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| Jr RB Craig Needhammer scores three touchdowns (Photo by Dick Hostrander) |
Lycoming (6-3 overall, 6-2 MAC) scored on its first two possessions of the game. On the first drive, senior Matt Atkinson (Media, Pa./Penncrest) returned the opening kickoff to the FDU-Florham 49-yard line and then he outleapt a Devil defender on the first play from scrimmage to score on a 49-yard scoring play. After an interception by juniorTanner Troutman (Hegins, Pa./Tri-Valley), the Warriors drove 48 yards on six plays, with Needhammer scoring from three yards out to make it 14-0 with 11:15 left in the first.
The Devils (1-8 overall, 0-8 MAC) held the Warriors off the scoreboard for the next 15 minutes before freshman Blake Bowman (Valley View, Pa./Tri-Valley) broke through the Devils’ line, blocked a punt and returned it 14 yards for the score. The Warriors scored next on a seven-play, 60-yard drive, with Needhammer scoring on a 23-yard rush for his ninth touchdown of the season. Wrapping up the half’s scoring, the Warriors rolled up 68 yards on nine plays before junior John Sibel (Morrisville, Pa./Pennsbury) scored on a three-yard pass from junior Tyler Jenny (Coalport, Pa./Glendale) with 30 seconds left to make it 34-0.
The Warriors’ defense was outstanding in the first half, allowing just 54 yards on 27 plays by the Devils, while Lycoming posted 308 yards.
The Warriors kept it rolling in the third quarter, scoring on their first three possessions with two play drives each time. Needhammer capped a 45-yard drive with a 12-yard touchdown to start the quarter. With reserves in on the next drive, senior Matt McGinley(Ashland, Pa./Tri-Valley) found junior Nick Mongiello (East Windsor, N.J./Hightstown) in the flat and Mongiello rolled in on a 31-yard pass. Mongiello then added a rumbling 50-yard touchdown run to make it 55-0 with 6:01 left in the third.
The Devils scored two touchdowns late, with Doug Van Orden scoring on a 13-yard pass from Michael Santos with 10:32 left before Mickey Weiks returned an interception 70 yards for a touchdown with 5:24 left. After that, the Warriors ran the clock down to the end of the game.
Needhammer finished with 20 carries for 148 yards and three touchdowns, as he became the ninth player in school history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season, finishing the day with 1,024. Mongiello added 64 yards on two carries and one catch for 31 yards and a score. Atkinson went over 100-yards receiving for the second time this year, hauling in six passes for 106 yards.
Jenny finished 10-of-15 passing for 167 yards and two touchdowns and McGinley completed 2-of-3 passing for 40 yards and a score.
Daidyn Stewart led the Devils with 14 carries for 37 yards as Lycoming held FDU-Florham to 31 yards rushing and 188 total yards of offense. Van Orden caught four passes for 41 yards and Santos finished 18-of-33 for 157 yards and a touchdown.
Senior Tyler Denike (South Boardman, Mich./Forest Area) finished with 11 tackles and a breakup and senior Dwight Hentz (Halifax, Pa./Halifax) added eight tackles, 2.5 for loss and 1.5 sacks.
Mike Mancino posted nine stops and one for a loss and Jaleel Tyson notched six tackles and two breakups.
The Warriors, who finished perfect at home for the 11th time in school history and the first time since 2008, wrap up the 2013 regular-season on Saturday, Nov. 16, when they head to Stevenson for a 1 p.m. game.
