LYCOMING FOOTBALL STUNNED IN OVERTIME FOR SECOND CONSECUTIVE WEEK

WILLIAMSPORT, PA – FDU-Florham put up 447 yards of offense, including 318 yards passing, en route to a 34-28 upset in overtime of Lycoming College, Saturday afternoon. The Warrior defense had entered the game ranked first in the nation in total defense, allowing just 156 yards per contest. It is the second consecutive week Lycoming has lost in overtime. The Devils improved to 2-3 with the win, while the Warriors fall to 4-2.

FDU’s quarterback Mike Passero (Jr./Verona, NJ; Verona) threw for a career-high 318 yards, completing 15-of-27 passes including four touchdowns. All four touchdown passes were 29 yards or longer. Tim Carlock (Sr./Burlington, NJ; Burlington Twp.) caught seven of those passes for 142 yards and two scores. Quadir Muhammad-Bruce (Sr./Roselle, NJ; Abraham Clark) accounted for the other two touchdown receptions, catching a total of five passes on the day for 156 yards. Ed Cracchiolo (Sr./Marlboro, NJ; St. John Vianney) added 111 yards on the ground on 31 carries. Mike Cuniglio (So./Hamilton Square, NJ; Steinert) carried the ball just once for the Devils, but it was a game-winning 11-yard touchdown run in overtime.

For Lycoming, Jared Morris (Sr./Canton, PA; Canton) led the offense with 134 yards on 29 carries and one touchdown. RJ Kreutzer (Sr./Sea Girt, NJ; Wall Twp.) completed 17-of-37 passes for 228 yards and two touchdowns in his second career start. He was also intercepted three times. Sean Hennigar (Jr./Philadelphia, PA; Father Judge) caught four passes for 58 yards and Ricky Lannetti (Jr./Philadelphia, PA; Father Judge) caught three passes for 83 yards. Both receivers also scored a touchdown.

Each team scored just once in the first half. The Devils got on the board first when Passero connected with Carlock for a 29-yard touchdown pass just one play after Greg Martone (Jr./Wall, NJ; Wall) intercepted a Kreutzer pass. The Warriors evened the score at seven just prior to the half. Hennigar caught an 18-yard pass from Kreutzer to cap a four-play, 35-yard drive following an interception by Matt Henrich (Sr./Huntingdon, PA; Huntingdon).

Late in the third quarter the offensive floodgate opened as both teams would score three times on six consecutive possessions. Lycoming got things started with a 1-yard run by Kreutzer to move ahead 14-7. FDU answered with an eight-play, 69-yard drive capped by a 29-yard touchdown pass from Passero to Muhammad-Bruce.

The Warriors again pulled ahead by seven when Morris capped an eight-play, 70-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown run. The Devils tied the game at 21-21 five plays later on a 30-yard touchdown pass from Passero to Carlock.

On the ensuing possession Kreutzer found Lannetti streaking down the sideline for a 55-yard touchdown pass and a 28-21 lead with just over five minutes to play. But again, FDU did their counterparts one better tying the score at 28-28 on a 61-yard touchdown hookup from Passero to Muhammad-Bruce. With 3:32 remaining in regulation, each team got one more shot, but neither team could score sending the contest to overtime.

The Devils won the toss and decided to defend on the first series. Morris gained three yards on the first play of overtime, but Kreutzer was intercepted for the third time in the game on the second play. FDU took over and gained 14 yards on three carries by Cracchiolo. Then on second-and-six from the 11-yardline, Cuniglio plunged through the line of scrimmage and dove into the endzone to give the Devils the victory.

Defensively, FDU was led by Eric Eickhorst (Sr./South Bound Brook, NJ; Immaculata) who had eight tackles and two interceptions, including the one in overtime. Chris Trolan (Jr./Brick, NJ; Brick) added seven tackles, including two for losses of yardage.

Lycoming’s leading tackler was Brian Kaspick (So./Clearfield, PA; Clearfield) with nine stops. Luke Sterling (Fr./Lehighton, PA; Lehighton) added eight tackles. Jake Davis (Sr./Nazareth, PA; Northampton) and Henrich each intercepted a pass for the Warriors.

Note: Lycoming is now 0-4 all-time in overtime games.