WILLIAMSPORT, PA – Junior quarterback Zach Klinger went 13-of-20 for 198 yards and a touchdown through the air while rushing seven times for 20 yards and three touchdowns to lead Lycoming to a 54-7 win over the College at Florham Devils in Middle Atlantic Conference action on Saturday afternoon.
With the loss, the Devils finished the season with a record of 1-9 (1-7 MAC) while the Warriors improved to 8-2 (6-2 MAC).
Lycoming took the opening kickoff and moved down to the FDU 16 yard line where they faced a fourth-and-one. The Warriors decided to go for it and Klinger ran it down to the one yard line. On the next play, Klinger ran a quarterback sneak for a touchdown to give Lycoming a 7-0 lead with 12:19 left in the first quarter. The Devils went three-and-out on their first series but a 58-yard punt from sophomore punter Dan DiProfio pinned the Warriors at their own seven yard line. Lycoming responded with a drive that went 93 yards in eight plays capped by a two-yard touchdown run from Klinger to give the Warriors a 14-0 lead with 6:54 to go in the first. FDU came right back though, as junior wide receiver Jon Bennett took a jet sweep for a 61-yard touchdown on the second play of the next drive to make the score 14-7 in favor of Lycoming with 5:55 remaining in the first quarter. The Warriors set themselves up with good field position on the ensuing kickoff, returning it out to their own 49 yard line. Lycoming drove down to the FDU four yard line where they settled for a 20-yard field goal from sophomore kicker Zack Czap to give the Warriors a 17-7 advantage with 4:24 to play in the first. FDU moved the ball to the Lycoming 38 yard line on their next series but faced a fourth-and-six from the 38. The Devils went for it but senior quarterback Ryan Cushman threw an incomplete pass to give the ball back to the Warriors.
The Warriors opened the second quarter with a 31-yard touchdown pass from Klinger to sophomore wide receiver Matt Atkinson to cap a six-play, 62-yard drive that gave Lycoming a 24-7 lead with 13:35 to go in the first half. After a short punt from FDU, Lycoming took possession at the Devils 41 yard line and grabbed a 27-7 lead thanks to a 36-yard field goal from Czap with 11:13 remaining in the half. The Warriors increased their lead to 34-7 with 3:53 remaining in the second quarter on a one-yard touchdown run by Klinger.
After a FDU turnover to open the third quarter, Lycoming increased their lead to 41-7 thanks to a 41-yard touchdown run from freshman running back Craig Needhammer. The Warriors went up, 48-7, on a wacky play on their next series as junior running back Parker Showers fumbled the ball at the FDU 10 yard line when freshman safety Anthony Alecci jarred the ball loose but the ball squirted into the end zone and junior wide receiver Jarrin Campman fell on it for a Lycoming touchdown. Another FDU turnover set up the Warriors on the FDU 14 yard line and three plays later, freshman quarterback Tyler Jenny ran it in from three yards out to give Lycoming a 54-7 lead with 6:07 left in the third quarter.
Cushman finished 6-of-15 for 16 yards and three interceptions while senior running back Sean Norton carried 15 times for 42 yards. Defensively, junior safety Joe Mancini and sophomore linebacker Mike Mancino each had 11 tackles which was a game-high. Mancini and junior defensive lineman Phil Kresefski each tallied a sack.
