 |
| Lycoming Football News File Photo |
Looking at the last past ten years, each team has won 5 games with a total 2 point spread in favor of the Dutchman. It seems that most of the recent games were won by the home team and the games were very close. Last year at Annville, PA, Lycoming lost by a score of 20 to 17 (2017 Lycoming vs Lebanon Valley Photo Album). Two years ago, the Warriors won at home by a score of 27 to 24. Traveling to Lebanon Valley in 2015 saw the home team Dutchman win again by a 41-38 game in overtime (2015 Lycoming vs Lebanon Valley Photo Album). Finally, four years ago, the Warriors defeated Lebanon Valley by a score of 30 to 29. So you can see how this series in recent years has been a toss up (2014 Lycoming vs Lebanon Valley Photo Album).
From Lycoming Sports Information:
Warriors open MAC play by hosting Lebanon Valley
 |
| 2017 Lycoming Vs Lebanon Valley File Photo |
The Warriors (1-1 overall) were led by an electric defense in the win over Widener, as they allowed just 193 yards of offense in the game. Lycoming held the ball for nearly 40 minutes, thanks to a dominating run game that saw both juniors Jacob Fimbres and Keith Batkowski rack up more than 100 yards.
The Flying Dutchmen (0-2 overall) are coming off a 30-27 overtime loss to Wilkes. Sophomore Kody Kegarise led the team, completing 14-of-21 passing for 159 yards and two scores.
 | |
|
• The 33-19 win at Widener was Lycoming's first against the Pride since a 16-14 win in 2013.
• Senior Nick Costello needs two more receptions to tie Brad Shellenberger (2006-09) for seventh in school history with 108 in his career.
• Junior Jamie Fisher needs to hit two more field goals to become the fifth player in school history to hit 20 in a career.
• Fisher was named the MAC Special Teams Player of the Week after hitting a school-record four field goals and tying the school record of 15 points kicking in the win over Widener.
• Junior Zach Kovach was named the MAC Defensive Player of the Week after posting seven tackles, 1.5 for loss, and a sack against Widener.
• Senior Joe Pinzka is one tackle shy of 100 in his career and senior D.J. Boyd is five shy of the mark.
Defense, Defense, Defense
After opening the season by allowing 38 points to Susquehanna, the Lycoming defense dominated Widener in Sept. 8's 33-19 win. The win snapped a four-game losing streak to the Pride, the longest in the history of the rivalry. It was also the first time that the Warrior defense allowed fewer than 200 yards of total offense since the team allowed 184 to Stevenson in a 31-10 win on Oct. 4, 2014. Lycoming allowed just 11 first downs in the game and the defense was on the field for just 55 Widener plays.
The Ground Game
After rushing for 34 yards against Susquehanna, the Lycoming ground game opened up against Widener, posting 190 yards on 57 carries, including 239 yards of positive yardage. Along the way, both juniors Jacob Fimbres and Keith Batkowski crossed the 100-yard plateau for the first time in their careers. Fimbres, a transfer from Pasadena City College, got the ball 23 times, rolling up 117 yards. Batkowski, an all-state selection at Montoursville Area High School, racked up 101 yards and a touchdown in 28 carries. It was the first time that Lycoming had two 100-yard rushers in the same game since Craig Needhammer and Blake Bowman did it at Misericordia in 2014.
 |
| 2017 Lycoming Vs Lebanon Valley File Photo |
It wasn't just the Lycoming rushing game that was in peak condition against Widener. Freshman Elijah Shemory completed 10-of-15 passing for 169 yards and a touchdown passing, finishing the day with an impressive 183.31 passing efficiency rating. The performance was the highest QB rating for a Warriors since Chase Whiteman posted a 246.56 rating against Misericordia in 2015 and the seventh-highest passing efficiency rating for a Warrior during the Mike Clark era.
D3Football.com Team of the Week
A pair of Warriors – senior Ahmad Curtis and junior Jamie Fisher – earned D3football.com Team of the Week honors for their performances against Widener.
The centerpiece of a Lycoming football defensive line that held an opponent to less than 50 yards rushing for the first time since 2014, Curtis posted six tackles in Lycoming's 33-19 win over Widener, including posting a sack on the last play of the first half and 1.5 tackles for loss. Curtis was a part of a ferocious line that allowed just 193 yards of total offense and 11 first downs in the game. Curtis is the first defensive tackle to earn a spot on the team since Dwight Hentz on Nov. 9, 2013.
 |
| 2017 Lycoming Vs Lebanon Valley File Photo |
MAC Players of the Week
Along with his spot on the D3football.com Team of the Week, junior Jamie Fisher also joined classmate Zach Kovach as a MAC Player of the Week, with Fisher earning Special Teams Player of the Week and Kovach being named Defensive Player of the Week for their performances against Widener. The award is the first of Fisher's career and the first time Lycoming has won the MAC Special Teams Player of the Week award since Cameron Kriner won it for a blocked extra point on Nov. 9, 2014.
Kovach led a Warrior defense that held Widener to just 190 total yards, including 34 rushing yards, in a 33-19 win in the non-conference contest. Kovach led the squad with seven tackles, a sack and 1.5 tackles for loss against the Pride, a team picked to finish third in the MAC. Kovach is the first Warrior to earn the MAC Defensive Player of the Week award since Cole Welham on Sept. 21, 2014.
Reaching 60
Head coach Mike Clark is just the fifth Middle Atlantic Conference coach to reach 60 wins since the turn of the century. Entering his 11th year as head coach, Clark is the second-longest tenured coach in the conference, with Albright's John Marzka entering his 12th season. The Warriors have produced six winning seasons under Clark in the past 10 years, winning two MAC titles.
Until the next one,
John Green
