Saturday, September 2, 2017

Warriors Football - Defensive battle won by the River Hawks

Sophomore kicker Jamie Fisher produced all of Lyco's points with two field goals.
SELINSGROVE, Pa. – Sophomore kicker Jamie Fisher (Folsom, Pa./Ridley) hit two first-quarter field goals for the Lycoming College football team, but a stalwart defensive effort by both teams ended with Susquehanna University walking away with the Stagg Hat Trophy in a 7-6 non-conference win at Amos Alonzo Stagg Field on Saturday, Sept. 2.

The Warrior Defense played a great game. DB Mike Ward rattles the ball loose.
The Lycoming offense was held to nine first downs and 229 yards by Susquehanna (1-0 overall), while the River Hawks racked up 425 yards, including 281 on the ground, but Lycoming (0-1 overall) allowed just one touchdown.

Four Warriors rushed for at least 24 yards, led by sophomore Dante Gipson (Bordentown, N.J./Bordentown Regional), who rushed nine times for 28 yards. Senior Collin Wright (Secane, Pa./Ridley) completed 8-of-14 passing for 83 yards and senior Chase Williams (Damascus, Md./Damascus) went 2-of-9 for 34 yards as the pair split time behind center. Junior Nick Costello (Havertown, Pa./Haverford) finished with five catches for 73 yards.

Jr WR Nick Costello grabs the high throw and takes it to the Susquehanna five yard line.
Cameron Ott finished with 14 carries for 129 yards and Luke Robertson posted eight carries for 71 yards. Tommy Bluj finished with seven catches for 60 yards, as Nick Crusco went 25-of-40 for 144 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

Senior Collin Wright (Secane, Pa./Ridley) completed 8-of-14 passing for 83 yards
The Warriors got on the board with the first drive of the game, getting the kickoff and driving 72 yards in 11 plays, largely thanks to a 28-yard rush from Williams that got the ball to the Susquehanna 30, before the drive was stopped when senior Sam Dressler (Riverside, Pa./Danville) was stopped for a loss at the Susquehanna 3. Fisher hit a 20-yard field goal to get the Warriors on the board.

Five plays later, sophomore Sam Pawlikowski (West Creek, N.J./Seneca) picked off the first pass of his career at the Lycoming 35. The Warriors drove 48 yards to the 17-yard line with Wright behind center, as he used a 24-yard rush on 4-and-5 to prolong the drive and set up a 34-yard field goal from Fisher.

While Susquehanna’s offense struggled to get going, the Warriors forced a 4-and-4 from the River Hawks 36 to start the second quarter. A fake punt turned into a 59-yard gain by Ott, getting the ball to the five-yard line and three plays later, Crusco found Dionte Holloway for a six-yard touchdown reception with 12:51 left in the first half.

Sophomore Trey Smith (Hughesville, Pa./Hughesville) ran the block back 65 yards to the Susquehanna 20-yard line.
The River Hawks held the ball for more than 20 minutes in the second and third quarter, driving into Lycoming territory twice, but couldn’t get points on the board. The Warriors got a break midway through the third quarter when freshman Trent Riggs (Centerville, Md./Queen Anne’s County) blocked a 31-yard field goal attempt and sophomore Trey Smith (Hughesville, Pa./Hughesville) ran the block back 65 yards to the Susquehanna 20-yard line. Ryan Ganard picked off a pass on the next play for the River Hawks to end the rally, however.

In the fourth quarter, the Crusaders drove to the four-yard line twice, but were stopped on downs twice, the second time with 34 seconds left. The Warriors drove 35 yards in the final seconds and tried a last chance lateral play, but Susquehanna’s Tucker Garner fell on the ball at the 45-yard line to cap the win.

Junior D.J. Boyd (Seat Pleasant, Md./Fairmount Heights) led the Warrior defense with 12 tackles, 1.5 for loss, and junior Joe Pinzka (Perkasie, Pa./Lansdale Catholic) added nine tackles. Senior Mike Ward (Edgewater, Md./South River) added eight stops and both junior Sam Romanofsky (Havertown, Pa./Haverford) and senior Cody Stemrich (Sweet Valley, Pa./Wyoming Seminary) each had sacks.

Craig Roumes finished with nine tackles for Susquehanna and Tucker Garner and Connor Thompson each had six stops and 0.5 sacks.

The Warriors get back on the field on Saturday, Sept. 9, when they host 20th-ranked Delaware Valley at 1 p.m. at David Person Field.