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| WOLnews File Photo - QB Tyler Jenny scrambles for big gain. |
The Warriors (3-1 overall, 3-0 MAC) were led by senior Zack Czap, who hit three field goals, including the winning 33-yarder with 2:24 left, in the 16-14 win over the Pride. Senior Dwight Hentz notched 3.5 of the team's five sacks in the game.
The Aggies (4-0 overall, 3-0 MAC) defeated Stevenson, which entered the game undefeated, 41-23. They were led by senior Kyle Schuberth, who rushed for 213 yards and four touchdowns in the win.
Warrior Notes
• The Warriors are looking to take sole possession of first place in the MAC for the first time since having a half-game lead during the ninth week of the 2008 season.
• Senior Zack Czap tied a school single-game record with three field goals at Widener. His 44-yarder in the first quarter was the second-longest of his career.
• Junior Craig Needhammer entered the top 10 on the school's career rushing list with 1,793 yards after his 108-yard effort at Widener.
• Junior Tyler Jenny needs 19 more passing yards to become the 12th quarterback in school history to post 2,500 in a career.
• Senior Kabongo Bukasa is 22 tackles shy of becoming the 25th player in school history to record 200 in a career.
• The Warriors lead the MAC in scoring defense (19.0) and total defense (318.0).
Scouting Lycoming
Offense: Multiple/Pro-Style
Lycoming enters Saturday's game ranked fifth in the MAC in scoring offense (26.0), seventh in rushing offense (152.0), seventh in passing offense (208.8) and sixth in total offense (360.8).
The team does have one of the most accurate passing attacks in the MAC, though, as junior quarterback Tyler Jenny is second in the league in completion percentage (65.7) and passing efficiency (147.8). His two favorite targets are among the top 10 receivers in the league, with sophomore Ryan Umpleby sixth in receptions per game (6.0) and receiving yards (308) and senior Matt Atkinson leading the league in touchdown receptions (4) and fifth in receptions per game (5.5).
The running game is led by junior Craig Needhammer, who has notched three straight 100-yard games. He is second in the MAC and 12th nationally with 506 rushing yards.
Defense: 4-3
The Warrior defense, after allowing 30 points to Brockport in the opener, has settled in to allow just 15.3 points per game in the last three, all Warrior wins.
The defense is paced by a pair of players in the top 10 in the league in sacks, with senior Dwight Hentz sitting third at 1.0 per game and junior Braden Zeiner sixth at 0.8.
Senior linebacker Tyler Denike has also played well through the first four games of the year, as his two interceptions help him sit fourth in the league and his 27 tackles also lead the squad.
The secondary is led by junior Tanner Troutman, who leads the MAC in passes defended, averaging 1.3 per game.
Scouting Delaware Valley
Offense: Multiple
Delaware Valley enters the game ranked second in the MAC in scoring offense (34.5) and rushing offense (226.0), sixth in passing offense (211.3) and first in total offense (437.3).
The Delaware Valley offense revolves around athletic junior quarterback Aaron Wilmer, who is fifth in the MAC in completion percentage (56.7), third in passing efficiency (138.4), fifth in passing yards per game (201.8) and second in points responsible for (48). Wilmer is not just a pocket passer, as he has rushed for 154 yards and a touchdown in the first four games.
The running game is led by senior Kyle Schuberth, who has appeared in just two games, but has already gained 362 yards and scored five touchdowns.
Defense: 3-4
The Aggies defense are ranked third in scoring defense (21.0), fourth in total defense (355.3) and seventh in rushing defense (180.5). The team is also eighth in pass sacks (1.0), and sixth in interceptions (1.0) and tackles for loss (2.3).
The defense is paced by a pair of players in the top 10 in the league in tackles, with sophomore safety Danny Wynne sitting second with an average of 11.3 tackles per game (with a league-leading 6.5 solo tackles per contest) and senior inside linebacker John Marcelline sitting fourth at 8.5.
Senior cornerback Chris Vega is one of the best in the league, as he sits second in the league with 1.0 passes defended per game and his two interceptions are fourth in the league.
Hentz, Czap earn weekly honors
A 3.5 sack effort and a three field-goal game, respectively, were enough to help seniors defensive tackle Dwight Hentz and kicker/punter Zack Czap, earn the MAC's Defensive and Special Teams Player of the Week nods. Hentz posted 3.5 sacks and six tackles to lead the Warriors defensive line, which posted five sacks and stopped the Pride's rushing game, allowing just 15 yards on the ground in the game. Czap earned his school-record seventh weekly citation from the MAC, as he tied the school's single-game record with three, his last a 33-yarder with 2:24 left to lift the Warriors to the win over Widener.
A Good Run
Junior Craig Needhammer has begun to quickly ascend the program's record books. The 5-7 running back has posted three straight 100-yard rushing efforts, notching 130 against Wilkes, 182 against Misericordia and 108 against Widener. He is the first player since Josh Kleinfelter in 2010 to achieve that feat. His three rushing touchdowns against Misericordia also left him one shy of becoming the eighth player in school history to post 20 in a career. Against Widener, he moved into the top 10 in school history in career rushing yards with 1,793 and also became the 10th player in school history to post 2,500 career all-purpose yards.
Poll-busters
Mike Clark's Warriors have gained a reputation as ranking killers, as they have knocked five teams from the national rankings in his six years as head coach. In his first year at the helm in 2008, the Warriors downed No. 22 Delaware Valley, 10-7, knocking the Aggies from the poll. In 2010, the team did it again, shocking No. 13 Ithaca, 26-24, to knock it from the poll. In 2011, the Warriors picked off their third ranked opponent in Clark's tenure, knocking No. 22 Rowan from the polls with an 8-6 win. Last year, the Warriors knocked No. 22 Delaware Valley from the rankings again, beating the Aggies, 24-14. Against 24th-ranked Widener last week, the Warriors did it again, posting a 16-14 win.
MAC Coaches Pick Warriors first
Three Preseason All-Americans and seven returning all-conference players helped the Warriors top the 2013 MAC Preseason Football Coaches' Poll with 76 points.
Wise's time
After assistant head coach and defensive coordinator Steve Wiser '74 became just the second football coach in MAC history to reach 200 career conference wins, he is closing in on another milestone. Since Wiser joined the program in 1970 as a linebacker, he has helped the Warriors win 298 games. As a player, he helped the team win nine games from 1970-73 and since 1974, he has helped win 289 as an assistant coach.
