LYCOMING COLLEGE HONORS
FOOTBALL TEAM
Announces 2004
Captains
WILLIAMSPORT, PA – Twelve members of the 2003
Lycoming College football team received special awards, Saturday
evening, at the team’s 28th annual banquet held at
the Genetti Hotel.
Junior quarterback Phil Mann (Mill Hall, Pa.;
Central Mountain) received the Warriors’ highest honor of
the evening as the team’s most valuable player. Mann led
Lycoming to a Middle Atlantic Conference championship and a
berth in the NCAA playoffs, finishing the season with an overall
record of 9-2. He threw for a Warrior single-season record 2,473
yards on 186-of-358 passing, including 16 touchdowns. He also
rushed for 279 yards and nine touchdowns on 114 carries. Mann
posted these impressive numbers despite playing the final seven
games of the season with a bone chip in the wrist of his
throwing arm and the final three games, including two playoff
contests, with a cracked rib. Mann was named second-team
all-conference.
Ricky Lannetti (Sr./Philadelphia, Pa.; Father
Judge)
and Sean Hennigar (Sr./Philadelphia, Pa.; Father Judge)
shared the offensive player of the year honors. Lannetti and
Hennigar were high school teammates, roommates at Lycoming,
off-season training partners, and the Warriors’ top receiving
duo in 2003. Lannetti caught 70 passes for 955 yards and five
touchdowns, while Hennigar recorded 52 receptions for 528 yards
and seven touchdowns. Lannetti was named first-team
all-conference as a wide receiver and second-team all-conference
as a kick returner. Both players were named to All-America
squads – Hennigar was a second-team selection at tight end by
the Division III Sports Information Directors and Lannetti was a
third-team selection at wide receiver according to
D3Football.com.
The offensive lineman of the year award went to
senior Matt Mendola (Dunmore, Pa.; Dunmore). Prior to the
2003 season, Mendola moved from his position at center, where he
had started for two consecutive seasons, to left tackle in order
to help protect the quarterback’s backside. The move proved to
be a key to Lycoming’s success as the Warriors allowed just 23
sacks in 382 passing attempts. Mendola was named first-team
all-conference, second-team All-America by the Football
Gazette, third-team All-America by the Division III Sports
Information Directors, and honorable mention All-America by
D3Football.com.
Senior Andy Miller (Emporium, Pa.; Cameron
County) was named the most improved offensive player. Miller
stepped into the role of starting center when Mendola shifted to
tackle. Miller not only protected the quarterback up the middle
on passing plays, but also led the way in run blocking. As a
team Lycoming averaged 117.4 yards rushing per game and scored
21 rushing touchdowns in 2003.
On the other side of the ball, senior Tim
Schmidt (Philadelphia, Pa.; Roman Catholic) and junior
Brian Kaspick (Clearfield, Pa.; Clearfield) were named the
defensive players of the year. Schmidt led the Warriors in
tackles with 81 total, including 58 unassisted. He also
intercepted two passes, broke-up 12 other pass attempts, forced
three fumbles, and recorded a sack. Kaspick led the secondary
with 51 total tackles. He also intercepted four passes and
broke-up a total of nine attempts. Kaspick was named first-team
all-conference and Schmidt was named second-team all-conference.
Senior Sean McGinley (Croyden, Pa.; Conwell-Egan)
received the defensive lineman of the year award. McGinley moved
to defensive end just prior to the 2003 season after spending
his first three seasons of college ball as a tight end. He went
on to finish the year fourth on the team with 63 total tackles,
including an MAC-high 15 sacks and 24 tackles-for-a-loss.
McGinley was named first-team all-conference, second-team
All-America by D3Football.com and honorable mention
All-America by the Division III Sports Information Directors.
Junior defensive back Nick Pinto
(Philadelphia, Pa.; Archbishop Ryan) was honored as the most
improved defensive player. Pinto was second on the depth chart
at strong safety entering the season, but was thrust into the
starting role less than 48 hours before the Warriors’ first
contest. Pinto responded by making seven tackles and
intercepting two passes in a 31-21 victory over King’s College.
He went on to total 45 tackles and a team-high 16 pass
break-ups, including a team-high five interceptions.
The special-teams player of the year award was
given to freshman Chris Schrader (Glenolden, Pa.; Monsignor
Bonner). Schrader handled Lycoming’s placekicking
responsibilities in 2003. He successfully converted 32-of-36
extra-point attempts and made 8-of-13 field goal attempts,
including a long of 42 yards.
Two special awards were also presented at the
banquet. The David Busey Award is given to the player that
excels not only on the field, but also in the classroom. Senior
Dickie Houck (Bethlehem, Pa.; Bethlehem Catholic) was
this year’s recipient of the award. Houck was a second-team
all-conference offensive lineman for the Warriors. He was also
named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District II team and the Middle
Atlantic Conference Academic Honor Roll.
The Calistri Award is given to the player that
best exemplifies the ideals of a “team-player”. This year’s
winner was sophomore Luke Sterling (Lehighton, Pa.;
Lehighton). Sterling started the season as Lycoming’s
starting outside linebacker, but throughout the year was often
called upon to play defensive end or even defensive tackle if
the team needed. He ended the season as the squad’s second
leading tackler with 74 total stops, including 11 sacks. He also
recovered five fumbles during the season and broke up eight
passes, including one interception. Sterling was a first-team
all-conference selection and was named an honorable mention
All-American by the Division III Sports Information Directors.
Following the presentation of the awards, head
coach Frank Girardi announced the captains for the 2004 season.
Quarterback Phil Mann will captain the offense and Luke Sterling
and Brian Kaspick will lead the defense. Coach Girardi also
announced that a scholarship has been formed in memory of Ricky
Lannetti, who passed away suddenly less than 24 hours before the
Warriors’ quarterfinal playoff game versus Bridgewater College.
The scholarship will be awarded to a student attending Lycoming
College who graduated from Father Judge High School. |
