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| Jr RB Blake Bowman scores on of four touchdowns for the day |
WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Junior Blake Bowman (Valley View, Pa./Tri-Valley) became the first player in school history to score four touchdowns in a game twice in a career, a season and the first to do it back-to-back games as he rushed for a career-high 281 yards to lead the Lycoming College football team to a 44-20 win over FDU-Florham on Homecoming Saturday, Oct. 24, at David Person Field.
In the process, head coach Mike Clark won his 50th career game, becoming the second coach in school history to win 50 games, joining Frank Girardi, who won 257 in his 36 years as head coach. Clark is in his eighth year at Lycoming.
Bowman’s 281 yards, which are second in school history to Craig Needhammer’s 299-yard effort against FDU-Florham in 2014, came on 30 carries, as he scored on runs of 12, 23, 19 and 31 yards. It was a stark contrast to his four touchdowns against King’s, when he scored on two one-yard runs, a two-yard rush and caught a four-yard pass. Now with 12 touchdowns, Bowman is just two shy of the school record of 14.
“The offensive line played really well and Blake is good,” Clark said. “He’s just diligent in his preparation. I don’t know he is as physically talented as Craig, but his numbers are definitely starting to suggest he’s definitely one of the better players in the league. He’s just so smart and so patient. He has incredible patience and vision. He gets scheme and understands things about what we are trying to do.”
The Warriors (2-5 overall, 2-4 MAC) got on the scoreboard first midway through the first quarter, with Bowman finding the left corner and finding the end zone from 12-yards out with 7:58 left. FDU-Florham (2-5 overall, 1-5 MAC) responded with a 13-play, 78-yard drive, scoring on a one-yard pass from Tyler Maurer to Malik Pressley.
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| Sr WR Ryan Umpleby score and has over 100 yards receiving |
The Warriors wasted little time answering, though, using sophomore Scott Palmer (Blairstown, N.J./North Warren Regional) six times on an eight-play, 64-yard drive, with the highlight being a 34-yard diving catch by senior Ryan Umpleby (Forest Hall, Md./Fallston). Palmer crashed in from two yards out for the touchdown.
Lycoming started its next drive at its own seven-yard line after a block in the back penalty, but marched 93 yards on eight plays, with junior Chase Whiteman (Gettysburg, Pa./Gettysburg Area) finding Umpleby over the middle for a 29-yard touchdown with 10:39 left in the second quarter.
After a pair of turnovers and punt, the Warriors got the ball at their own 44 and handed it straight to Bowman, who ran 56 yards on four plays, scoring from 23 yards out to go into the break with a 28-7 lead, the first time this season Lycoming held a halftime lead.
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| Great Day for defensive Freshman DB D J Boyd breaks up pass and has an interception |
After receiving the kickoff in the second half, Lycoming drove 69 yards in eight plays, with Bowman again scoring, this time from 19 yards out. Late in the quarter, Maurer found Pressley for an 11-yard score to make it a three-touchdown game again.
In the fourth quarter, the Warriors added one more score with a five-play, 52-yard drive, with Bowman scoring on a 31-yard rush to cap it with 6:10 remaining. The Devils added one more touchdown with 2:28 left, as Maurer found Esaun Mobley for a two-handed leaping catch, but the Warriors got the defensive extra point, as sophomore Mike Palmer (Chester, Pa./Monsignor Bonner) blocked the extra point and freshman Mike Mulvihill (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca) picked it up and ran 98 yards for the score.
Whiteman finished 8-of-14 for 135 yards and a score, with Umpleby finishing with four catches for 108 yards and a score. Palmer finished with 17 carries for 76 yards and Whiteman added seven carries for 25 yards.
Sophomore Mike Ward (Edgewater, Md./South River) finished with 13 tackles and an interception and senior Matt Malecki (Stevensville, Md./Kent Island) added 12 tackles and two breakups. Senior Phil Schron III (Albrightsville, Pa./Marion Catholic) posted nine tackles, two for a loss. Freshman Jarrelle Payne(Jersey City, N.J./Liberty) posted two breakups and freshman D.J. Boyd (Seat Pleasant, Md./Fairmount Heights) added an interception and two breakups.
Maurer finished 35-of-62 for 287 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions to lead the Devils. Pressley finished with 14 catches for 98 yards and two touchdowns and Anthony Ognibene ran the ball 14 times for 73 yards. Isaiah Turner had 11 tackles, one for loss, and a forced fumble and Stephen Bick notched 11 stops and recovered a fumble.
The Warriors get back on the field on Saturday, Oct. 31, when they head to Widener for a 1 p.m. MAC showdown.
