Announces 2004
Captains LYCOMING COLLEGE HONORS FOOTBALL TEAM Posted: January 19, 2004 8:30am WILLIAMSPORT - Twelve members of the 2003 Lycoming College
football team received special awards, Saturday evening, at the
team's 28th annual banquet held at the Genetti Hotel.
Junior quarterback Phil Mann
(Mill Hall, Pa.; Central Mountain) received the Warriors' highest
honor of the evening as the team's most valuable player. Mann led
Lycoming to a Middle Atlantic Conference championship and a berth in
the NCAA playoffs, finishing the season with an overall record of
9-2. He threw for a Warrior single-season record 2,473 yards on
186-of-358 passing, including 16 touchdowns. He also rushed for 279
yards and nine touchdowns on 114 carries. Mann posted these
impressive numbers despite playing the final seven games of the
season with a bone chip in the wrist of his throwing arm and the
final three games, including two playoff contests, with a cracked
rib. Mann was named second-team all-conference.
Ricky Lannetti
(Sr./Philadelphia, Pa.; Father Judge) and Sean Hennigar
(Sr./Philadelphia, Pa.; Father Judge) shared the offensive player of
the year honors. Lannetti and Hennigar were high school teammates,
roommates at Lycoming, off-season training partners, and the
Warriors' top receiving duo in 2003. Lannetti caught 70 passes for
955 yards and five touchdowns, while Hennigar recorded 52 receptions
for 528 yards and seven touchdowns. Lannetti was named first-team
all-conference as a wide receiver and second-team all-conference as
a kick returner. Both players were named to All-America squads *
Hennigar was a second-team selection at tight end by the Division
III Sports Information Directors and Lannetti was a third-team
selection at wide receiver according to D3Football.com.
The
offensive lineman of the year award went to senior Matt Mendola
(Dunmore, Pa.; Dunmore). Prior to the 2003 season, Mendola moved
from his position at center, where he had started for two
consecutive seasons, to left tackle in order to help protect the
quarterback's backside. The move proved to be a key to Lycoming's
success as the Warriors allowed just 23 sacks in 382 passing
attempts. Mendola was named first-team all-conference, second-team
All-America by the Football Gazette, third-team All-America by the
Division III Sports Information Directors, and honorable mention
All-America by D3Football.com.
Senior Andy Miller (Emporium,
Pa.; Cameron County) was named the most improved offensive player.
Miller stepped into the role of starting center when Mendola shifted
to tackle. Miller not only protected the quarterback up the middle
on passing plays, but also led the way in run blocking. As a team
Lycoming averaged 117.4 yards rushing per game and scored 21 rushing
touchdowns in 2003.
On the other side of the ball, senior Tim
Schmidt (Philadelphia, Pa.; Roman Catholic) and junior Brian Kaspick
(Clearfield, Pa.; Clearfield) were named the defensive players of
the year. Schmidt led the Warriors in tackles with 81 total,
including 58 unassisted. He also intercepted two passes, broke-up 12
other pass attempts, forced three fumbles, and recorded a sack.
Kaspick led the secondary with 51 total tackles. He also intercepted
four passes and broke-up a total of nine attempts. Kaspick was named
first-team all-conference and Schmidt was named second-team
all-conference.
Senior Sean McGinley (Croyden, Pa.;
Conwell-Egan) received the defensive lineman of the year award.
McGinley moved to defensive end just prior to the 2003 season after
spending his first three seasons of college ball as a tight end. He
went on to finish the year fourth on the team with 63 total tackles,
including an MAC-high 15 sacks and 24 tackles-for-a-loss. McGinley
was named first-team all-conference, second-team All-America by
D3Football.com and honorable mention All-America by the Division III
Sports Information Directors.
Junior defensive back Nick
Pinto (Philadelphia, Pa.; Archbishop Ryan) was honored as the most
improved defensive player. Pinto was second on the depth chart at
strong safety entering the season, but was thrust into the starting
role less than 48 hours before the Warriors' first contest. Pinto
responded by making seven tackles and intercepting two passes in a
31-21 victory over King's College. He went on to total 45 tackles
and a team-high 16 pass break-ups, including a team-high five
interceptions.
The special-teams player of the year award was
given to freshman Chris Schrader (Glenolden, Pa.; Monsignor Bonner).
Schrader handled Lycoming's placekicking responsibilities in 2003.
He successfully converted 32-of-36 extra-point attempts and made
8-of-13 field goal attempts, including a long of 42 yards.
Two special awards were also presented at the banquet. The
David Busey Award is given to the player that excels not only on the
field, but also in the classroom. Senior Dickie Houck (Bethlehem,
Pa.; Bethlehem Catholic) was this year's recipient of the award.
Houck was a second-team all-conference offensive lineman for the
Warriors. He was also named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District II
team and the Middle Atlantic Conference Academic Honor
Roll.
The Calistri Award is given to the player that best
exemplifies the ideals of a "team-player". This year's winner was
sophomore Luke Sterling (Lehighton, Pa.; Lehighton). Sterling
started the season as Lycoming's starting outside linebacker, but
throughout the year was often called upon to play defensive end or
even defensive tackle if the team needed. He ended the season as the
squad's second leading tackler with 74 total stops, including 11
sacks. He also recovered five fumbles during the season and broke up
eight passes, including one interception. Sterling was a first-team
all-conference selection and was named an honorable mention
All-American by the Division III Sports Information
Directors.
Following the presentation of the awards, head
coach Frank Girardi announced the captains for the 2004 season.
Quarterback Phil Mann will captain the offense and Luke Sterling and
Brian Kaspick will lead the defense. Coach Girardi also announced
that a scholarship has been formed in memory of Ricky Lannetti, who
passed away suddenly less than 24 hours before the Warriors'
quarterfinal playoff game versus Bridgewater College. The
scholarship will be awarded to a student attending Lycoming College
who graduated from Father Judge High School.
