Stevens College ended September by losing more games — its last two of the month — than it had all of last season.

Think the Bulldogs would be hungry for homecoming Saturday in Lancaster?

Try starving.

Stevens pummeled interstate rival Williamson Trade in a 36-0 rout sparked by a local athlete dubbed on campus as "The President."

Manny Mendez, a Barack Obama look-alike who moonlights as an all-conference receiver, snagged a long touchdown pass to start the homecoming campaign. The 61-yard catch-and-run early in the second quarter would be all the 'Dogs needed.

And boy, did they ever need this game, following blowout losses in a 6-day span last month.

"This had to happen," Mendez, a Hempfield grad, said after a 146-yard receiving day in front of his father and other relatives. "After those two losses, we needed it."

The 'Dogs (3-2) fought till the final horn, airing it out late in the fourth quarter after this one had long been decided.

"They weren't happy about it," Stevens coach Joe Wysock said of the rival Mechanics. "But, that was our goal: We wanted to play four quarters today."

Mendez's acrobatic catch on a 27-yard pass from Francis Gaffney on Stevens' final possession got the Mechanics verbally upset.

Another long bomb, this one for a touchdown to running back Austin Cseh, had them furious.

"Remember this!" the Williamson players screamed to one another. The two teams meet again in Media on Oct. 22.

Apparently, Mendez and his teammates hadn't thought of showing mercy.

"That's what we think of them," Mendez said of throwing deep late in the fourth quarter. "That's our rival. We hold no (punches) against them."

Wysock was more concerned with righting the ship, than sinking a familiar foe.

"This gives us momentum to finish off the season," the coach said. "We needed to get back on track. Another loss would have been tough."

Mendez and his coach conceded the team was searching for an identity after a 2-2 start.

In fact, Wysock still isn't sure if his offensive approach will be by land or by air. And that's a nice dilemma to have.

Gaffney threw a trio of touchdown passes and Cseh gashed Williamson's defense for 95 yards on 12 carries that often ended in violent thuds.

Defensively, it was the 'Dogs best effort of the season.

They blocked two punts and allowed 137 total yards, without giving up a play beyond 18 yards.

Williamson mustered only four first downs in the opening half — when the game was still close.

But, after the teams shook hands, everyone was talking about Mendez's late-game grab. He laid out on the Williamson 30 and hauled in a ball Gaffney has seemingly put too much air under.

"That catch there was something," Wysock said.

"The President can do it all," one of his coaches said after officials confirmed the catch.

Mendez has gotten used to the nickname by now. He said he can't step out of a building without classmates shouting, "Hey, Obama!" or "Lower our taxes!"

"I tell them I stick to work on the field," he said afterward, laughing.

Now, if only the 'Dogs can get used to winning. Because they'll need to put together a few victories if they hope to repeat as Seaboard Conference champs.

"This was huge for us," Wysock said.

The Bulldogs next host Albright College at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 9.

bhambright@lnpnews.com