| Lycoming College Rebounds Against Moravian
26-14
.tmp) By John Green
October 25, 2003
Bethlehem, PA -- Lycoming College traveled to the steel city for an
overnight stay before their big game against the Greyhounds of
Moravian. "Nervous" about the Moravian game is one expression Head
Coach Frank Girardi used describing the Saturday showdown.
Everyone new that they had a real good running attack and defeated a
scrappy Wilkes team earlier in the year. Also, you never know
how you will come off a tough loss from the previous week the Aggies
of Delaware Valley.
The Lycoming football team realizes that
they are in a championship game every week. Coming off last
weeks upset loss, Girardi said that you just have to go back to work
and try to put last week behind you. "You try not to get too
far out of your practice mode. You don't want them (the
players) to think you are in some sort of a panic situation
obviously... We talked about the turnovers and you get through
them, but you don't talk about them again and that is how we have
been trying to do it and they have had a good week of
practice."
.tmp) Frank respects the Greyhound's toughness.
"They made a change at quarterback (Jerry Venturino) and they have a
running back that we think is very very good... They are going to
give us some fits today, but hopefully we will be up to the
task."
It took just two quarters to calm the
nerves a little for Girardi and the team as they scored twelve
second quarter points and an early third quarter touchdown to go
into a 19-0 lead. But the Warrior kickoff special team play
broke down giving up a 96 yard kickoff return by Tyler Chomik to
narrow the margin to 19-7. The Moravian defense held the
Warriors on their next series forcing a punt. It took just 4
plays and a personal foul penalty for the Greyhounds to chip away to
a 19-14 score.
.tmp) Miller Scores
Lycoming's first touchdown came on the first drive of the
second quarter. After a 5 yard false start penalty, QB Phil
Mann found Ricky Lannetti for his longest pass play of the day, a 62
yard strike to Moravian's 17 yard line. Five plays later, RB
Robert Miller took the ball home untouched up the left tackle slot
for six points. The extra point try was wide left by Chris
Schrader and Lycoming lead 6-0
.tmp) The Warrior's second score of the game which
capped off a 14 play drive was through the air. QB Mann found
Sean Hennigar open in the left end zone from nine yards out.
Lycoming tried for two point and failed to make the score 12-0 at
half time.
Big Series By Mann Inspires Running
Attack
One of the key series of the game came in
the third quarter as Phil Mann showed his leadership and game plan
strategy with his running plans. Mann, on the second play of
the series ran for 15 yards. Then Drew Corsilli had a seven and 10
yard run and Miller added three yards on the ground. QB Mann
capped off the drive with a 15 yard scamper to the right end zone
flying to the marker for the touchdown. The extra point was
perfect and Lycoming enjoyed a 19-0 lead.
But that is when the special teams
breakdown came and Moravian put a scare into the rising hopes of
Lycoming. After the 96 yard kickoff return, they came right
back for another score after their defense stopped the Warriors
after three plays and a punt. Moravian then drove the ball on
the ground. Starting on Lycoming's 45 yard line, the Greyhounds
rushed for 30 yards and benefited from a personal foul penalty on
the scoring drive. With the good extra point, Lycoming's lead
was sliced to 19-14.
.tmp) Drew Corsilli Scores Insurance
Touchdown
Today however, the Lycoming offensive was
determined to strike back. They lead off the the fourth
quarter with an 8 play 84 yard drive. The air attack of
Lycoming QB Phil Mann (20-33 -265 yards) to WR Ricky Lannetti (7-172
yards) kicked into high gear with a 14 yard completion and a 56 yard
connection to set up the 5 yard rush by Drew Corsilli up the
middle. After Chris Schrader completed the PAT, the Warriors
completed the scoring in the game at 26-14.
Frank said that he knew Moravian was a
good football team and coming down to Bethlehem for their homecoming
and they came out and it was a tough hard game. We sorta let
them in it. Our special teams were not up to par today and we
sorta let them in it with a couple of cheap touchdowns but this
should propel us for the rest of the year," commented Girardi.
"It was a tough fault game and they had to overcome a little
adversity today and they did it. I think it is going to bode
us well down the line in the next three games."
.tmp) Frank was happy with the defensive comeback from
last week as they gave up only one touchdown to a real good running
team. After last weeks breakdown in the DelVal game having
everything happen in one game, "You hope they don't come in clusters
again." And Lycoming's defense turned around their
disappointing game this week. They held the Greyhounds to just
33 yards in the air and 152 total yards of offensive.
Lycoming's offense 410 yards in the game. "I thought our
offense in critical situations did well. We increased Phil's
roll as a runner and I know that was a little risky but we think we
had to take that chance." Frank said.
QB Phil Mann was glad to have more of a
running role to loosen up the offense. "We talked earlier in
the week... and he just said that we have been struggling a little
bit getting the running game going so he thought maybe if he got me
a little more involve and get things opened up a little in the
middle it would open everything else up so yea, it was planned for
me to run a little more with the ball today."
"This was definitely a big win for us
coming back after a loss. You never know how a team is going
to react and we came back strong, we hung together and we
overcame some adversity today and we bounced back and really played
together as a team.
So Lycoming is still alive toward their
preseason goal of winning the League Championship. They have
an uphill battle and need some help but Frank believes that every
team in the race right now has the pressure of playing each game as
a championship game. Next week, Lycoming travels to Juniata
for their seventh game of the year. Photos and highlights will
follow. |
