LYCOMING FOOTBALL DEFEATS EAST TEXAS BAPTIST IN OVERTIME
Advances to Quarterfinals of NCAA Playoffs

WILLIAMSPORT, PA – The Lycoming College football team came from behind to defeat East Texas Baptist University, Saturday afternoon, in the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs. The Warriors trailed for more than three-quarters of the 

game after giving up a touchdown on the Tigers’ opening drive, but a fourth-quarter touchdown by Phil Mann (Jr./Mill Hall, Pa.; Central Mountain) knotted the game at 7-7. Then in overtime Mann added his second score of the contest to give Lycoming the 13-7 victory. The Warriors improve to 9-1 on the season and advance to the quarterfinals of the NCAA playoffs. East Texas Baptist ends their season with a mark of 9-3.

The Tigers opened the scoring less than three minutes into the contest when RoShawn Johnson (So./Mangham, Texas) broke free for a 49-yard touchdown run. The drive took just 2:26 and consisted of four plays – all runs by Johnson – for a total of 70 yards. That would be the only score of the game for East Texas Baptist, however.

Lycoming’s defense forced five turnovers and held the Tigers to just 175 yards of total offense after that first drive. The Warriors’ offense, however, also struggled gaining just 140 yards for the game and turning the ball over twice.

East Texas Baptist seem to have control of the game entering the fourth quarter, but still hung to a one-score lead. Lycoming’s defense then turned the tide when Dave VanNort (Fr./Montrose, Pa.; Montrose) stripped Johnson of the ball and Kevin LeSage (So./Darby, Pa.; Monsignor Bonner) recovered to give the Warriors possession at their own 47-yard line. Seven plays later, Lycoming appeared to be stopped short on a third-and-three from the Tigers’ 15-yard line, but a personal foul penalty on East Texas Baptist kept the Warriors in business with a first-and-goal from the seven. Mann did the rest rushing for seven yards to the endzone on the very next play. Chris Schrader’s (Fr./Glenolden, Pa.; Monsignor Bonner) extra point into the wind was good to knot the score at 7-7.

The two teams traded possessions the remainder of regulation sending the contest to overtime. The Warriors won the coin toss in the extra period and opted to play defense first. The decision proved wise as Lycoming sandwiched a pair of sacks by Sean McGinley (Sr./Croydon, Pa.; Conwell Egan) and Luke Sterling (So./Lehighton, Pa.; Lehighton) around an incomplete pass to bring up fourth-and 24 from the Warriors’ 39-yard line. East Texas Baptist completed a pass on fourth down, but it was not long enough for the first down.

Lycoming took possession at the Tigers’ 25 and needed just three plays to end the game. On first down Mann’s pass attempt to Robert Miller (Sr./New Columbia, Pa.; Milton) fell incomplete. On second down, Mann ran the option, pitching to Miller who scampered 16 yards to the East Texas Baptist nine. Mann again called his own number running a quarterback draw to the right side and diving into the endzone for the win.

Mann completed just 8-of-30 passes for 100 yards, but scored both of the Warriors’ touchdowns running the ball. John Moor (Jr./Hawley, Pa.; Wallenpaupack) was Lycoming’s leading receiver with three catches for 60 yards. Ricky Lannetti (Sr./Philadelphia, Pa.; Father Judge) added five receptions for 40 yards. Miller was the Warriors’ leading rusher with 30 yards on four carries.

Johnson ran the ball 36 times for the Tigers, gaining 177 yards and scoring their lone touchdown. Quarterback Phil Van Cleave (Fr./Arlington, Texas) completed just 6-of-19 passes for 87 yards, while throwing four interceptions. Earl Morris (Jr./Nacogdoches, Texas) was East Texas Baptist’s leading receiver with 64 yards on three catches.

Defensively, Lycoming was led by Sterling with 13 tackles, including a pair of sacks. McGinley and Brian Connors (Sr./Clarks Summit, Pa.; Abington Heights) each added 10 tackles. McGinley also recorded three sacks and Connors intercepted a pass. Matt Greim (Sr./Morton, Pa.; Cardinal O’Hara) picked off two passes and LeSage also intercepted a pass.

For the Tigers, Roger Sutterfield (So./Dayton, Texas) was the leading tackler with seven stops on the afternoon.

The Warriors will now host Bridgewater College (Va.) on Saturday, December 6, again at noon. Bridgewater defeated Christopher Newport, 26-3, to advance to the quarterfinals.