In his first career start, quarterback Jay Huber saved his best drive for last, completing nine passes to four different receivers to lead his offense 80 yards down the field. He’d cap the 17-play drive off by finding Dawson Debebe for a five-yard score, putting the Warriors one two-point conversion away from tying the game with nine seconds to go in regulation.

But that valiant effort met a tragic end, as Huber’s next pass attempt to Debebe was broken up and Lyco’s ensuing onside attempt popped right into the hands of Catholic’s Nole Henry. On Saturday afternoon in front of its home crowd, Lycoming lost to the Cardinals, 14-12, dropping its first home game of the season and essentially crushing its hopes at a Landmark title.

“My main goal was obviously to just try again. The two-point didn’t go the way we wanted it to, but obviously sometimes it doesn’t go your way and that’s how the cookie crumbles,” said Huber on the sequence. “We should’ve won, and we’re going to come into next week ready for a Keystone team ready to beat us.”

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Lycoming's Jay Huber (5) lines up a pass during a college football game against Catholic University at David Person Field on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. Catholic won 14-12.

“I’ve got to be better in that situation. I’ve got to make that play; those are catches I make,” said Debebe on the play. “I was really proud of our guys for sticking in the game, being down the entire game and still being able to run that two-minute drill and get down the field.”

Though Huber’s 300 yards and one touchdown stand out on the stat sheet, that output came on 51 attempts. Multiple deep drives stalled and the success the team had running the ball in the first half dwindled considerably in the second, forcing them to throw the ball more than the coaching staff wanted to in his first start.

Two stalled red zones drives, two failed fourth down attempts inside Catholic’s 30-yard-line and two overthrows in the endzone cost the Warriors points, and that’s just the first half.

In the third quarter, Lyco had another red zone drive stall, culminating in zero points after its 36-yard field goal attempt from Kyle Flask (2-of-3) was blocked. Then, to start the fourth, it turned the ball over on downs after heading into the quarter three yards away from the goal line.

After having a decent amount of success in the red zone through the first half of the season, the Warriors turned five red zone trips on Saturday into 12 points, an average of less than a field goal per trip. Barring nothing changed defensively, a field goal on every red zone trip would’ve given it the win, with Lycoming head coach Mike Clark regretting not settling for three at the start of the fourth.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Lycoming's Ryan Pentz (5) intercepts a pass in the end zone during a college football game against Catholic University at David Person Field on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. Catholic won 14-12.

“This was very reminiscent of our Alfred scrimmage in that we were able to move the ball, we just couldn’t get in. It’s not good,” said Clark. “You should be able to win a game when you hold someone to 14. Stalling in the redzone, having to throw the ball 52 times, you just can’t do that. Not for a sophomore quarterback starting his first game. It’s not fair to him.”

Though Lyco’s defense had its own issues, allowing Daequan Harvin (32 carries, 157 yards) to set a new career high late in the second quarter as the Cardinals got out to a 14-3 lead, it stepped up its game after that to say the least.

With a chance for Catholic to go up by three scores before halftime, Ryan Pentz (two INTs) reeled in his first interception of the day in the endzone, with the Warrior offense building on that success by making it a 14-6 game at half.

From there, it did everything it could to keep it a one score game, bending at times but never breaking.

In the third quarter, it would allow the Cardinals to drive 62 yards down the field before forcing a turnover on downs. Then, with Catholic deep in field goal range and threatening to go up by two scores in the fourth, Tyler Marshall broke up a third down pass, which bounced right into linebacker Chris Kerns hands for a timely interception.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Lycoming's Terrence Oliver (7) runs a play during a college football game against Catholic University at David Person Field on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. Catholic won 14-12.

“I saw the ball get tipped and just tried to go make a play. Credit goes to T-Marsh, he made that play happen,” said Kerns on the play.

The Warrior offense kept stumbling, but the defense found a way to give the team a chance.

It would force a long field goal, which went wide left, a three-and-out and four-and-out before Lyco’s last hoorah took place. Though the unit surrendered 352 yards, it forced four turnovers, kept Catholic off the board on three separate redzone trips and allowed less than 15 points for the third time this season.

“We knew what they were going to run. They were running on us a little bit in the first half but in the second, we made the adjustments, cleaned it up and stopped them,” said Kerns. “I’m hoping that we can stick together, keep practicing and getting better.”

Offensively, Terrence Oliver (21 carries, 97 yards) fell just short of his eighth career 100-yard game and Dawson Debebe had a career day receiving wise, posting career bests in receptions (10) and yards (157) along with that late touchdown. Jared Zimmerman (5 receptions, 41 yards) and Colin McGrory (4 receptions, 36 yards) also saw career highs in the same categories.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Lycoming's Jordan Rhinehart (18) breaks up a pass intended for Catholic's Andrew Tabor during a college football game at David Person Field on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. Catholic won 14-12.

Even with more positives than its prior losses, the weight of the loss is heavier here.

A 0-2 record in Landmark play coupled with multiple strong teams at the top of the conference means its chances at a Landmark title might be too low to overcome. With that in mind, it may look to reevaluate its goals moving forward.

“It’s certainly not good to be sitting at 0-2 in conference play. I don’t see Susquehanna losing twice. So, I think our ability to win a conference championship certainly took a significant hit,” said Clark.

“I’d like to think we find a way to respond and play well. We have to continue to get better. I was proud that we hung in and were resilient, but I hate the loss. I hate the outcome.”

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Lycoming's Jay Huber (5) is pressured by Catholic's Sean Holt (93) during a college football game at David Person Field on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. Catholic won 14-12.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Catholic's Joe Golbin (18) looks to pass during a college football game against Lycoming at David Person Field on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. Catholic won 14-12.