EASTON, Pa. (Interstat) — In a historic rivalry game defined by offensive fireworks and a record-setting individual performance, the Lehigh Mountain Hawks outlasted the Lafayette Leopards 42-32 on Saturday at Fisher Stadium to complete an undefeated regular season.

The 161st meeting between the two programs was a back-and-forth affair that saw Lehigh running back Luke Yoder deliver a monumental performance, carrying the Mountain Hawks to victory and a pristine 12-0 record.

Yoder, a junior from Palm Harbor, Florida, was virtually unstoppable, rushing for 234 yards and four touchdowns on just 19 carries. His explosive plays repeatedly swung momentum back to Lehigh, including an 80-yard touchdown dash on the first play from scrimmage in the third quarter that gave his team a double-digit cushion.

Despite Yoder’s heroics, Lafayette refused to fade, largely on the strength of its own workhorse, running back Kente Edwards. The Annandale, New Jersey, native was a volume machine, carrying the ball 41 times for 157 yards and three touchdowns, consistently grinding out tough yardage to keep the Leopards within striking distance.

The game began as a methodical, physical contest. Lafayette opened with a commanding 15-play, 75-yard drive that consumed over half of the first quarter, capped by a 1-yard Edwards plunge to take an early lead. Lehigh answered promptly, with Yoder finishing a 65-yard drive with a 29-yard touchdown run to level the score.

The second quarter saw both teams trade blows. Lafayette quarterback Dean DeNobile of Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, sneaked in from two yards out to reclaim the lead for the Leopards. DeNobile finished an efficient day, completing 26 of 37 passes for 275 yards and a touchdown.

Lehigh responded immediately. Facing a third down deep in his own territory, Mountain Hawks quarterback Hayden Johnson of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, connected with receiver Mason Humphrey on a short pass that the 6-foot-4 target turned into a 77-yard touchdown, breaking free down the left sideline to put Lehigh ahead.

Lafayette controlled the clock for much of the remainder of the half, driving deep into Lehigh territory, but the Mountain Hawks’ defense held firm, forcing a 21-yard field goal from Jack Simonetta to send the game into halftime with Lehigh leading 17-14.

Any momentum Lafayette carried into the break was instantly erased by Yoder’s 80-yard touchdown run to open the third quarter, stunning the home crowd and extending the lead to 24-14. After a Lehigh defensive stand, Yoder struck again late in the quarter, powering in from three yards out to complete a drive he started with a 33-yard run, making it 31-17.

The Mountain Hawks appeared to put the game away early in the fourth quarter. Johnson, who contributed 159 passing yards and a touchdown through the air while adding 64 rushing yards and another score on the ground, engineered a methodical drive that Yoder finished with his fourth touchdown, a 6-yard run, to give Lehigh a 38-24 lead with just over 10 minutes to play.

The resilient Leopards mounted one final charge. DeNobile led a 76-yard scoring drive, culminating in Edwards’ third touchdown, a 4-yard run. Lafayette then successfully executed a trick play for a two-point conversion, with receiver Mason Kuehner finding a receiver to cut the deficit to 38-32 with 7:14 remaining.

Needing to drain the clock, Lehigh turned to Yoder and backup running back Jaden Green to salt the game away. The duo combined for 65 yards on the ensuing drive, which Johnson finished with a 1-yard quarterback keeper for the clinching touchdown with 1:53 left.

Lafayette’s final desperate drive ended with a turnover on downs, allowing Lehigh to kneel out the clock and secure the perfect season.

The victory defied pregame projections, as Lafayette had been installed as an 11.5-point favorite. The combined 74 points also sailed over the betting over/under line of 52.5. Kuehner was DeNobile’s primary target, hauling in 11 catches for 99 yards for the Leopards.

Lehigh’s defense was led by defensive back Nick Peltekian of Mahwah, New Jersey, who secured a critical first-half interception.

With the loss, Lafayette concludes its season with an 8-4 record.