Saturday, October 7, 2017

Warriors win third straight in 48-21 rout of FDU-Florham

A www.MACfootball.com file photo
Article courtesy of Lycoming office of Sports Information
WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Senior Nick Costello (Havertown, Pa./Haverford) caught two first-quarter touchdowns and four other Lycoming College football players scored as Lycoming withstood a fast-moving FDU-Florham offense with a devastatingly efficient one in a 48-21 Middle Atlantic Conference win to send the 2,000-plus fans in attendance for Homecoming & Family Weekend from David Person Field happy.


The Warriors (3-3 overall, 3-2 MAC) were outgained in total offense, 410-378, but won the battle of field position throughout the game, needing to drive more than 60 yards for one their six touchdowns just once, while the Devils (1-5 overall, 0-5 MAC) used three drives of 75 yards for their touchdowns. The win was Lycoming’s third straight, marking the first time since 2014 that the team has notched that long a winning streak.

Lycoming’s offense rushed for 203 yards, led by 54 yards and a touchdown from sophomore Keith Batkowski (Montoursville, Pa./Montoursville Area) and 10 carries for 45 yards and a score from seniorSam Dressler (Danville, Pa./Danville Area). Junior Brock Zollicoffer (Owings Mills, Md./Owings Mills) added two carries for 44 yards and a score and sophomore Dante Gipson (Bordentown, Pa./Bordentown Regional) also had nine rushes for 27 yards and a score.

In the air, senior Chase Williams (Damascus, Md./Damascus) finished 13-of-26 for 158 yards and two scores before turning the reigns over to senior Collin Wright (Secane, Pa./Ridley), who completed 3-of-4 passing. Costello led the receiving corps with five carries for 88 yards and the two touchdowns.

After each team started the game with failed drives, the Warriors forced the Devils into a three-and-out, getting the ball at FDU 43, and driving that distance in nine plays, with Costello leaping over a defensive back to haul in a five-yard fade route for the touchdown.

Lycoming forced their third straight three-and-out on FDU’s next drive and again got the ball near midfield, where Williams loaded up and found Costello on a deep route, as Costello walked into the end zone from 54 yards out.

To start the second quarter, freshman Gianni Bryant-Lopez (Delran, N.J./Delran) blocked an FDU punt before it rolled out of bounds at the FDU 27 and three plays later, Dressler hit paydirt from 13 yards out for his first touchdown of the year to make it 21-0. The Devils responded with one of their 75-yard drives for a score, but Lycoming moved 56 yards on its next drive, getting to the 12-yard line where sophomore Jamie Fisher (Folsom, Pa./Ridley) hit a 30-yard field goal to make it 24-7 with 4:10 left.

The Devils scored on their next drive, thanks to a 22-yard reception by Malik Pressley with 1:03 left, but the Warriors were able to pull into field-goal range of the strong-legged Fisher after an 11-yard reception by Zollicoffer put the ball at the 28 and Fisher nailed a career-long 45-yarder as time expired on the half. The field goal was his 11th of the season, already third in the school record book and two from the school record and was also the tied for the fifth-longest in program history.

In the third quarter, Lycoming’s offense got started after the defense forced a turnover on downs at their own 34-yard line. After three plays got the ball into FDU territory, Zollicoffer got the ball on a reverse, dodged a tackle and found daylight for a 39-yard score. On the ensuing kickoff, senior Erik Wagner (Warriors Mark, Pa./Tyrone Area) stripped the returner and sophomore Korahn Williams (Reading, Pa./Reading) picked up the fumble at the FDU 18. Three plays later, after sophomore Dezmen Johnson (Browns Mills, N.J./Pemberton Township) got the ball to the one with a 15-yard reception, Gipson punched it in to make it 41-14.

In the fourth quarter, Batkowski led a drive with nine carries for 54 yards, accounting for all but 15 yards of the 11-play drive, punching it in from six yards out with 5:27 left. FDU added its final score with a nine-yard touchdown with 21 seconds left on a nine-yard pass to Khrystan Camillo to round out the 48-21 score.

The Warrior defense was led by seven tackles by senior Aaron Davis (Sayreville, N.J./Sayreville War Memorial) and six each by junior Jarrell Payne (Jersey City, N.J./Liberty) and senior Mike Ward (Edgewater, Md./South River). Sophomore Sam Pawlikowski (West Creek, N.J./Seneca) led the team with 1.5 tackles for loss and senior Cody Stemrich (Sweet Valley, Pa./Wyoming Seminary) added a sack.

While the Devils rushed for just 60 yards on 19 carries, FDU quarterback Jagger Green finished 52-of-67 for 350 yards and three touchdowns. Mike Panzarino set a school-record with 23 catches for 145 yards and a score and Malik Pressley finished with 12 catches for 114 yards and a score.

Eddie Palmadessa led the Devils with nine and Isaiah Turner added seven stops. Robert Planter had two tackles for loss.

The Warriors get back on the field on Saturday, Oct. 14, when they head to Widener for a 1:07 p.m. kickoff time in another MAC clash.

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