BY JEFF FALK
Editor
Some Photos Courtesy of LVC
At Lebanon Valley College, football is more than a game.
It’s an institution.
It’s a tradition.
It’s a way of life.
In some ways, Flying Dutchmen football is the face of the college.
As Lebanon Valley readies yo play its 126th season, the importance of the sport to the college can’t be overstated. The Flying Dutchmen will kick off their 2022 campaign with a rare Friday night game at Franklin and Marshall on September 2nd.
“I don’t think we’re more important than any other sports program,” said Joe Buehler, LVC’s seventh year head coach. “We are responsible for bringing the largest male population of students to LVC. When you take into consideration the marching band, cheerleaders and support staff, it’s probably 45 percent of the student population involved in our home games on Saturday afternoons.
“I’m a graduate of this school,” continued Buehler. “Football brought me to LVC. It made a huge difference in my life. Now I’m back here and hopefully making a difference in young people’s lives. I believe in Lebanon Valley College. When you get a degree from LVC, you work hard. I’m just glad to be a part of it.”
This year’s Lebanon Valley College football roster boasts 112 student-athletes, 24 seniors – eight of whom are fifth-year players – and 41 freshmen. The Flying Dutchmen return seven offensive starters from last year’s team, and eight on defense.
“One of the things we’ve talked about is that we just can’t keep doing the same things if we want different results,” said Buehler. “Maybe it’s just tweaking some small or different things on offense and defense. I feel for us, the completion rate in the passing game has to go up. I think that will go a long way for the offense. That falls to four pieces – the quarterback, the receivers, the offensive line and the play calling. When we didn’t play well defensively last year, we had too many missed tackles. We’ve really made tackling a focus.
“We’re trying to improve,” continued Buehler. “This team is low maintenance. Nothing bothers these guys. There’s no complaining, There are no far-away looks. These players are efficient in taking care of their business and paying attention to details.”
At 5-5 overall and 4-4 in the Middle Atlantic Conference, the Flying Dutchmen’s 2021 season was neither good or bad. While the beginning of last year’s season could’ve gone better, Lebanon Valley did finish with a pair of victories from which to grow.
“I thought we were a couple of plays away from being a playoff team,” said Buehler. “We ended the season strong. I thought defensively we played pretty well. In the second half of the year, I thought our offense really began to click. We’re pretty excited about this year, just because we have a good group of guys returning.
“I think we’re slowing building a roster that shakes out the way we want it to,” added Buehler. “We’ve added depth to our football team. I think some of our younger guys got valuable repetitions last year. But each team takes on its own personality.”
Following a huge breakout season last year as a freshman quarterback, Elco graduate Braden Bohannon has continued to take steps in his decision making and the understanding of the offense. His development will allow the Flying Dutchmen to be more balanced, and ultimately more dangerous.
Senior Tim Ervey is an exciting tailback and paired with senior Ian Murhon gives LVC a potent backfield, while senior receiver Jay Sisko provides the Flying Dutchmen with a consistent outside threat. From outside in, senior tackle Walker Klinger and junior tackle Jake Phillips lead the offensive line.
“We want to contend for an MAC title and we want to have some sort of a postseason,” Buehler said. “In the short-term, our goal is to beat F&M. We just want to continue the journey we’ve been on. We know where we have to improve, but the character is outstanding. It comes down to performance, because we already know we’re going to get great effort.
“As the season progresses, you’ll see some of the freshmen emerge,” Buehler added. “It’s a really good freshman class. We’ve had a lot of really good classes in-a-row. If you have 20 or more seniors, you should have a good football team. The problems we have are all good problems.”
On the defensive side of the ball, junior Jake Marcus and senior Ben Siegfried will star in the trenches. Their play will pave the way for senior linebackers Dillon Estes, Brad Shear and Ryan Givney to make plays.
Junior safety Erik Williams, another Elco product, is the Flying Dutchmen’s last line of defense, while senior Grant Gaumer is an experienced cornerback.
“Most people evaluate football teams on two things, wins and losses,” said Buehler. “From that perspective, we’re a team that’s been slowly getting better, but stuck in the middle of the pack.
“But I look at what’s important to me,” continued Buehler. “We have one of the highest graduation rates in the conference, and our alums come back. I’m a caretaker. I’ve got a tremendous staff of coaches who are loyal to me. I’m proud of that. At the end of the day, I do think there’s a greater calling for our football team.”
More than a game.
2022 Lebanon Valley College Football Schedule
Date Time At Opponent Location Sep 2 (Fri) 7 p.m. Away Franklin & Marshall College Lancaster, Pa. Sep 10 (Sat) 1 p.m. Home Lycoming College Annville, Pa. (Arnold Field) Sep 17 (Sat) 12 p.m. Away FDU-Florham Madison, N.J. Sep 24 (Sat) 1 p.m. Home Wilkes University Annville, Pa. (Arnold Field) Oct 1 (Sat) 1:30 p.m. Away Alvernia University Reading, Pa. Oct 8 (Sat) 1 p.m. Away Misericordia University Dallas, Pa. Oct 15 (Sat) 1 p.m. Home Delaware Valley University Annville, Pa. (Arnold Field) Oct 22 (Sat) 12 p.m. Away King's College (Pa.) Wilkes-Barre, Pa. Oct 29 (Sat) 1 p.m. Home Widener University Annville, Pa. (Arnold Field) Nov 12 (Sat) 12 p.m. Home Albright College Annville, Pa. (Arnold Field) 2022 Lebanon Valley Football Roster
No. Name Yr. Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown / High School
0 Tim Ervey Sr. TB 5-7 178 Hackettstown, N.J. / Hackettstown
1 Jerryn Preisinger So. CB 5-9 161 Essex, Md. / Eastern Technical
1 Jay Sisko Sr. WR 5-11 185 Pottstown, Pa. / Pottsgrove
2 Ryan Kilgarriff Gr. CB 5-11 178 Richboro, Pa. / Council Rock South
2 Tanner Lewis So. QB 6-1 213 Allentown, Pa. / Parkland
3 Braden Bohannon So. QB 6-0 184 Myerstown, Pa. / ELCO
3 Daniel McHale So. DE 6-1 223 Harrisburg, Pa. / Bishop McDevitt
4 Tim Convery Sr. CB 5-11 160 Norwood, Pa. / Interboro
4 Matt Smith So. TE 6-4 208 Hicksville, N.Y. / Hicksville
5 Noah Caldani Jr. DE 6-2 241 Richboro, Pa. / Council Rock South
5 Ian Murhon Sr. FB 6-0 207 New Philadelphia, Pa. / Pottsville
6 Ryan Enright Jr. WS 6-0 191 Somerset, N.J. / Immaculata
6 Gabe Iacavone Jr. TE 6-2 226 Wernersville, Pa. / Conrad Weiser
7 Pablo Beltran Sr. ILB 6-0 196 Lancaster, Pa. / JP McCaskey
8 Pablo Aviles-Bernal Sr. DE 5-10 222 Kennett Square, Pa. / Unionville
8 Garrett MacClay So. K 5-10 163 Jamison, Pa. / Central Bucks South
9 Jacob Horton So. ILB 5-11 205 Green Lane, Pa. / Souderton
9 Deshawn Wilson Fy. WR 5-8 170 Reading, Pa. / Reading
12 Tyler Alessandroni So. WR 5-11 164 Royersford, Pa. / Spring-Ford
12 James Jackson Fy. CB 5-9 163 York, Pa. / Central York
13 Malaki Blair So. WR 6-2 159 Chambersburg, Pa. / Chambersburg
13 Brent Moody Jr. FS 6-1 163 Bel Air, Md. / C. Milton Wright
14 Gabe Puzzangara So. QB 5-11 203 West Chester, Pa. / Salesianum (Del.)
14 Jonathon Snyder Jr. SS 5-11 179 Millersburg, Pa. / Millersburg
15 Grant Gaumer Sr. CB 5-10 185 Elizabethtown, Pa. / Elizabethtown
15 Reilly Taylor Jr. WR 6-3 186 Millerstown, Pa. / Newport
16 Jeremy Bours Jr. Jr. WR 5-11 196 Cleona, Pa. / Annville-Cleona
16 Kevin Fitzpatrick Fy. WS 6-0 191 Pottsville, Pa. / Schuylkill Haven
17 Carter Foust Fy. SS 6-1 200 Shippensburg, Pa. / Shippensburg
17 Rylee Stahl Jr. WR 5-9 191 Mifflinburg, Pa. / Mifflinburg
18 Evan Kutzler So. FS 6-3 180 Souderton, Pa. / Souderton
18 Horan Thomas Jr. So. WR 5-7 159 Harrisburg, Pa. / Milton Hershey
19 Matt Garatty So. QB 5-9 186 Stewartsville, N.J. / Phillipsburg
19 Nick Morder Jr. CB 5-10 171 Palmyra, Pa. / Palmyra
20 Tyler Hartl Jr. DE 6-1 202 Manheim, Pa. / Manheim Central
20 Reinhold Louis So. TB 6-0 214 Reading, Pa. / Schuylkill Valley
22 Ryan Fink Fy. CB 6-0 166 Lititz, Pa. / Warwick
22 Joe Underwood Sr. TE 6-1 241 Strasburg, Pa. / Lampeter-Strasburg
23 Logan Grauer Gr. WR 5-7 145 Mohrsville, Pa. / Schuylkill Valley
24 Malachi Williams Jr. TB 6-1 206 Holmes, Pa. / Ridley
25 Josh Chowansky Fy. TB 5-7 170 Ringtown, Pa. / North Schuylkill
25 Nathan Kennish Jr. ILB 5-9 183 Philadelphia, Pa. / Archbishop Ryan
27 Dion Bryant Fy. TB 5-8 200 Trenton, N.J. / Milton Hershey School
28 Devin Crone Sr. K 6-1 205 Dover, Pa. / Dover
29 Joe Fay Sr. WS 5-10 184 Doylestown, Pa. / Central Bucks West
30 Jacob Shermeyer So. TB 5-10 187 Harrisburg, Pa. / East Pennsboro
30 Erik Williams Jr. SS 6-0 196 Myerstown, Pa. / ELCO
31 Jim McLaughlin Sr. FB 5-7 238 Mifflintown, Pa. / Juniata
32 Adam Acker Fy. WR 5-8 161 Columbia, Pa. / Hempfield
33 Avrey Grimm Fy. TB 5-10 164 Pottstown, Pa. / Owen J. Roberts
34 Logan Heim Jr. ILB 5-9 191 Maple Glen, Pa. / Upper Dublin
35 Joe Funk Fy. TB 5-8 194 Elkton, Md. / North East
36 Alex Brown Fy. WS 5-8 170 Newark, Del. / John Dickinson
37 Ryan Sisko Fy. FS 6-0 185 Pottstown, Pa. / Pottsgrove
38 Aidan Mencia Fy. TB 6-0 210 Waynesboro, Pa. / Waynesboro
39 Cody Shay Jr. ILB 6-0 230 Denver, Pa. / Cocalico
40 Maximus Dopwell Jr. TE 6-2 253 Pottstown, Pa. / Pottsgrove
40 Aiden Wolak Fy. ILB 5-10 212 Olyphant, Pa. / Mid Valley
41 Taijay Brown Fy. CB 5-7 160 Harrisburg, Pa. / Milton Hershey School
42 Brad Shear Sr. ILB 6-3 226 Greencastle, Pa. / Greencastle-Antrim
43 Ben Farmer Fy. TE 6-1 221 Hagerstown, Md. / South Hagerstown
44 Dillon Estes Gr. ILB 6-0 230 West Grove, Pa. / Avon Grove
45 Tony Calabretta Fy. ILB 5-11 196 Lincoln University, Pa. / Avon Grove
45 Ethan Eicher Fy. TE 6-2 208 Rearing Spring, Pa. / Central
46 Daniel Gobiel Jr. DT 6-0 242 Lebanon, Pa. / Bradshaw Mountain (Ariz.)
47 Rhyle Strausbaugh Sr. ILB 5-10 189 Montgomery, Pa. / Montgomery
48 Ethan Notarfrancesco Fy. WR 5-8 167 Mechanicsburg, Pa. / Trinity
49 Drew Campbell Fy. FB 5-10 206 Reading, Pa. / Schuylkill Valley
50 Jake Marcus Jr. DT 6-3 259 Glen Burnie, Md. / Old Mill
51 Aonghas Evanick So. DT 6-1 240 Souderton, Pa. / Souderton Area
52 Ryan Gibney Sr. ILB 5-11 198 Stewartstown, Pa. / Kennard-Dale
53 Ben Sharer So. DE 6-2 212 Spring Mills, Pa. / Penns Valley Area
54 Arturo Ramirez-Guzman Sr. OC 5-10 267 Ephrata, Pa. / Ephrata
56 Cody Schucker So. OG 5-11 253 Bath, Pa. / Northampton
58 Luke Pollock Fy. ILB 6-0 215 Souderton, Pa. / Souderton
59 Aaron Crumrine Fy. WS 6-2 200 Pine Grove, Pa. / Pine Grove
60 Adler Billig Fy. OC 5-9 236 Allentown, Pa. / Parkland
61 Alex Diedrich Jr. OG 5-11 264 Narvon, Pa. / Garden Spot
62 Jacob Phillips Jr. OT 6-2 296 Hamburg, Pa. / Hamburg
63 David Nolter So. DT 5-11 251 Southampton, Pa. / Council Rock South
64 Alec Menszak Jr. OG 6-1 266 Quakertown, Pa. / Quakertown
65 Nate Argiro Fy. OG 5-11 232 Stewartstown, Pa. / Kennard-Dale
66 Carter Funk Fy. DE 6-4 230 Shippensburg, Pa. / Shippensburg
67 Trevor Gallagher Fy. OC 6-4 272 Gettysburg, Pa. / Gettysburg
68 Rocko Taylor So. DE 6-2 211 Elizabethtown, Pa. / Lower Dauphin
69 Braylon Stair Fy. OG 5-11 239 Mechanicsburg, Pa. / Cumberland Valley
70 Nate Fish Fy. OT 6-2 268 Landenberg, Pa. / Avon Grove
71 Pete Rahtjen Jr. OT 6-5 311 Bayville, N.J. / Central Regional
72 Hunter Hanna Fy. OG 6-4 248 Montoursville, Pa. / Montoursville
73 AJ Vail Fy. OT 6-2 261 Dover, Pa. / Northern
75 Walker Klinger Sr. OT 6-1 273 Newport, Pa. / Newport
77 Hunter Deibler Jr. OG 5-11 244 Lititz, Pa. / Warwick
79 Nick Macon Sr. OC 5-11 243 Coatesville, Pa. / Bishop Shanahan
80 Matt Taskowitz So. WR 5-10 177 Jackson, N.J. / Jackson Memorial
81 Brian Dym Fy. K 6-1 211 Kennett Square, Pa. / Unionville
81 Alex Vassallo Fy. WR 6-0 278 Douglassville, Pa. / Daniel Boone
82 Trevion Jones So. WR 5-7 155 Washington, D.C. / Kipp DC College Prep
83 Brady Krushinski Sr. WR 5-10 165 High Bridge, N.J. / Voorhees
84 Cameron Hirshman Fy. WR 5-7 158 Douglassville, Pa. / Daniel Boone
85 Gabe Randall Sr. TE 6-3 218 Norristown, Pa. / Norristown
86 Tommy Delgado Fy. WR 5-9 161 West Grove, Pa. / Avon Grove
87 William Ryan Fy. TE 6-5 234 Blandon, Pa. / Fleetwood
89 Bryan Karst Fy. WR 5-11 150 Hanover, Pa. / Hanover
90 Brody Robinson So. ILB 5-11 218 Pine Grove, Pa. / Pine Grove
91 Malachi Partee Fy. DE 6-2 245 Delta, Pa. / Kennard-Dale
92 Garrett Becker Sr. DT 5-10 241 Mifflinburg, Pa. / Mifflinburg
93 Kevin Roberts So. K 5-10 150 Fallston, Md. / Fallston
94 Jordan Blauch Fy. DT 6-3 282 Palmyra, Pa. / Palmyra
96 Aidyn Gingrich Fy. DE 6-0 197 Palmyra, Pa. / Lower Dauphin
97 Ben Siegfried Gr. DT 6-3 297 Wilmington, Del. / Conrad School of Science
98 Luke Ordway Fy. DE 6-4 202 Gilbertsville, Pa. / Boyertown
99 Abi Sweger Sr. K 5-6 Newville, Pa. / Big Spring
Coaching Staff:
Joe Buehler ’89 Head Coach
Chris Thompson Offensive Coordinator/QB Coach
Greg Drake ’09 Defensive Coordinator
Jack Beidler ’96 Inside Linebackers/Special Teams Coordinator
Bill Giovino ’88 Wide Receivers Coach
Corey Wenger Secondary
Matt Gross ’97 Running Backs/Kickers
Matt Clark ’12 Defensive Line
Adrian Krall Cornerbacks/Assistant Special Teams Coordinator
Karl Liedtka ’91 Offensive Line Coach
Chris Pope ’91 Assistant Defensive Line Coach
Scott Salerno ’20 Assistant Offensive Line
Peter Ireland Defensive Intern/Linebackers
Mike Bilansky Analytics and Data Analysis
Tim Kissinger Student Coach on Defense
Kira Marlow Student Manager
Katie Mellott Student Manager
Ryan Winters Student Manager
Captains: Tim Ervey, Ian Murhon, Dillon Estes, Ryan Gibney
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