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WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - Coming out of its bye week, the Lycoming College football team will get back on the field looking to even its record when it hosts Middle Atlantic Conference foe Misericordia today as part of Senior Day at David Person Field.
The Warriors (3-4 overall, 3-3 MAC) sit just one game out of third place with three games remaining. The team has won three of its last four games, falling 31-17 to Widener in its last outing on Oct. 14.
The Cougars (1-6 overall, 1-5 MAC) put together one of its strongest defensive efforts of the season in its last outing, a 17-0 loss to Lebanon Valley. Sophomore Nick Yeager led the team with 10 stops.
Warrior Notes
• With a win, the Warriors can surpass their win total from 2016.
• A win would also secure Lycoming's eighth winning campaign at David Person Field in Mike Clark's 10 years as head coach.
• With 12 field goals made, sophomore Jamie Fisher needs one more to tie John Phillips (1990) for the single-season school record.
• Fisher is second in Division III with an average of 1.71 field goals made per game.
• Sophomore Dante Gipson needs 41 more all-purpose yards to become the 28th player in school history to post 1,000 in a season.
• With 231 career tackles, senior Mike Ward is 13 stops away from reaching the top 10 in school history.
• In five meetings, the Warriors are averaging 292.8 rushing yards against the Cougars.
Grounded
In five games against Misericordia, the Warriors have dominated with a ground game that has featured a rusher that has accumulated at least 125 yards in each meeting. The Warriors have scored at least two rushing touchdowns in all five meetings as well.
Picking it up
Junior Joe Pinzka was a key factor on special teams for the Warriors against Widener, as he forced a fumble and later picked one up that led to both of Lycoming's touchdowns in the 31-17 defeat. Pinzka's first special teams gem came in the first quarter when he forced a fumble on a Warrior kickoff that was recovered at the Widener 14-yard line. In the fourth quarter, he helped get the Warriors within a touchdown of the Pride as he scooped up a muffed punt at the 24-yard line. Pinzka is the second Warrior to post two turnovers in a game this year, joining sophomore linebacker Sam Pawlikowski, who had a fumble recovery and an interception against Susquehanna.
Fishing for field goals
Sophomore Jamie Fisher continues to be one of the best kickers in Division III in his first year as a starting kicker. Against Widener, Fisher continued his run of having hit a field goal in all seven games this year, connecting from 28 yards out. With 12 field goals this year, he is one shy of the school record set by John Phillips in 1990 and he is second in Division III with an average of 1.7 made per game. Against King's, he had a breakout performance, tying the school record of three made field goals in a game, connecting from 40, 25 and 36 yards. He also booted six touchbacks and averaged 62 yards on nine kickoffs. He is already the first kicker in school history to hit three 40-yard field goals in a season.
A lot of stops
Senior Mike Ward became the 27th player in school history to post 200 career tackles with his fourth of seven against Albright. He has continued to move up the career tackles list, moving into the top 15 in school history after posting 10 stops at Widener. The senior safety has led the Warriors in tackles in each of the last two years and again leads the team with 56 stops this year, as he is on pace to become the first Warrior to lead the team in tackles in three straight years since Bill Small did it from 1989-91.
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