September 27, 2003

Lycoming College Football Coverage
2003 Season: Game Report
Delaware Valley Aggies Vs Lycoming Warriors

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Delaware Valley Aggies Stun Lycoming College Warriors 38-27

The Aggies are in a rebuilding program this year and their time schedule is on the fast track.  DelVal has 126 kids in their program and 99 of them are freshmen.  "Our team is very young, but much more talented (than last year) and I would give them old pills if I could to age them in a hurry, but time will make them older," said G. A. Mangus in his second year at Delaware Valley.  He describes this team as "a team that plays well at times and at times makes mistakes and play like freshmen, but fortunately we are in the hunt for a championship at an early time."  One advantage of a young football team is that they are resilient commented C. A., "and hopefully they will go out there and play loosey goosey today." 

Mangus figures that ultimately the lose last week does not matter, it is today that is the important game for their chances for the league championship.  That is what it is all about and we are playing a great team and a great program, a well respected program.  Mangus has impressive credentials as he was a graduate assistant for Head Coach Steve Spurrier at Florida and was hired by Bill Cubit, the Head Coach of Widener University.  C. A. was at Widener for four years and then Coached at Ursinus for two years and went to the NCAA playoffs and eventually "ended up at Delaware Valley.

Mangus expected Lycoming to come out with a very balanced team.  I"n previous years, they were a power team, with two good running backs and a big tight end, but this year they are a little more balanced between the running and passing attack.... and their defense is physical and that is what they have been living on right now and it should be a good hard fought game for first place as it should be."

Turnovers Hurt Lycoming
And a hard fought game it was as the first half saw a draw when both teams entered the lock room with seven points. But Lycoming seemed to have the momentum during most of the half, as they opened with a 15 play 70 yard drive capped off by a one yard touchdown run by Robert Miller to take a 7-0 lead.  The drive at up 8:32 of the first quarter Lycoming controlled the rest of the half until late in the second quarter when DelVal Sophomore QB Adam Knoblauch connected with Freshman WR Rob Wallace for a 23 yard touchdown pass to tie the score at seven.  The score was set up by a fumble by Robert Miller on the Lycoming 26 yard line.  In the half, Lycoming had 164 yards of total offense against DelVal's 95 yards.

In the third quarter, the Aggies took the lead for a little while as they scored two times in 15 seconds.  Aggies Bill Miller booted a 27 yard field goal after the Lycoming defense stopped DelVal on their own 10 yard line.  But turnovers would eventually kill the Warriors.  On the ensuing kickoff by the Aggies, Joe Dumas fumbled the ball at the 18 yard line and Delaware Valley was quick to capitalize on the mistake as QB Adam Knoblauch found Senior TE Kevin Moloney open in the end zone, to extend their lead to 21-7

Lycoming battles back
The Warrior offensive closed out the third quarter with two quick scores and it looked like the magic of a second half comeback would be reality.  In the first touchdown, an Aggies holding penalty gave Lycoming the break they needed and QB Phil Mann quickly hit Tim Brown for 37 yards and Sean Hennigar for the touchdown from the six yard line.  Then Rob Wallace fumbled at the DelVal 27 yard line. RB Drew Corsilli rushed two times for eight yards and a face mask penalty moved the ball to the Aggies 14 yard line.  Then Phil Mann found Ricky Lannetti open in the end zone as Lannetti jumped high into the air for a spectacular catch to put the Warriors ahead by a 21-17 score to end the third quarter.

Determined Aggies
Lycoming had the Aggies in a holeas the fourth quarter started.  They were facing a 3rd and 17 at their own 32 yard line because of a fumble recovered by S. Cruttendun on the last play of the third quarter.  Surely the momentem was on Lycoming's side and they could smell the comeback, but on the first play of the fourth quarter QB Knoblauch found Nick Brady wide open on the left side of the field. Brady caught the ball and finished off a 68 yard touchdown catch that was the stunning point in the game.  The Aggies took a 24-21 lead but stalled a Lycoming drive to DelVal's 38 yard line. 

Delaware Valley put the icing on the cake with their last scoring drive which took just 6 plays to march 62 yards.  A tired Lycoming defense could not hold the Aggies and QB Adam Knoblauch ran a bootleg around the right side for 6 yards and their last score to go up 38-21.  Lycoming was able to score one more time, but the extra point was blocked as the game ended with the Aggies in a big upset.  Final score was Delaware Valley 38, Lycoming 27.

Game Summary:
Today, turnovers hurt the Lycoming College team.  They lead in total offense, total rushing yards and total passing yards.  But fumbles, interceptions and missed assignments on defense hurt their chances of pulling out this game.  But you cannot take anything away from Delaware Valley.  They acted almost surprised that they had won the game against the number 10 team in Division III.  Head Coach Mangus does not give himself the credit for the win.  He points to the team's attitude.  "When you believe, you can do anything.  Last year we were not a team... we talk about not having a weak link here and the kids deserve all the credit." 

Mangus was proud of his offensive line.  "Early in the game they take away our draw play which is our bread and butter.  They do a nice job of taking it away.  So then we throw and the kids really come off the ball and we wore them out and our running game picked up so it's our OL I'm most proud of now."

Mangus stated that this was one of the best days of his life.  "Programs that have been losing for a long time, to turn the program, you have to beat an upper echelon program.  I said it to them all camp, all summer last year.  The Lycomings, the Wideners, the Kings and the Wilkes... we have to beat one of them to go set the tone, to say we belong and we did it.  We did it.  This was huge, I'm proud of them and obviously this is the biggest game in my coaching career.  To beat a team like Lycoming with a legendary football coach means the world to me right now."

Game Notes:

• The DelVal win was the first victory over Lycoming since 1982.  Delaware Valley did tie Lycoming in 1987.
• Phil Mann set the all time passing attempts in one game at 50, completing 30 for 280 yards.
• Ricky Lannetti set an all time reception record in one game with 16 catches for 106 receiving yards.

Homecoming Photos:

Games Photos
Photos by Dick Hostrander