WASHINGTON D.C. – A pair of one-yard rushing touchdowns late in the fourth quarter helped the Lycoming College football team comeback for its first Landmark Conference win, 28-25, over Catholic University, at Cardinal Stadium on Saturday afternoon, Oct. 14.
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Down 17-14, the Warriors (1-5 overall 1-1 Landmark) forced a punt with 11:35 left that was downed at their own 44-yard line. A pair of first down completions, the second on 4-and-5 at the Catholic 40 for a six-yard gain to junior
Jacob Shermeyer (Harrisburg, Pa./East Pennsboro) got the ball past midfield before junior quarterback
Will Fish (Sroudsburg, Pa./East Stroudsburg) found senior
Brandon Timothy (Woodland Park, N.J./Passaic Valley) for a 16-yard completion to get the ball in the redzone. First-year running back
Quasim Benson (Wilmington, Del./St. Elizabeth) took it from there, busting into the end zone four plays later from a yard out, giving Lycoming a 21-17 lead with 6:15 left.
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A high snap stalled Catholic's ensuing drive with a 27-yard loss and on 4-and-30, a muffed snap on a punt led to sophomore
Ryan Pentz (Mill Hall, Pa./Central Mountain) falling on the ball at the one-yard line. On the next play, first-year
Terrence Oliver (Sharon Hill, Pa./Academy Park) found the end zone to make it 28-17.
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The Cardinals (2-5 overall, 0-3 Landmark) cut the lead to three with a 35-yard touchdown pass to Preston Jeffrey with 1:34 left, but junior
Joey Rivituso (Easton, Pa./Notre Dame-Green Pond) fell on the ensuing onside kick. Catholic got the ball back with 1:05 left, but sophomore
Jordan Rhinehart (Upper Darby, Pa./Father Judge) intercepted a pass on the sideline after first-year
David Schley (Burlington, N.J./Burlington Township) nearly posted a sack and rushed the throw.
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The Warriors rushed 45 times for 243 yards in the contest, with Benson finishing with 127 yards and a score on 21 carries and Oliver rushing 16 times for 107 yards and a score. It was the first time the Warriors had two 100-yard rushers in the same game since Jacob Fimbres and Keith Batkowski each did it against Widener in 2018.
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Timothy caught four passes for 111 yards and a score and junior
Billy Coppock (Collingdale, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) added five catches for 84 yards and a score. Fish was 13-of-32 for 216 yards and two touchdowns.
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Rhinehart finished with eight tackles and the interception and Pentz added six stops, a fumble recovery and a breakup. Senior
Austin Rowley (Schwenksville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) had six stops and three breakups and junior
Matt Trolinger (Carlisle, Pa./Carlisle) also had six stops.
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After Catholic scored on a 13-play, 91-yard drive, the Warriors answered on just the third play of the ensuing drive, with Fish finding Timothy for a 71-yard strike over the middle to tie the game. After a Catholic field goal, the Warriors took the lead with a four-play, 69-yard drive, scoring on a 40-yard connection from Fish to Coppock with 45 seconds left in the first half, helping Lycoming take a 14-10 lead into the break.
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Catholic scored on a 56-yard drive in the third quarter to take a 17-14 lead and set up the Warrior comeback.
Nico Casares finished 45-of-67 for 399 yards and three touchdowns, as Catholic threw for 445 yards and ran for just 17 in the game. Jeffrey caught nine passes for 159 yards and a score and Anthony Giordano had 11 receptions for 94 yards. John Mayes caught seven passes for 82 yards and a touchdown.
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Luke Brautigan had 10 tackles and Carson Henry had nine tackles, two for loss for the Cardinals.
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The Warriors are back on the field on Saturday, Oct. 21, when they head to Keystone College for a 1 p.m. Landmark Conference matchup.
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