Chester, Pa. – The offensive numbers were scarce on Saturday afternoon.  Neither the Warriors nor the Pioneers could sustain much of an attack as Lycoming College dropped its first game of the season to Widener University 15-7 in Chester, Pa.

The Warriors (1-1, 1-1 in the MAC) recorded only 153 yards of total offense while the Pioneers (1-1, 1-1 in the MAC) managed a rather average 268 yards from scrimmage.  Neither squad had much success running the ball as Lycoming mustered a meager 49 yards on 34 carries and Widener put up only 72 yards on 35 rushes.

Senior end Tim Hartingh (Willow Grove, Pa./Upper Moreland) led the Warriors’ stout defensive efforts with 12 total tackles including a pair of quarterback sacks.  Linebacker and senior captain Luke Sterling (Lehighton, Pa./Lehighton Area) notched 11 stops while defensive back Jim Smith (Williamsport, Pa./Williamsport) tallied 10 tackles.

As a sign of things to come, Lycoming’s offense managed only eight total yards in the first quarter, all of which came via the ground.  The Warriors' first three drives were less than stellar in being forced to punt following a trio of three-and-out sets.

Widener, having little early success as well, started to move the ball on its third possession after a pair of first down completions, but a holding penalty and a renewed Warrior defensive effort stalled the drive at the Lycoming 35 yard line forcing the Pioneers’ third punt and concluding an uneventful first quarter.

Punter Tim Eskridge (Havertown, Pa./Haverford) relieved some pressure with a punt that was downed at the Pioneer four yard line.  Widener seemed to negate its effect with a first down completion on the possession’s opening play, but Hartingh registered his second sack on the afternoon returning the Pioneers to the original line of scrimmage and into a punting situation.

Lycoming was unable to take advantage of the good field position at the Widener 47 yard line on the ensuing drive, and punted the ball for the fifth consecutive time.

A Pioneer sack forced Lycoming to kick the ball away again just before the end of the half, but this time Eskridge did so from his own end zone.  Widener used good field position after the hurried kick to get in position for a 29-yard field goal with 13.4 seconds remaining.  Kicker Frank Vinci converted the attempt leaving the Warriors down 3-0 going into the intermission.

After a half free of miscues, Lycoming broke that trend on its first drive of the second stanza.  On third down from his own 15-yard line, quarterback Glenn Smith (Watsontown, Pa./Warrior Run) saw the shotgun snap sail over his head and into the end zone where he covered it for a safety.

Widener pushed the gas petal after returning the resulting free kick 30 yards to the Lycoming 38 yard line.  On the first play of the drive, quarterback Mike Lomas hit a running back James Fagnani down the seam for a touchdown and a 12-0 advantage.

Lycoming seemed set to answer immediately on the ensuing kickoff when returner Nate Hanner (Montoursville, Pa./Montoursville) scampered 43 yards to the Widener 40 yard line, but an illegal block called back the effort to the Warrior 29.  After narrowly averting a fumble when the ball was jarred from Smith as his arm came forward, Lycoming punted away after only three offensive plays for the sixth time in the game.

The Warriors tried to shake things up offensively on their next possession by bringing sophomore Sean Hanna (Lock Haven, Pa./Central Mountain) in at quarterback, but he was intercepted on his first pass by John Martorell, Jr., at the Lycoming 29 yard line.

After a 25-yard pass play put the Pioneers on the four yard line, Lycoming’s defense had all but forced Widener into a field goal attempt, but a roughing the passer call gave Widener another set of downs from two yards out.  The Warrior defense stiffened three more times in only surrendering an 18-yard field goal increasing although their deficit to 15 points.

Lycoming picked up some momentum on its next drive when receiver Tony Kopp (St. Mary’s, Pa./St. Mary’s) was interfered with giving the Warriors 15 yards to their own 35-yard line.  Fullback Matt Mangold (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee) followed with a first down carry, and Hanna hit Kopp to move the sticks again before time ran out in the third quarter.

The Warriors continued to drive downfield and earned a second pass interference call when running back Jim Laky (North Wales, Pa./North Penn) was held in the end zone with the ball in the air.  Laky finished off the drive with a two-yard plunge to cut Lycoming’s deficit to 15-7.

With added jump to its step from the touchdown and an excellent open-field tackle on special teams by Ryan Godec (Malvern, Pa./Great Valley) at the Pioneer 27 yard line, the Warrior defense knocked Widener back seven yards and forced an immediate punt on the ensuing drive.

After trading punts on the next two possessions, Hanna tossed his second interception of the game on a long pass between the hash marks intended for Kopp.  Widener freshman Anthony Huggins recorded the interception with less than five minutes remaining in the game.

Widener started to milk the clock on the following drive, forcing the Warriors to call its final time-out with 1:58 on the scoreboard and a Pioneer punt pending.  Widener downed the ball at the Lycoming five yard line with 1:45 remaining in the game.

Lycoming earned another life on fourth and 10 from the 18-yard line when Widener was flagged for its third pass interference penalty of the game.  Hanna then hit receiver Richie Schiccatano (Paxinos, Pa./Shamokin) with a 23-yard pass to the Widener 44-yard line with 34.5 seconds remaining.

Hanna connected with receiver Chris Beissel (Leesport, Pa./Schuylkill Valley) two plays later for a first down at the Pioneer 33-yard line.  The pair tried to hook up on a deep pass on the next snap, but the ball fell harmlessly incomplete in the end zone with 10.4 seconds left to play.  The game ended two plays later when a pass attempt for Jim Smith dropped incomplete.

Lycoming is next in action on Saturday, September 24, 2005, when the Warriors host defending MAC champion Delaware Valley College.  Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m. at David Person Field.