SAFR Football Helmet Covers: Safer Through Science
 
PA Football News Scoreboard powered by Circle W Sports
 
Leading Edge Fundraising
 
 
 

General McLane Edges Fort LeBoeuf, 27-26

 
Tagged under: District 10, Game Photos-Videos, Gameday Hub, News, pfn

| September 5, 2026

Edinboro – Getting used to these kinds of games.

How would General McLane respond after last week’s overtime thriller over Central Clarion? By perhaps having an even more thrilling contest with a 27-26 victory over Fort LeBoeuf.

“This is becoming our new norm,” said General McLane head coach Marshall McCormick. “We say we’re battle-tested, being only two games in, with the number of 4th-down or 2-point conversions we’ve had to have. It’s great; I feel like I’m losing years off my life, but in all seriousness, it’s great football and fun.”

A week ago, it was Josh Caro’s 10-yard touchdown run in the extra session that proved the difference during a 21-15 victory over the Wildcats.

On Friday night, it was his 17-yard touchdown to Donny Burke on 4th-and-7 with 11:07 to play that proved the difference as the Lancers improved to 2-0 on the season.

“That’s what we’ve been working on all summer,” Caro said. “After our District 10 loss last year, we were back on the field a week after. Getting reps with my receivers, it’s great to have guys out there that I can rely on. I can throw the ball up to them and trust them to make a play.”

It was a close call, however, as the Bison had taken over at the McLane 28-yard line with 4:16 to play following a punt and subsequent penalty on the Lancers, trailing by a point.

In the closing seconds, Xavier Blose attempted a 33-yard field goal that sailed just wide to the left, giving the Lancers another heart-pounding victory.

Caro’s second touchdown pass to Burke capped a 12-play, 66-yard drive that also saw them convert another fourth down on an 8-yard completion to Graedy Sharp.

“We talked about this year about 1-on-1 matchups, and with Donny Burke being 6’5. He’s huge and can go up and get the football,” said McCormick. “I couldn’t ask for a better leader,” McCormick said of Caro. “He’s been a great football player for us in these two games, and I couldn’t be more proud of him.”

The score had put General McLane back in front after Fort LeBoeuf had scored a pair of third-quarter touchdowns to erase a 21-14 halftime deficit.

The Bison had pulled to within 21-20 as Aiden Struchen scored on a 12-yard run after they took the opening kickoff of the second half and drove 60 yards in four plays.

Fort LeBoeuf then took its first second-half lead, 26-21, when Struchen hammered home a 1-yard touchdown after a bad punt snap that gave them the ball at the Lancers’ 12-yard line.

“We said in the locker room that our defense has been great all year,” McCormick said. “Once we got down, we said it’s time for our offense to step up, and they were able to go down the field and score quickly. We were down a couple of guys coming out of the half, and it was time for our offense to step up. Our defense had multiple 4th-down stops, and our staff had a great game plan coming in.”

Struchen, along with quarterback Dominic Walters, rushed for 94 yards each. Walters’ 3-yard touchdown run early in the second stanza gave the Bison a 14-7 lead, capping an 8-play, 80-yard drive.

A pair of 4th-down stops late in the first half allowed General McLane to take the lead heading into the locker room.

First, Walters was stopped short on a fake punt at their 41-yard line. Seven plays later, Josh Caro connected with Donny Burke on their first touchdown of the game from 22 yards out.

Then the Lancers held when Walters looked to convert a 4th-and-1 from their own 44-yard line.

General McLane then played to beat the clock, and freshman Jack Ponsoll caught a 34-yard touchdown pass with just 13 seconds remaining in the half.

Caro completed 10 of 20 passes for 123 yards and three touchdowns, while adding 29 rushing yards. P.J Mitchell led the ground game with 76 yards on 11 carries, all in the first half.

“It was the home opener, and my first home game starting.” Caro. “It was a big crowd today, big stakes, and our Hall of Fame game. I couldn’t have asked for a better outcome. Shoutout to Fort LeBoeuf as well for coming out here and putting it on. It was a great game for the crowd.

Fort LeBoeuf opened the scoring after a partially blocked punt when Walters connected with Xavier Blose on an 8-yard touchdown pass.

General McLane responded with a 5-play, 65-yard drive, scoring on Charlie Bennett’s 12-yard run, giving them a 7-6 lead after a quarter.

The Lancers will shoot for 3-0 next Thursday night when they take on Warren. The Bison will look to bounce back when they host Conneaut next Friday.

Game Highlights:

General McLane 27, Fort LeBoeuf 26

Score by Quarters

Fort LeBoeuf – 6 8 12 0 – 26

General McLane – 7 14 0 6 – 27

Scoring Summary

First Quarter

FL – Xavier Blose 8 yd pass from Dominic Walters, (pass failed), 4:30 – 2-12

GM – Charlie Bennett 12 yd run, (Bowen Rock pat), 1:44 – 5-65

Second Quarter

FL – Walters 3 yd run, (Aiden Struchen rush), 10:04 – 8-80

GM – Donny Burke 22 yd pass from Caro, (Rock pat), 3:33 – 7-41

GM – Jack Ponsoll 34 yd pass from Caro, (Rock pat), 0:13 – 5-44

Third Quarter

FL – Aiden Struchen 12 yd run, (pass failed), 9:49 – 4-60

FL – Struchen 1 yd run, (rush failed), 3:23 – 4-12

Fourth Quarter

GM – Burke 17-yard pass from Caro, (pass failed), 11:07 – 12-66

Game Highlights

 

Individual Stats

Rushing: FL – Struchen 20-94, Walters 13-94, Kaden Milner 1-6. Totals: 34-194. GM – P.J. Mitchell 11-76, Bennett 15-57, Caro 7-29, Murosky 1-11, Marcus Geiser 1-3, Ponsoll 1-(-3), Team 2-(-28). Totals: 38-145

Receiving: FL – Blose 2-13, Dominic Wolfarth 3-38, Giovanni Bartone 1-1. GM – Ponsoll 1-34, Burke 2-39, Graedy Sharp 4-34, Lukas Kuffer 1-9, Luke Murosky 2-7.

Passing: FL – Walters 6-for-12, 52 yards. GM – Caro 10-for-20, 123 yards, 3 TD.

 
 
PA Football News Scoreboard powered by Circle W Sports
 
Showcase by Circle W Sports
 
 
 
x