South Mountaineer Volume 39, Issue 02

              PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Linebacker Ian Eason was named Patriot
League Rookie of the Week. He made 13
solo tackles, two for a loss and had a pair
of sacks.
FOOTBALL: Lehigh loses season opener, 12
OLYMPIC SPORTS: Soccer and Field Hockey post shutouts, 11
COMPLETE FALL SPORTS SCHEDULE, 10
South Mountaineer
Volume 10, Issue 2
Lehigh University Athletics Weekly
September 10,1996
A Painful Loss at U.D.
Lehigh loses two key players to knee injuries in season opener
by Matt Leedy '98
South Mountaineer Editor
In a disheartening 49-7 romp by
Delaware, Lehigh's biggest loss
involved two very valuable knees.
Now the Brown and White's
backfield and linebacker corps
might not have a leg to stand on.
Tailback Rabih Abdullah
sprained his right knee and possibly
tore a ligament in the first quarter.
On the first play in the second half
linebacker Lance Eckenrode suffered
a similar injury to his left knee.
Eckenrode was the only linebacker with any experience heading
into the game after the position
was ravaged by injuries in the
preseason. Abdullah was the center
piece of Lehigh's offense and was
reevaluated Sundy.
The Blue Hens held Lehigh's
offense stagnant in the first half
and throughout most the game.
The Engineer's only first down in
the first half came on the second
play of the game.
"The problem was our defense
was out on the field far to long,"
Lehigh coach Kevin Higgins said. "If
the offense would have made first
downs I think it would have been a
ball game."
Lehigh avoided a shutout in the
fourth quarter when backup quarterback Seka Edwards floated a pass in
the left corner of the endzone to
split end Deron Braswell. Braswell
made the necessary adjustments and
hauled in the touchdown for
Lehigh's only score with just 5:24
left inthe game. Braswell finished
with five catches for 72 yards.
An Engineer bright spot was
shown in the play of linebacker Ian
Eason. In his first collegiate action
the freshman recorded 13 tackles,
two for a loss, and a sack.
Eason was given the starting nod
after three of Lehigh's top four
linebackers went down with injuries.
When Eckenrode was injured the
Engineers needed someone to step
Daphnie Sicre
Ian Eason had a stellar debut making 13 tackles and winning Patriot
League Rookie of the Week honors.
up their play. Eason answered
the call.
"No offense to Eason but when we
started making plans for him to play
it was kind of by default," Higgins
said. "He had a heck of a game and
as you can see he is going to be an
outstanding player."
For his efforts Eason was named
the Patriot League's Rookie of the
Week.
A host of Delaware backs carried
for 314 yards. Norman Coleman led
the charge, running the ball 12
times for 103 yards and a pair of
touchdowns.
Quarterback Leo Hamlett led the
option to rack up 53 yards on the
ground.
"The offense did a real good job of
making me look good," said
Hamlett, the leading contender for
the Walter Payton I-AA Player of
the Year award.
Hamlett was less impressive
through the air. He completed just
five of 14 passes for 118 yard, an
interception and an 80-yard touchdown strike.
Lehigh actually had a better
passing game than the Blue Hens.
Senior Aaron Brown connected en
14 of 25 attempts for 108 yards. In
relief, Edwards completed six of his
seven passes for 112 yards and a
touchdown.
Sophomore Deron Braswell made
five catches for 72 yards Saturday.
Brian Schaetfer
LEHIGH / DELAWARE
GAME STATS
Score By Quarters
1     2     3 4 F
Lehigh       0     0     0 7 7
Delaware 6    15    14 14 49
LEHIGH
DELAWARE
14
First Downs
20
17
Net Rushing
314
220
Net Passing
126
237
Total Yards
440
3-23
Penalties
9-75
3-3
Fumbles/Lost
1-0
1
Interceptions
1
29:21
Possession
30:39
2
Sacks By
4
Lehigh statistical leaders
Rushing: Rabih Abdullah 3-20
Passing: Seka Edwards 7-6-112
Receiving: Deron Braswell 5-71
Tackles: Ian Eason 13
QUOTEBOARD
"I think Lehigh certainly has a
fine football team. I think they
will do well in the Patriot
League. If a few things
wouldn 't have fallen through
the score would have been a lot
closer."
Delaware coach
Tubby Raymond
"I thought we hit pretty well. I
thought the intensity from
both teams made it an exciting
game"
Delaware coach
Tubby Raymond
"Delaware's defense is outstanding. We knew that coming
into the game. We faced them
two years ago when they were
good and they only got bigger,
stronger and faster."
Lehigh coach
Kevin Higgins
"Iplayed against wing-T
offenses in high school. There's
a lot of misdirection, and coach
(Jim McCarthy told me to read
my keys. They tell you where
the play's going."
Freshman linebacker
Ian Eason