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By Pat Cummings, D3football.com

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Despite a steady, driving rain, the 19th ranked Lycoming Warriors (1-0) rallied from a 12-point second half deficit, knocking off defending MAC champion King’s (1-1), 31-21. The win marks the ninth consecutive season opening victory for Lycoming, and their eleventh in a row against King’s.

Lycoming junior quarterback Phil Mann led the attack for the Warriors, completing 17 of 39 attempts for 243 yards and one passing touchdown. Mann also tallied Lycoming’s last offensive touchdown. Senior Wideout Ricky Lannetti had eight receptions for 143 yards while senior running back Bob Miller led the ground attack with 73 yards and one score.

King’s quarterback David Hessler opened the scoring in the first half, connecting with Julian Walker for a 26-yard touchdown pass, his first of two touchdown catches on the day. The Warriors’ offense was held silent in the first half as Mann completed only six of 20 pass attempts with one interception. An errant snap to King’s punter Matt VonTanhausen caused the senior to intentionally ground the football in the end zone, leading to a Lycoming safety. The safety accounted for Lycoming’s only first-half points as the Warriors went to the locker room down by five.

The Monarchs received the kickoff in the second half and on the second play from scrimmage, Robert Jackson scurried 66 yards to paydirt, propelling King’s to a quick 12 point lead. Jackson was one of the bright spots for King’s, rushing for 163 yards on 30 attempts, averaging 5.2 yards per carry.

Lycoming led by three with less than two minutes remaining when Hessler fumbled in the end zone and Warriors Linebacker Luke Sterling pounced on the pigskin to put the game out of reach.