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READING - Giving up just six first downs and 93 yards of total defense, the Lycoming College football team handed 48th-year defensive coordinator Steve Wiser the 67th shutout of his career while also helping coach Mike Clark become the second coach in program history with 75 career wins, as Lycoming cruised to a 48-0 win over Alvernia University on Saturday, Nov. 13, at the Turf Field.
Clark joins College Football Hall of Fame coach Frank Girardi (1972-07) as the only Lycoming coaches with 75 wins with the football team. Girardi posted a 257-97-5 record in his time at the helm. Clark is 75-57 since taking over the club in 2007.
Wiser, who has served under both coaches, joining Girardi's staff after graduating in 1974, meanwhile, helped the Warriors to their first clean sheet since a 52-0 win over Alvernia in 2018.
The win helps the Warriors finish alone in second place in the MAC, their highest finish in the league since claiming a piece of the league title in 2013. They also earn their second trip to the MAC-Centennial Bowl Series in four years and will host a game at 12 p.m. on Nov. 20 at David Person Field against an opponent to be named after the NCAA Championship selections are announced on Sunday.
Lycoming netted a season-best 242 yards rushing in the game, holding possession for more than 36 minutes to control the game from the outset. Senior quarterback Elijah Shemory, a Jersey Shore graduate, rushed 10 times for 56 yards to lead the way and he completed 7 of 15 passing for 101 yards and three touchdowns. Junior Kyle Powell, junior Joey Guida and senior Jacob Fimbres each rushed for touchdown.
Senior Tyjah During, Fimbres and junior Aaron Wolcott each caught touchdowns.
Junior David Tomb, a Jersey Shore graduate, paced the defense, making five tackles, three for loss to go with a sack. Sophomore Kevin Gianoni also had five tackles and a sack to go with an interception and senior Sam Pittsman also made five tackles. Senior Samir Brisbon (Bensalem, Pa./Bristol) had an interception and first-year Branson Dodson recovered a fumble in the end zone as well.
After a missed field goal on their opening drive, the Warriors scored on five of the next six to take a 35-0 lead into the break, while the defense allowed one first down in the first half.
The first score came when Lycoming drove 36 yards on five plays, with Guida rushing in from a yard out after he had a nine-yard reception the play before. On the next drive, Shemory and Fimbres combined to march the ball 59 yards on seven plays, with Fimbres scoring from a yard out. Powell opened the scoring in the second quarter with a two-yard run.
After Pittsman and senior Andre Jackson Jr. made a stop on fourth-and-1 at the Alvernia 30, Shemory found During for a score on the next play. Gianoni's interception on the next play set up another Warrior score, with Wolcott finding the end zone from nine yards out with 18 seconds left in the half.