GLASSBORO, N.J. –
It took a defensive play to get the Lycoming College offense going
on Saturday, Sept. 4, at Coach Richard Wackar Stadium.
Unfortunately, the resulting furious second-half rally by the
Warriors wasn't enough to get past a tough Rowan University,
falling 24-17.
"I'm pleased with our ability to hang in there against a very good
team," Lycoming head coach Mike Clark said. "I'm disappointed
because we made too many mistakes. This was a winnable game. They
are good, but with penalties and dropped balls, it wasn't enough to
beat a good team on their field."
Down 24-0, the Warriors (0-1 overall) got on the scoreboard thanks
to its defense, as the team benefitted from a pair of penalties
that pushed the Profs back to the 4-yard line for a third-and-21.
Senior captain
Chuck
Bellitto (Malvern, Pa./Great Valley) picked the ensuing
deep attempt at the 25-yard line and used the left sideline to trot
in for the touchdown. Senior
T.J.
Chiarolanza (Warminster, Pa./William Tenet) rang the
extra point off the upright, but it went through to cut the deficit
to 17 points with 1:50 left in the third quarter.
The Warriors kept the pressure on, turning the Profs (1-0 overall)
away on a three-and-out and then quickly went on a 61-yard,
three-play drive to score again, this time on a look over the
middle by sophomore quarterback
Zach
Klinger (Halifax, Pa./Halifax), who found senior tight
end
Mike
Reese (Shenandoah, Pa./Shenandoah) for a 20-yard
touchdown. The drive also included a 31-yard reception by
Josh Dixon (Fleetville, Pa./Lackawanna Trail) and a 10-yard
run by sophomore
Parker
Showers (Aspers, Pa./Biglerville).
The Warriors kept the pressure on after a pair of punts as junior
Anthony
Marascio (Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge) got to the
Rowan quarterback on the weak side and forced a fumble into the
waiting hands of sophomore
Dillin
Rudloff (Athens, Pa./Athens) at the Rowan 10-yard-line.
Chiarolanza came on to convert the 27-yard-field goal to make it a
24-17 game with 6:56 left.
Rowan had a drive once again stall at the 35-yard-line as freshman
Robbie
Brodish (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) broke up a pass on
third-and-five near the first down line, giving the Warriors a
chance to tie the game with a drive that started at the Lycoming 20
after the Profs' punt went into the end zone. After a
nine-yard run by Klinger on third down, the Profs stood tall,
stopping the Warriors behind the line of scrimmage on fourth down
with 3:01 left.
On a third-and-five for the Profs from the 25-yard line, sophomore
Ray
Bierbach (Hunlock Creek, Pa./Northwest Area) came up huge
for the Warriors, hauling in an interception at the four-yard line,
and returning it to the 15. On the first play of the ensuing drive
with just over two minutes left, Klinger found senior wide-out
Ryan
Wagaman ( Apers, Pa./Biglerville) for a 20-yard gain to
the 35. However, that was as close as the Warriors could get, with
two incomplete passes and a scramble ending the Warriors'
offensive day.
Both teams spent much of the first quarter struggling for field
position, but a high snap that nearly went out of the end zone
helped the Profs start a drive with 1:16 left in the quarter at the
25-yard line. The Profs spent little time going to work, with
Justin Long catching a pass over the middle on 1-and-10 and moving
to the one-yard line. Quarterback Kenny Brock scored on the next
play on a bootleg.
The Profs kept the momentum going after the touchdown, with them
executing a perfect on-sides kick attempt. Aided by a pass
interference penalty, the Profs got into position for Antonio
Regalbuto to hit a 35-yard field goal to take a 10-0 lead early in
the second quarter.
The Profs also took advantage late in the half after the Warriors
failed to convert on a punt fake, missing a first down by inches.
Rowan started a 67-yard drive from there and even overcame a block
in the back penalty on a 48-yard run by Keith Corcoran. With 14
seconds left, Brock found Lee on a quick slant for the six-yard
touchdown, helping the Profs take a 17-0 lead into the locker
room.
Senior
Josh
Kleinfelter (Bellwood, Pa./Bellwood-Antis) led the
Warriors in the first half, posting 53 yards on 14 carries.
Corcoran rushed for 52 yards and Brock completed 10-of-22 passes in
the first half.
The Warriors' offense started to show signs of life in the
third quarter, as Kleinfelter rushed for 62 yards into the end zone
on the team's first possession of the second half, but a hold
call brought the play back to midfield and the Warriors'
drive later stalled.
Rowan's offense kept going in the third quarter, as Corcoron
broke loose on a windy-twisting 73-yard run for a touchdown during
the Prof's first possession of the third quarter, helping the
Profs' take a 24-0 lead.
Kleinfelter finished the game with 91 yards on 24 attempts and
Reese led the Warriors' passing game, catching three passes for 50
yards while Dixon added three catches for 40 yards. Klinger
finished 12-for-31 passing for 145 yards and a touchdown. He did
not turn the ball over.
Rowan's offense was led by Corcoran, whlo ran for 153 yards and a
touchdown and receiver Khalil Wallace, who made five catches for 45
yards. Brock finished 15-of-34 passing for 135 yards. He was
intercepted twice and passed for one touchdown.
Defensively, the Warriors got several standout performances, as
sophomore
Matt
Talerico (Moosic, Pa./Riverside) posted eight tackles and
two breakups, junior linebacker
Chris
Kish (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./G.A.R. Memorial) added eight
stops. Marascio also added eight tackles, a sack and a forced
fumble and Bellitto also posted eight tackles, a tackle for loss
and an interception. Bierback also posted seven tackles, three
breakups and an interception.
The Profs were led by 12 tackles from Jerome Gordon and Steve
Hague added nine tackles and two for a loss.
Lycoming returns to David Person Field for its 2010 home opener on
Saturday, Sept. 11, when Westminster College comes to town for a 1
p.m. game as part of the PAC/MAC Challenge. The game is also part
of the NCAA Take A Kid To The Game initiative, with all children
under the age of 14 will be admitted free when accompanied by a
paying adult.