9/24/08

DOWNLOAD THE COMPLETE 42-PAGE GAME NOTES HERE (PDF)

Complete game notes for the Lycoming-Bridgewater football game are now available for download. The 42-page notes can be downloaded by clicking the link at the top of this page.

Included in the notes are game information, head-to-head stats, national rankings, rosters, depth charts, game info, school info, Lycoming records and year-by-year results, Lycoming coach Mike Clark and Lycoming captains bios and complete 2008 statistics and ranking summaries for both teams.

Broadcast Information

The game is being broadcast by ESPN Radio (WLYC) and can be heard on 104.1 FM and 1050 AM in Lycoming County and online via a free Web stream at: www.espnwilliamsport.com

Mike Clark on Both Sidelines Today

Warrior first-year head coach Mike Clark (Lycoming ’93) will be joined by a counterpart that shares the same name in Bridgewater head coach Michael Clark (Cincinnati ’80) this week. Lycoming’s Clark picked up his first career win last weekend when he guided the Warriors to a 28-16 win against Susquehanna. Clark’s offense put up 432 total yards in the game, headlined by 236 rushing yards.

Bridgewater’s Clark is three games deep into his 14th-year with the Eagles. His career record stands at 92-55-1, including a record of 80-18 since the 2000 season, which is more wins than any school in the state of Virginia. He has guided the team to two South Region Championships, five Old Dominion Athletic Conference titles and one trip to the NCAA Division III Championship (30-27 loss to Mount Union in 2001).

The Series

Today’s game will be just the second meeting between the two teams. The only previous meeting came in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III playoffs in 2003. The Eagles claimed a 13-9 win in that game to lead the series 1-0.

The Last Time They Met

The last meeting between the two teams was played on Dec. 7, 2003, on what was one of the most difficult and emotional days in Lycoming football history. Less than 24 hours before the game, the Warriors’ top receiver, Ricky Lanetti, lost his life to an unexpected illness. The NCAA quarterfinal game, originally scheduled for Saturday, was moved to Sunday following a snow storm that left the field unplayable. In the game, Lycoming scored first and carried a 9-7 lead into halftime, but a third quarter Eagle touchdown proved to be the deciding score.

                        1    2    3    4     Score
Bridgewater       0    7    6    0    13
Lycoming          6    3    0    0     9

Last Time Out

The Warriors notched the first win of the season last weekend with a 28-16 victory against Susquehanna. The win was the first in the career of head coach Mike Clark.

The Warriors potent offense racked up 432 total yards, headlined by sophomore Josh Kleinfelter’s record-setting day. Kleinfelter set the Lycoming record for carries in a game when he attempted 42 rushes, passing the previous mark of 39 (Tim Deasey, 2001). He finished with a career-high 229 yards and three touchdowns in the game.

Lycoming opened the game with a 60-yard touchdown pass from Colin Dwyer to Brad Shellenberger on the first play from scrimmage. The two connected on a simimlar play later in the first half with Shellenberger picking up 50 yards on the play.

Dwyer left the game in the beginning of the second quarter after taking a hit on a quarterback draw. He picked up 12 yards and a first down on the run, but would not return to the game after the hit, giving way to sophomore Tim Hook.

Lycoming outgained Susquehanna by more than 200 yards, marking the second-straight week that the Warriors have outgained the opposition. The Crusaders finished the game with only 226 total yards.

                           1    2     3     4     Final
Susquehanna       0    10    0    6     16
Lycoming             7    14    7    0     28

Warriors Sweep Offensive/Defensive Player of the Week

Lycoming picked up the offensive and defensive Player of the Week honors in the MAC this week when Kleinfelter and Chuck Bellitto were selected by the conference office.

Kleinfelter earned the offensive nod after setting the single-game carry record and posting a career-high 229 rushing yards with three touchdowns. In 42 attempts, he lost just one yard on the day.

Chuck Bellitto earned the defensive honor after leading the Warriors defense in his first start of the season. Bellitto finished the game with 11 total tackles, including seven solo, and returned one interception for 32-yards to set up a Lycoming scoring drive.

Special Teams Update

Scott Erikson was a perfect 4-for-4 on extra point attempts last week against Susquehanna, providing some comfort after having a crucial kick blocked in the opener against Ithaca.

Ray Bierbach shared the return duties last week after Josh Dixon suffered an injury. He returned two punts for 37 yards and had one 51-yard kickoff return to finish with 88 return yards in the game.

We’re Going Streaking

The Warriors carry a home winning streak of four games into today’s matchup. Lycoming won the final three home games of the 2007 season, defeating Wilkes, FDU-Florham and King’s, and opened the 2008 season with a win against Susquehanna last weekend.

Eyes on 255

Lycoming has won 254-of-345 games since assistant head coach Steve Wiser joined the staff in 1974. Now in his 35th season, he has been an integral part of the Warriors 254-86-5 overall record in that time.

Wiser, who serves as the defensive coordinator and also works with the secondary, has the team holding opponents to 246.0 yards per game this season.

Exacting Some Revenge

Lycoming has opened the season by making a statement in each of its first two games through shutting down a player that was successful in the previous meeting between the two teams.

Ithaca quarterback Dan Juvan threw for a career high 309 yards and three touchdowns against the Warriors in 2007. In the opener, the Lycoming defense held him to just 142 yards and no touchdowns and held the team to 266 total yards.

Susquehanna running back Dave Paveletz rushed for 116 yards and two touchdowns in the Crusaders’ 2007 victory. He entered the game last weekend averaging 102.5 yards per game before the Warrior defense shut him down. Paveletz finished the game with 56 yards.

Bridgewater's Last Time Out

Bridgewater dropped to 1-2 on the season after suffering its second-straight home loss last weekend, falling 21-14 at the hands of Ferrum. In the previous week, Shenandoah defeated the Eagles 10-6 in the home opener.

Bridgewater scored first when Tyler Kelly connected on a 29-yard field goal on the Eagles’ first drive. Ferrum then scored 21 unanswered points in the first half to lead 21-3.

The Eagles scored on the final play of the half, when Kelly kicked a 36-yarder to send the game to halftime with Ferrum leading 21-6.

Bridgewater opened the second half with an onside kick recovery and then quarterback Hagan Driskell hit Tyler Beiler on a 65-yard touchdown pass. The Eagles faked the PAT and holder Patrick Smoot ran in for the two-point conversion to make the score 21-14 in favor of Ferrum.

The Eagles had the ball in Ferrum territory four more times in the second half, but could not score.

Driskell completed 18-of-46 passes for 321 yards and Beiler set a Bridgewater record for receiving yards in a game with eight catches for 217 yards.

                       1    2      3    4     Final
Ferrum             7    14    0    0     21
Bridgewater      3    3      8    0     14

Scouting the Eagles

The Eagle offense relies heavily on the passing game. On the season, the team averages 222.7 passing yards per game while posting just 71.0 rushing yards per game. Three Bridgewater players have completed passes on the year, including starting quarterback Hagan Driskell, as well as Vince Reese and Anthony Carter.

Driskell enters today’s game having completed 40-of-88 pass attempts for 602 yards (200.7 per game) and four touchdowns. He has been intercepted four times and carries a quarterback efficiency rating of 108.83.

The top threat for the Lycoming defense today will be keeping standout wide receiver Tyler Beiler in check. Beiler set the school record for receiving yards in a game last week (217) and leads the team on the season. In three games, he has 13 catches for 325 yards (108.3 per game) and two touchdowns. Driskell’s second favorite target has been Patrick Smoot, who has six catches for 100 yards and one touchdown.

The Eagles use a multi-player rushing attack, with at least six players carrying the ball in the three games this year. Darrin McKenzie leads the way with 79 yards and a 26.3 yard per game average. David Argaud has rushed for 58 yards and one score, the only rushing touchdown for the team this year. Anthony Carter has carried the ball nine times for 57 yards.

McKenzie doubles as a kick returner, leading the team with an average of 30.5 yards per return and a season-long of 61 yards.

T.J. Maontague leads the defense for the Eagles with 31 total tackles on the year, including 5.5 tackles for a loss and two sacks. He also has one interception, followed by a 36-yard return. Austin Icaza is second in tackles with 17, including 10 solo stops, 1.5 tackles for a loss and one sack.

The defense gives up 301.7 yards per game, including 166.7 on the ground. The strong point of the defense lies in the secondary, where the the defensive backs are fast and physical. The Eagles are allowing just 135.0 passing yards per game.

DOWNLOAD THE COMPLETE NOTES HERE