(L-R) SO QB Noah Vogeler (Coopersburg, PA, Southern Lehigh High School), FY QB Will Fish (Stroudsburg, PA, Stroudsburg High School) and SO QB Hunter Shearer (Montoursville, PA, Montoursville Area High School) prepare for the Franklin and Marshall scrimmage. (A John Green Photo) |
WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – With a senior-laden team that includes five fifth-year returners, the Lycoming College football team was predicted to finish fifth in the Middle Atlantic Conference preseason coaches’ poll, the conference office in Annville, Pa., announced on Thursday, Aug. 26.
Delaware Valley (99), which won its third straight conference title in 2019, earned nine of the 11 first-place votes with Stevenson (92) picking up the other two. Wilkes (76) and Widener (74) were also ahead of Lycoming (58) in the poll while King’s (Pa.) (49), Lebanon Valley (40), Albright (35), Misericordia (33), Alvernia (25) and FDU-Florham (24) rounded out the poll.
SO K Ian Plankenhorn (Montoursville, PA, Montoursville Area High School) and SO QB Hunter Shearer (Montoursville, PA, Montoursville Area High School) are the Warriors Kicking and Holder team. (A John Green Photo) |
The Warriors finished in a three-way tie for sixth in the MAC in 2019 before the 2020 conference season was cancelled due to COVID-19. The Warriors finished 4-6 overall and 3-5 in the MAC under head coach Mike Clark, with the team capping the year on a 3-1 run where the team surpassed 40 points for three weeks in a row.
Six starters from the offensive side of the ball return from the 2019 team and two return on defense, but the team returns 20 experienced seniors. Senior Elijah Shemory (Jersey Shore, Pa./Jersey Shore Area) heads into his third year as a starter after throwing for 1,822 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2019, as he started nine games for the team. Junior Austin Rowley (Schwenksville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) leads the defense, as the safety posted 49 tackles and three interceptions in his freshman year and senior Matt Galasso (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic) added 36 tackles and three sacks.
The Warriors get on the field for their first regular-season competition since 2019, when they head to Susquehanna University for a 1 p.m. game on Saturday, Sept. 4.