. -- For the second time this season, and the fourth time in two years, Lackawanna College will face Georgia Military College in an NJCAA DI clash between two of the top east coast teams in the country. 

Kickoff is scheduled for a 1:00pm ET start at PenFed Field at Memorial Stadium in Scranton. Live coverage will be provided on the Lackawanna College Athletics Network (lackawannafalcons.com/LIVE) and the Region 19 Sports Network. Mike Slusser will handle the play-by-play duties. This is the second meeting of the year between the Falcons and the Bulldogs. GMC was the victor in the previous encounter, a 17-9 win in Milledgeville, GA back in September. The normally-pontent Lackawanna offense was held in check by the Georgia Military defense, which held Lackawanna to just 103 yards rushing overall and forced the Falcons to go 2-for-13 on third down. Still, Lackawanna had a chance to take the lead late in the third on a field goal, but the Bulldogs blocked the kick, then scored a decisive touchdown late in the fourth to pull away for the win. You can read the recap HERE.

The Falcons (7-2) come into the contest as the #11 team in the latest NJCAA Division I rankings. Lackawanna was victorious in its last match-up, a wild 38-36 double overtime victory on the road at Monroe last weekend. Lackawanna blew a nine-point lead in the fourth quarter, and was outgained for the game by Monroe, but rallied for the win late, thanks to some key stops from Quoy Rainey (First Year; Lindenwold, NJ) and some excellent play from Hamas Duren (Sophomore; Sicklerville, NJ). After Monroe scored to tie the game at 27, Rainey, a converted offensive lineman now playing defensive tackle, swatted down the extra point attempt that would have given Monroe the lead with 4:30 to play. Later, in overtime, Rainey made a stop on third-and-goal that forced Monroe to go for the field goal, rather than a touchdown to win, and send it to the second overtime period. In double OT, Rainey again made a stop, this time on the two-point attempt, tackling the Monroe QB before he could cross the goal line. Those big stops help set the stage for Duren, who threw two touchdown passes after halftime, including one in the second OT that tied the game at 36. Needing to go for two, the Falcons called Duren's number, who darted to his left, cut up field, and pushed the ball across the line to give the Falcons the win. Duren finished with 246 yards passing and his two scores, while Terrez Worthy (Sophomore; Salisbury, MD) had 170 yards rushing and four total touchdowns on the day. You can read the full recap HERE.

Georgia Military (6-4) enters the contest receiving votes in the latest NJCAA polls. The Bulldogs have had an up-and-down season, playing some stiff competition throughout the season, and that trend continued last weekend when GMC traveled to Illinois to take on the defending DIII national champions, the College of DuPage Chaparrals. Despite outgaining the Chaps, GMC committed three costly turnovers and fell, 37-21, on the road last weekend. Georgia Military ran for 250 yards on the day, but was just 3-for-11 on third down, and managed only two offensive touchdowns on the day. DuPage had the early advantage after a turnover gave the Chaps a short field just 90 seconds in, but GMC eventually responded with a touchdown drive to take a 7-6 lead. DuPage added a touchdown in the second quarter that made it 13-7, a lead it would carry into halftime, and then scored on the opening possession of the third, plus added a field goal, to make it 23-7, Chaps. Frank Osorio Jr. returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown, and a two-point conversion made it 23-15, but DuPage responded with a 12-play touchdown drive to push the lead back out to 30-15. Another GMC touchdown made it 30-21, but DuPage once again put together a touchdown drive in crunch time to pull away for the win. Chip Cooper ran for 70 yards and a score, but was just 5-for-13 for 41 yards and an interception. Jamarion Walker had 111 yards on 18 carries for a touchdown. 

This will be the 20th all-time meeting between the two programs. Georgia Military leads the series 11-8, and has won both match-ups in Georgia over the last two seasons. Lackawanna won last year's game in Scranton, 42-11, a win that eventually propelled the Falcons into a postseason bowl berth. Lackawanna is hoping for a similar result this season. Georgia Military has not beaten Lackawanna in Scranton since 2008, and is 1-3 all-time in the Electric City. 

You can read the full games notes for this week's contest HERE.