Williamsport, Pa. – Junior quarterback Glenn Smith (Watsontown, Pa./Warrior Run) and the Warrior football team battled valiantly in an attempt to erase a 17-0 halftime deficit, but came up a score short in falling to Wilkes University 17-14 in Williamsport on Homecoming Saturday.

The loss drops Lycoming to 1-4 overall, 1-4 in the MAC.  Wilkes improves to 3-2 and 3-1 in conference play.

Smith stormed back from a three for 12, 13-yard first half showing to take control of the final 30 minutes of play with a 17 for 28, 237-yard performance that included a 33-yard touchdown strike to receiver Ryan Hall (Elysburg, Pa./Southern Columbia).

Receiver Tim Brown (Liverpool, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy) showed moxie and courage with several catches over the middle as Smith’s favorite afternoon target.  The 6’5” senior finished with eight catches for 146 yards.

Penalties, 23 of them to be exact, squandered opportunities for both teams throughout the contest, but the trailing Warriors felt the yellow-flag sting a bit more prominently than their cross-field foes.  Lycoming forced the referee’s beanbag toss 11 times for a loss of 123 yards, a total that is insurmountable under any conditions let alone on the soggy pitch of David Person Field.

Wilkes jumped on the board with the game’s first possession when Colonel quarterback Al Karaffa connected with receiver Bo Tkach on a 30-yard scoring play.

Lycoming lost a total of 32 yards on its first two possessions and wasted an opportunity on its second drive when gunner Richie Schiccatano (Paxinos, Pa./Shamokin) recovered a muffed punt return by John Darrah at the Colonel 43-yard line.

Wilkes’ kicker Kevin Keller added a 38-yard field goal with 3:30 left in the first quarter to increase the Colonel’s edge to 10-0.

Lycoming’s defense settled in and held taut for much of the second quarter until the Colonels’ final drive of the half.  Wilkes tacked on another seven points when Karaffa found receiver Jim Jordan on a 15-yard fade to the corner of the end zone on the home sideline for a 17-0 advantage going into the intermission.

Neither offense could muster an attack for the majority of the third quarter, but Lycoming’s defense did force the second Colonel turnover when cornerback Nick Reese (Shenandoah Heights, Pa./Shenandoah) intercepted Karaffa in the Warriors’ territory.

Pinned at his own three yard line thanks to a superb directional kick from Wilkes’ punter Kyle Devlin, Smith dug in for one of Lycoming’s most impressive drives of the season.  The junior signal called led the Warriors on a 12-play, 93-yard jaunt down the field and culminated the 4:58 drive with a nifty nine-yard touchdown run to inside the far pylon with 12:48 left to play.  During the series, Smith completed four of six pass attempts for 76 yards including a pair of crucial third down conversions to Brown and Schiccatano.

Those blue and gold faithful that braved the rain and cold until the end were treated to a dose of late suspense from the Warriors’ offense.  After losing the ball on downs on its previous possession, Lycoming needed only three plays and 25 seconds to scamper 61-yards to further slice into Wilkes’ lead.  Hall reeled in a Smith heave toward the far sideline near the end zone, eluded a few defenders, and snuck inside the pylon for a 33-yard scoring play to cut the Colonels’ edge to three points at 17-14 with only 10 seconds left to play.

The ensuing on-side kick nearly bounced in Lycoming’s favor.  After taking a pair of hops off the foot of kicker Stephen Deao (Houtzdale Pa./Moshannon Valley), the ball skipped through the waving hands of a Wilkes’ up-man and became the prize in a heaped scrum of home and away jerseys.  Nerves were calmed and a collective sigh released when the Colonels emerged from the pack with possession and a narrow victory.

Lycoming looks to build off this strong second half performance and shake its current four-game skid when Ithaca College arrives for a showdown next Saturday, October 15.  Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.