WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - Lycoming's leading wide receiver, Ricky Lannetti, a senior and a graduate of Father Judge High School, died last night of an undisclosed illness, the school announced.
Lycoming County Coroner Charles Kiessling in Williamsport said Lannetti was admitted to a local hospital at 7 a.m. yesterday morning and died last night at 7:36 p.m., according to a release from Lycoming.
Lannetti died the same day Lycoming's Division III playoff game against Bridgewater for the South Region title had been postponed because of Friday night's snowfall.
The game was set to be played today at noon at Lycoming's David Person Field.
"This is a sudden loss for all of us," Lycoming football coach Frank Girardi said in a statement from the school. "Ricky was not only a fine student-athlete, but also an important member of the campus community."
According to the statement from the school, Girardi talked to the team last night after Lannetti died, and the players said they still wanted to play the game today.
Girardi, also the school's athletic director, said Lannetti "was an inspiration to us as a team and the support he had from our student body can't be put into words. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family."
Lannetti, the Warriors' top receiver this season with 70 catches for 955 yards and five TDs, got sick suddenly on Friday.
According to Girardi in an interview with D3football.com earlier in the day, it was unclear whether Lannetti was suffering from a viral or a bacterial infection. The possibility of a kidney infection was discussed.
At Father Judge, Lannetti, who played for legendary coach Whitey Sullivan, made The Inquirer's second team all-city squad as a wide receiver his senior season in 1999.
He lived in the city's Mayfair neighborhood.
Lannetti played in his first NCAA playoff game a week ago, making five catches for 40 yards as the Warriors beat East Texas Baptist, 13-7, in overtime.
Though slight at 5-foot-10 and 165 pounds, Lannetti stood out on offense and defense for Father Judge in a win over Archbishop Wood in his senior season. He had three interceptions in the win and turned one of his halfback runs into an 85-yard touchdown.
In another victory over Cardinal Dougherty, he compiled 213 yards on seven receptions and scored touchdowns on a punt return and an interception.
