LYCOMING COLLEGE FOOTBALL REMAINS UNBEATEN

WILLIAMSPORT, PA – The Lycoming College football team scored 21 points in the second half to pull away from FDU-Florham for a 24-7 victory in a Middle Atlantic Conference showdown, Saturday afternoon. The Warriors improve to 4-0 with the win. The Devils fall to 0-6.

Lycoming led just 3-0 at halftime on the strength of a second-quarter field goal. The Warriors, however, added a touchdown in the third quarter and two more in the fourth before FDU could find the endzone for the first time.

Phil Mann (Jr./Mill Hall, Pa.; Central Mountain) led Lycoming’s offense by completing 18-of-29 passes for 179 yards. He also ran the ball seven times for 11 yards. Ricky Lannetti (Sr./Philadelphia, Pa.; Father Judge) had eight receptions for 92 yards and Sean Hennigar (Sr./Philadelphia, Pa.; Father Judge) caught seven passes for 63 yards. Drew Corsilli (Jr./Manville, N.J.; Manville) was the Warriors’ leading rusher with 79 yards on 16 carries.

For the Devils, Patrick O’Neill (Sr./West Long Branch, N.J.; Shore Regional) was 7-of-16 passing for 106 yards. Mike Daly (Sr./Rutherford, N.J.; Rutherford) and Jeremy Carr (Fr./Middlesex, N.J.; Middlesex) each caught three passes for 55 and 22 yards, respectively. Chris Trolan (Sr./Brick, N.J.; Brick Twp.) led the ground game with 45 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries.

Defensively, Brian Connors (Sr./Clarks Summit, Pa.; Abington Heights) was Lycoming’s leading tackler with nine stops. Dave VanNort (Fr./Montrose, Pa.; Montrose) played a strong game up front, making eight tackles – five for losses of yardage, including two sacks. Luke Sterling (So./Lehighton, Pa.; Lehighton) continued to be a playmaker for the Warriors, recording six tackles to go along with an interception, two fumble recoveries and a sack.

Joe Sangiovanni (Sr./Brock, N.J.; Brick Twp.) led FDU’s defense with 12 tackles, including a sack. Greg Martone (Sr./Wall, N.J.; Wall) and Mike Biancella (Sr./Brick, N.J.; Brick Twp.) each added nine tackles.

Lycoming’s defense set up the first score of the game. Sterling intercepted a pass at the Devils’ 39-yard line and returned it 28 yards to the 11. The Warriors were unable to advance the ball losing one yard on three plays from scrimmage. Chris Schrader (Fr./Glenolden, Pa.; Monsignor Bonner) salvaged the opportunity by connecting on a 29-yard field goal to give the home team a 3-0 lead.

The Warriors extended their advantage to 10-0 midway through the third quarter. Sterling again gave the offense field position by recovering a fumble at the FDU 49-yard line and returning it six yards to the 43. From there Lannetti caught a pass for ten yards and ran an end-around for another 11 yards. On first-and-ten from the 22, Corsilli broke through the line-of-scrimmage and ran 20 yards to the two-yard line but fumbled the ball before getting to the goal-line. Lannetti, however, was Johnny-on-the-spot recovering the ball in the endzone for the touchdown. Schrader converted the extra-point.

On their next possession, Lycoming marched 52 yards on nine plays to move ahead 17-0. The key play of the drive was a 36 yard completion from Mann to Lannetti on a third-and-22. Robert Miller (Sr./New Columbia, Pa.; Milton) capped the drive with consecutive runs of seven and eight yards for a touchdown. Schrader added the point-after.

The Warriors added the final nail to the coffin 10 minutes later. Starting on their own five-yard line following an interception by Adam Bickford (Sr./Emporium, Pa.; Cameron County), the Warriors drove 95 yards on seven plays for another touchdown and a 24-0 lead. Corsilli sparked the drive with a rush for 41-yards on the first play. Mann hooked up with Hennigar for 29 yards, two plays later, to move the ball inside the Devils’ 20-yard line. Four plays after that, Jon Carpenter (Jr./Montgomery, Pa.; Montgomery) carried the ball four yards to paydirt to cap the drive. Schrader connected on his third extra-point of the afternoon.

FDU answered on the ensuing possession with their only score of the game. O’Neill completed passes of 29 and 24 yards to Daly and Chris Castillo (Fr./Ridgefield, N.J.; Ridgefield Park) to move the ball to the Lycoming four-yard line. Two plays later, Trolan went in from a yard out. Mike Rabasca’s (So./Clifton, N.J.; Clifton) point-after made the final 24-7.

The Warriors will host Delaware Valley College next week. The Devils have a week off before traveling to Widener University on October 25.