Tired of ads? Subscribers enjoy a distraction-free reading experience.
Click here to subscribe today or Login.

LEHMAN TWP. — Penn State coach James Franklin showed up Friday night to get a look at his future lineman — Lake-Lehman’s Connor McGovern.

Lehman fans also got a glimpse into the next season — sophomore running back Trey Borger.

Starting due to an injury to senior Joey Vigil, Borger rushed for a career-high 192 yards and three touchdowns as unbeaten Lehman dominated GAR 39-15 in a Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2A game.

“We got outplayed, outcoached and outhustled,” said GAR coach Paul Wiedlich Jr., whose team fell to 3-3. “I really have nothing much more to say to be honest with you. All aspects of the game.”

A late GAR touchdown put a little window dressing on a game Lehman (6-0) controlled from the onset. By that time, Franklin and PSU offensive line coach Herb Hand were on their way back to State College.

“It just felt like a normal game,” McGovern said. “Obviously because NCAA rules I can’t talk to him. But it was nice to come out and dominate in front of him. Put 39 points up easily just running our normal offense.”

Normalcy at Lehman means running the ball and throwing only when absolutely necessary. It wasn’t necessary to throw Friday as the Black Knights didn’t attempt a pass for a second consecutive game.

Why bother when Borger and fellow running back Nick Eury were running the ball so effectively?

Borger put Lehman on the board on the third play of the game with a 31-yard TD run. Eury added touchdown runs of 33 and 6 yards as the Black Knights took an 18-0 lead after one quarter.

Borger then scored on the second play of the second quarter, latching onto the jersey of lineman Mason Rios and following him into the end zone for an 11-yard score. Lehman scored again on its next play on a 67-yard run by Borger for a 32-0 lead.

Borger was starting after Vigil aggravated an ankle injury last Friday against Meyers. Vigil originally hurt the ankle two weeks earlier against Old Forge.

“When I found out Joey Vigil rolled his ankle again the last game at Meyers, I figured I was going to step in for him this week,” said Borger, who came into the game with 283 yards on 37 carries. “I was working hard at practice.”

GAR finally got its offense going late in the second quarter, putting together a six-play scoring drive capped by running back Anthony Maurent’s 7-yard run. Maurent was held to 39 yards in the first half and finished with 121.

“We knew what they wanted to do,” Lehman coach Jerry Gilsky said. “They wanted to get leverage in their veer. We knew that all week. We knew they couldn’t go at us.”

Throwing didn’t work either as Lehman safety Noah Gorski intercepted two passes, both leading to scoring drives. The final set up Eury’s 4-yard run to cap the Black Knights’ scoring. Eury finished with 134 yards rushing.

Lake-Lehman 39, GAR 15

GAR`0`8`0`7`—`15

Lake-Lehman`18`14`7`0`—`39

First quarter

LL — Trey Borger 31 run (kick blocked), 11:22

LL — Nick Eury 33 run (pass failed), 7:14

LL — Euty 6 run (run failed), 0:44

Second quarter

LL — Borger 11 run (Eury run), 11:10

LL — Borger 67 run (run failed), 5:43

GAR — Anthony Maurent 7 run (Shaquan Everett from Garry Kroll), 3:14

Third quarter

LL — Eury 4 run (Ian Dawsey kick)

Fourth quarter

GAR — Kroll 34 run (Muhaideen Tajuddin kick), 2:26

Team statistics`GAR`LL

First downs`12`13

Rushes-yards`44-238`40-365

Passing yards`5`0

Total yards`243`365

Passing`4-9-2`0-0-0

Sacked-yards lost`3-21`0-0

Punts-avg.`2-30`1-46

Fumbles-lost`0-0`1-0

Penalties-yards`3-54`3-15

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING —GAR, Maurent 14-121, Kroll 8-2, Mike Drozda 10-37, Josh Goodwin 6-27, Gerson Peralta 2-(minus-1), Dajon Rush 5-52. Lehman, Eury 16-134, Borger 12-192, Luke Hummel 3-14, Nate O’Donnell 1-(minus-1), Jesse Tomolonis 2-9, Tyler Wojciekowski 4-14, Jarrett Daum 1-4, team 1-(minus-1).

PASSING — GAR, Kroll 2-9-2-5. Lehman, none

RECEIVING — GAR, Maurent 1-9, Tajuddin 1-(minus-1), Peralta 1-(minus-3).

INTERCEPTIONS — Lehman, Noah Gorski 2-30.

MISSED FGs — none.

Lake-Lehman’s Trey Borger makes a first down on a fourth-down play in Friday’s high school football game against GAR.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_lehmangar02.jpg.optimal.jpgLake-Lehman’s Trey Borger makes a first down on a fourth-down play in Friday’s high school football game against GAR. Pete G. Wilcox |Times Leader

GAR’s Anthony Maurent (4) steps his away around the Lake Lehman defenders in Friday’s high school football game at Lake-Lehman.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_lehmangar01.jpg.optimal.jpgGAR’s Anthony Maurent (4) steps his away around the Lake Lehman defenders in Friday’s high school football game at Lake-Lehman. Pete G. Wilcox |Times Leader

Lake-Lehman quarterback Nate O’Donnell stiff arms GAR’s Emmanuel Solomon in Friday’s high school football game.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_lehmangar03.jpg.optimal.jpgLake-Lehman quarterback Nate O’Donnell stiff arms GAR’s Emmanuel Solomon in Friday’s high school football game. Pete G. Wilcox |Times Leader

Penn State football coach James Franklin was in attendance on the sidelines to watch Penn State recruit Connor McGovern play against GAR on Friday night.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_lehmangar04.jpg.optimal.jpgPenn State football coach James Franklin was in attendance on the sidelines to watch Penn State recruit Connor McGovern play against GAR on Friday night. Pete G. Wilcox |Times Leader

By John Erzar

[email protected]

Reach John Erzar at 570-991-6394 or on Twitter @TLJohnErzar