Lycoming College Warriors Shock Wilkes University 29-13
By John
Green
.tmp)
.tmp) Edwardsville, PA (September 20, 2003) -- The Lycoming Warrior
football team proved why they were preseason favorites to win the
MAC championship as they scored three touchdowns and three field
goals to defeat a talented Wilkes team 29-13. The Warriors
defense held the Nations leading rusher to just under 100 yards in a
display of dominance and control of the Colonels. Go to
the game coverage.
The Story: Week two of the
2003 season features a showdown of two of the top teams in the
Middle Atlantic Conference. Lycoming and Wilkes were picked
first and second respectively, in the MAC Coaches' preseason
poll - each receiving four first place votes. The warriors
opened their season a week ago with a 31-21 victory over 2002 MAC
champion King's College. The Colonels opened the 2003 campaign
two weeks ago with a 55-28 victory over Albright College. The
winner of today's contest will have the inside track to the MAC
title and the automatic bid to the NCAA Playoffs.
The Coaches:
Lycoming - Frank Girardi (West
Chester, 1961)
Career: 233-72-5 (76% Winning Rate) 32nd
Season
At Lycoming: 233-72-5 (76% Winning Rate) 32nd
Season
Wilkes - Frank Sheptock (Bloomsburg,
1986)
Career: 42-32 (57% Winning Rate) 8th Season
At
Wilkes: 42-32 (57% Winning Rate) 8th Season
Lycoming leads the series 31-12
(.721)
Last Year: Wilkes 23, Lycoming 14
The Game:
With a few traces of Tropical Storm Isabel in the area, the
Lycoming College Warrior football team blew through Ralston Field in
Edwardsville, PA in high fashion as they used all aspect of the game
to halt a talented Wilkes University football team. In the
end, Lycoming College used their passing offense for one touchdown
and a running attack for two touchdowns. As a bonus,
Lycoming's field goal kicker tied a Lycoming College kicking record
as Chris Schrader booted three field goals in the game. But
the game was not wrapped up until Lycoming came out for another
strong third quarter of play.
.tmp) The Warriors scored
on their first offensive series using 12 plays going 59 yards as
Wilkes stalled Lyco's offense on the Wilkes 15 yard line.
Freshman place kicker Chris Schrader booted a 32 yard field goal for
the opening 3-0 lead. The Colonels came right back with their
not so secret weapon in Running Back Brett Trichilo who had six
carries for 25 yards (Trichilo had 98 net rushing yards on the day),
but failed on their field goal attempt from 42 yards out.
On Lycoming's second play in their new
series, Wilkes Mike Fox sacked Phil Mann who fumbled the ball on the
Lycoming 29 yard line. Wilkes Steve Rogers recovered the
ball and ran to the Lycoming 7 yard line. Three plays later,
Wilkes Kyle Gallagher took it over from the two yard line. The
extra point was good and Wilkes took a 7-3 lead into the second
quarter. Lycoming managed another field goal by Chris Schrader
two minutes into the second quarter creeping to within one point of
the Colonels, 7-6.
.tmp) Later in the second
quarter, Lycoming's defense started to control the running attack of
Wilkes. Wilkes Kyle Devlin punted the ball 33 yards to Ricky
Lannetti who returned the ball 24 yards to the Wilkes 27 yard
line. Then QB Phil Mann used a QB draw play up the middle for
27 yards and the go ahead score. Mann, Lycoming's leading
rusher with 41 net yards in the game, was not touched as he shot
through the hole and took it into the end zone. The 27 yard
running play was the longest gain in the game. With the extra
point kick through the uprights, Lycoming lead 13-7 going into the
locker room.
.tmp) Lycoming Head Coach
Girardi talked about how the third quarter can tell you a lot about
your team in the first couple of series. "You don't have to
score in the series, the what the team is playing and the attitude
of the players can tell you a lot," Frank remarked.
Well, since Wilkes deferred in the first half, Lycoming kicked off
to them in the second half. Lycoming's defense stopped Wilkes
on the opening drive and it did not take the Warriors long to prove
Girardi's theory of the first few series can tell you a lot about
your squad. Phil Mann connect ed with Tim Brown for 24 yards
and Robert Miller rushed over for the score. The two point
extra point attempt was an incomplete pass and Lycoming extended
their lead by a score of 19-7.
.tmp) Lycoming would go on to score two more times as QB Phil Mann
connected with Senior WR Brandon Johnson for a 67 yard play that
would knock the wind out of the sales of the Colonels. The
extra point was good by Schrader and Lycoming was feeling good with
a 26-7 lead going into the fourth quarter. Lycoming would add
another field goal by Chris Schrader, a record tying boot for the
third field goal of the game. Wilkes would eventually score
with time running out in the game to finish off a frustrating day at
the hands of the Warriors. Lycoming was feeling real good with
the win, a 29-13 score over the second team in the coaches poll for
the 2003 MAC title.
Lycoming is at home next week, September
27th playing Albright. Wilkes plays FDU-Florham, an away game
that was rescheduled to be played at Wilkes. FDU-Florham's new
football complex is still under construction.
Interviews
with both coaches |
