Lycoming College

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — The Lycoming College football team defeated Western Connecticut State University, 48-7, on Saturday, Oct. 24, in a Landmark Conference game. The Warriors scored 48 unanswered points across seven scoring drives after falling behind by a touchdown as the squad produced five red-zone scores for the second consecutive game.
 
Lycoming is 5-3 overall and 4-0 in conference play. WestConn is 2-4 overall and 1-2 in conference play.
 
Junior Khalil Johnson (Laurel, Md./Atholton) recorded a season-high 10 tackles, a career-high two sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery that he returned 35 yards for a touchdown. Sophomore Trinity Hill-Caleb (Suitland, Md./Suitland) added five tackles, a career-high three sacks and a career-high two forced fumbles.
 
Junior Louie Shank (Carlisle, Pa./Carlisle) has 50 total tackles for the season after making eight in the game, and sophomore Yahseam Stokes (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic) reached 50 career tackles, with three recorded in the game. Sophomore Evan Woodward (Granville Summit, Pa./Troy) reached the 50-tackle career milestone, and junior Aiden Barlett (Hughesville, Pa./Hughesville) reached the five career-interception milestone.
 
Senior Terrence Oliver (Sharon Hill, Pa./Academy Park) rushed 19 times for 93 yards and a touchdown, giving him at least one rushing touchdown in two straight games, moving with 110 yards of the school record of 3,713 held by Craig Needhammer '14. Junior Joe Lyons (Margate City, N.J./Atlantic City) completed 6-of-13 passing for 114 yards and a touchdown and added a rushing score. As a team, Lycoming recorded a season-high eight sacks, recovered three fumbles and scored a season-high five rushing touchdowns.
 
The Warriors answered WestConn's opening touchdown with a 10-play, 65-yard drive, using a 21-yard third-down completion from Lyons to first-year David Grayton (Hagerstown, Pa./Williamsport) before Lyons scored from 2 yards out to tie it at 7-7. On WestConn's next play, Hill-Caleb forced a fumble that senior Mason Woodward (Granville Summit, Pa./Troy) recovered at the WestConn 6. It was Woodward's first fumble recovery of the season. Oliver scored two plays later on a 6-yard run, and the Warriors finished the first quarter ahead 14-7.
 
Lycoming extended the lead in the second quarter when Johnson sacked Dylan Jackson, recovered the fumble and returned it 35 yards for a touchdown at 12:34. After an onside kick gave the Warriors the ball at the WestConn 36, thanks to a perfect pooch kick from sophomore Vasco Granitto (Dover, Del./Polytech) and a recovery from junior Pat Gallagher (Downingtown, Pa./Bishop Shanahan). Junior Spencer Ferguson (Downingtown, Pa./Coatesville Area) capped an eight-play drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to make it 28-7. Ferguson has recorded a touchdown in two consecutive games.
 
The Warriors' defense kept WestConn scoreless in the quarter with four sacks, including sophomore Christon Mitchell-Brown's fourth-down stop at the Warriors' 24-yard line. Mitchell-Brown (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) has reached 52 total tackles.
 
Lycoming extended the lead again in the third quarter at 8:17, when Lyons hit senior Brendan Clark (Montoursville, Pa./Loyalsock Township) for a 55-yard touchdown made it 35-7. The defense then kept WestConn off the board on a 14-play possession, getting a fourth-down stop at the Warriors' 19-yard line after pressure from Mitchell-Brown and Johnson.
 
The Warriors turned a muffed punt into points early in the fourth quarter, with junior Braden Baum (Salisbury, Md./Parkside) recovering at the WestConn 8 before sophomore Elijah Jordan (Jersey Shore, Pa./Jersey Shore) scored from one yard out for a score in his second consecutive game. The defense kept WestConn off the board in the quarter, recording two sacks and holding the visitors to minus-7 rushing yards.
 
Lycoming added a 71-yard scoring drive late, highlighted by a 34-yard completion from first-year Jason Lajara (Brick, N.J./Brick Memorial) to first-year Isaiah Johnson (Laurel, Md./Laurel) before first-year Dylan Cerciello (Saddle Brook, N.J./Saddle Brook) scored his first career rushing touchdown on a 2-yard trample to close out the 48-7 win.
 
Jordan Tyler recorded a team-high nine tackles, including one sack, and recovered a fumble for WestConn. Jackson completed 12-of-24 passes for 116 yards and one touchdown. Jayden Leroy caught five passes for a team-high 51 yards, and Dallas West added two receptions for 23 yards and a touchdown.
 
Up next, the Warriors host Susquehanna in a battle of first-place Landmark Conference teams on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 1 p.m. at David Person Field at Girardi Stadium in Williamsport, Pa.