Box Score

GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Senior Matt Flynn (Northfield, N.J./Mainland Regional) passed for 386 yards and three touchdowns while nearly willing the Bullets to a stunning second-half comeback, but a big Lebanon Valley first half was too much to overcome as Gettysburg dropped a wild 47-42 decision in the season opener for both teams Saturday afternoon at Shirk Field at Musselman Stadium.

Flynn, who broke the school record for career completions (387) with his eighth of the game, finished just 13 passing yards shy of his career-high and 18 short of the school record. He set career-highs for pass attempts (55) and completions (31), finishing just four off the school record in the latter. Flynn also rushed for 56 yards on eight carries.

The two teams combined for 974 total yards, with the Bullets outgaining the Flying Dutchmen 581-393. It was Gettysburg's highest total offense output since its school-record 733-yard performance at St. Lawrence University in 1999.

Gettysburg trailed 41-14 at halftime and 41-21 heading into the third quarter before scoring on its final three drives. After their final touchdown of the game – a 15-yard pass from Flynn to junior tailback Jamel Mutunga (Bel Air, Md./Bel Air) with 1:48 remaining – the Bullets had a chance to regain possession, but an onsides kick was recovered by the Dutchmen. With Gettysburg out of timeouts, LVC was able to run out the rest of the clock.

Senior tailback Charlie Parker led the Dutchmen, who scored on their first five drives of the game, with 129 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries. He also broke his school's all-time rushing touchdowns record with his first score of the game, giving him 24 for his career. Senior receiver Joe Brennan caught five passes for 114 yards and a pair of scores while junior Caleb Fick threw for 145 yards and two TDs on 9-of-13 passing.

Mutunga rushed for 91 yards and one touchdown while catching five passes for 54 yards and an additional TD. Senior wing Ricky Manigat (Baldwin, N.Y./Baldwin) added 48 yards rushing and a touchdown on eight carries while catching six passes for 64 yards for Gettysburg.

Junior receiver Brian Betley (Mt. Laurel, N.J./Lenape) caught a career-high seven passes for 89 yards for the Bullets, and junior wing Charles Curcio (Hammonton, N.J./St. Joseph) hauled in six passes for 72 yards while returning seven kickoffs for 101 yards to finish with 176 all-purpose yards. Sophomore wing John Pesce (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) contributed three catches for 52 yards and a touchdown while junior receiver Gavin Jablonski (Allenwood, N.J./Wall) snared three receptions for 51 yards.

Sophomore Ben Guiles gave the Dutchmen the lead on the first play of the game, breaking loose near midfield on the opening kickoff and racing down the left sideline. After the Bullets punted on their first possession, LVC wasted little time striking again, as Fick threw a pass over the middle to Brennan, who out-sprinted his defender for an 70-yard touchdown catch and run, making it 14-0 just under five minutes into the game.

The Dutchmen scored again following a Gettysburg punt, with sophomore Blair Ransom running it in from one yard out with 4:31 left in the opening quarter to complete an eight-play, 71-yard drive and making it a 21-0 game.

The Bullets scored their first points of the season on their next drive, going 82 yards on 13 plays, capped by a Mutunga 4-yard run. The two teams then traded touchdowns, with Parker running for a 2-yard touchdown and senior tight end #A.J. Perrotti# (Brick, N.J./Brick Township) grabbing a four-yard touchdown catch with 4:24 remaining in the half, pulling the Bullets to within 28-14.

Lebanon Valley made it five touchdowns on five drives when sophomore Colt Zarilla entered the game at quarterback. Zarilla drove the Dutchmen to the Bullet-9, then ran it in himself on a fourth-and-goal to make it 35-14 with 1:24 showing.

A Gettysburg turnover led to LVC's final touchdown of the half, as junior Jur'ey Fowlkes intercepted a pass and returned it 11 yards to the Bullet-24 with 55 seconds left. Fick returned for the Valley and completed three passes, the last of which was an 11-yard scoring toss to Brennan with 11 ticks to go. The extra point was no good, but the Dutchmen waltzed into the locker room with a 27-point advantage.

Lebanon Valley posted 284 yards in the opening half, but the Gettysburg defense regrouped tremendously and limited the Dutchmen to 109 second-half yards and one touchdown.

After receiving the second-half kickoff, Gettysburg drove 74 yards on 10 plays, with junior tailback Anthony DeSalva (Redding, Conn./Joel Barlow) scoring his second career touchdown on a 1-yard plunge with 12:32 on the clock. But the Bullets were unable to generate any more points over the remainder of the quarter, and the Dutchmen scored their final touchdown on a Parker 6-yard dash with 14:19 left in the game, pushing the visitors lead to 47-28 after another missed PAT.

The Bullets still had plenty of offense left in the tank, however, with Flynn leading Gettysburg on scoring drives of 68, 94, and 69 yards on each of his team's three fourth-quarter possessions. Manigat scored on a 5-yard run with 10:54 to go before Flynn connected with Pesce on a 10-yard pass with 5:40 left and Mutunga on a 15-yarder.

Junior Mike Barrett (Selinsgrove, Pa./Lewisburg) connected on six of his extra points for the Bullets.

Junior defensive end Sebastian Sullivan (Harrisburg, Pa./Bishop McDevitt) made a career-high 11 tackles, including 2.0 for loss and 1.0 sack, to lead the Bullet defense. Senior linebacker Taylor Byrne (Frederick, Md./Urbana) added a career-high 10 tackles while sophomore linebacker Joe Delaney (Voorhees, N.J./Eastern Regional) totaled nine hits.

Senior linebacker Will Keylor led all players with 13 tackles while junior safety Dane Eichelberger broke up four passes for Lebanon Valley.

Gettysburg plays its final non-conference game of the season next Saturday, when it visits Hampden-Sydney College at 1 p.m.