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CHESTER, Pa. - Despite one of the most furious rallies in school history, the Lycoming College football team fell three points shy of completing the comeback, falling to Widener University, 31-28, in the Middle Atlantic Conference opener for both teams on Saturday, Sept. 17, at Leslie C. Quick, Jr. Stadium.

After a first-half in which the Pride posted 200 yards of total offense, the Warriors shut them down in the second half, allowing just 61 yards. Meanwhile, the Lycoming offense, which gained 155 yards in the first, went off to the tune of 280 yards in the second half.

Down by 31 points entering the third quarter, the Warrior offense began to gain some more traction, as sophomore Zach Klinger (Halifax, Pa./Halifax) ran a pair of quarterback draws for first downs and then capped it off with a seven-yard run off the draw, getting the Warriors on the board.

After the Warriors (2-1 overall, 0-1 MAC) stopped a Pride (3-0 overall, 1-0 MAC) drive at the 30-yard line, sophomore Warren Oliver (Beverly, N.J./Palmyra) kept the offense moving, catching a 33-yard fly route and then drawing a holding call on the next play. An 18-yard reception from sophomore Matt Atkinson (Media, Pa./Penncrest) helped set up a tap-in rush by freshman Craig Needhammer (Lansdale, Pa./North Penn) to cut the Pride’s lead to 17 points with 3:30 left in the third quarter.

After another defensive stop, the Warriors traversed 50 yards on 16 plays, converting two fourth-down plays thanks to a two-yard rush from junior Parker Showers (Aspers, Pa./Biglerville) and a nine-yard completion to sophomore tight end Greg Kovacs (Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge), who was downed at the one-yard line, setting up a touchdown on a sneak from Klinger, cutting the lead to 31-21 with 11:01 left.

After another defensive stop after a five-play drive, the Warriors nearly got their hands on the ensuing punt, but it still was able to roll to the Lycoming 23-yard line. Another fourth-down conversion, this time on a pass to Oliver, got the ball across midfield, but the Warriors couldn’t get further than the 42-yard line.

An interception by junior Ryan Fenningham (Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge) ended the next Pride drive, giving the Warriors the ball with 3:31 left at the Lycoming 42-yard line. A pair of completions, one to Atkinson and then to junior Jarren Campman (Clearfield, Pa./Clearfield) got the ball to the 28-yard line. After an incompletion and a sack moved it back to the 35-yard line, Klinger fired a strike to Campman at the five-yard line on a post over the middle and Campman trotted into the end zone, making it a three-point game with 1:56 left.

The ensuing onsides kick was recovered by Widener’s Gary Fish and Lycoming used its final timeout with the next play. A pair of running plays brought it to a fourth-and-one and the Pride ran the play clock all the way down before it was stuffed on the play, leaving 16.6 seconds on the clock with the Warriors with the ball. A pass to the tight end underneath was all the Warriors could get off before time expired.

Widener got out to a fast start in the first quarter, partially blocking a punt after Lycoming’s opening drive stalled and traversing 65 yards on seven plays before Chris Haupt found Cedrick Clayton on a five-yard pass to give the Pride a 7-0 lead.

The Pride added to the lead with 4:23 left in the quarter when All-American Laquan Robinson ran under a punt and found some space down the left sideline for a 64-yard touchdown return. In the second quarter, the Pride took advantage of another opportunity, converting a 29-yard field goal from Matt Breslin after a drive of 51 yards.

Sophomore wide receiver Matt Atkinson (Media, Pa./Penncrest) did his best to get the Warriors back in the game on the next drive, catching a 27-yard reception at the 30-yard line with a leaping grab over a Widener defender before straddling the sideline for five yards. However, the drive once again came to a close when the Warriors failed to convert on fourth down and the Pride again capitalized as Brendan Curren plowed in from one-yard out with 6:18 left, giving Widener a 24-0 lead.

Another strong 62-yard punt return, this time from Anthony Davis to the nine-yard line helped set up a seven-yard touchdown run from Tevin Campbell gave the Pride a 31-0 lead with 2:12 left in the first half.

Klinger tied the school-record of 50 pass attempts, set by Phil Mann in 2003 against Delaware Valley, as he completed 24 and threw for 260 yards and a touchdown. He also ran 15 times for 45 yards and two touchdowns.

Showers finished with 19 rushes for 74 yards and a career-high eight catches for 46 yards. Campman added five receptions for 72 yards and a score and Atkinson posted five catches for 61 yards. Oliver had three receptions for 66 yards.

Haupt finished 21-of-36 for 198 yards, a touchdown and an interception and four receivers, Clayton, Davis and Couve LaFate each had 40 receiving yards.

Fenningham, senior Anthony Marascio (Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge) and sophomore Dwight Hentz (Halifax, Pa./Halifax) each led the team with six tackles, as Marascio added two tackles for loss along with junior Nate Oropollo (Aldan, Pa./Cardinal O’Hara), who also posted a sack. Junior Matt Talerico (Moosic, Pa./Riverside) posted four pass breakups.

Dylan Ditmer posted nine tackles and a forced fumble to lead Widener and Nick Rodriguez added eight tackles and three breakups.

The Warriors will get back on the field on Saturday, Oct. 1, after a bye week when they face Albright as part of the College's Family Weekend. Kick-off is set for 1:30 p.m.