Lycoming football hopes to shake off last week’s loss
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After giving up 541 yards of total offense -- almost 300 of which came from the air and 243 on the ground -- Lycoming coach Mike Clark knew immediately after last Saturday's game what they needed to take away from their heartbreaking 30-28 loss to Montclair State
"We're going to have to get better at stopping the run and trust the freshmen wide receivers like we did in the second half. They dared us to throw the ball in the first half adn we werne't good at it, right?" Clark said. "They weren't going to let Terrence (Oliver) beat them, they weren't going to let Brendan Clark beat them. We have to find some ways to be creative and I thought we were much better offensively in the second half."
Lycoming let a 28-19 lead slip away with 6:38 to play. That's when Clark caught an 8-yard touchdown pass from Joe Lyons. But Montclair State used its next possession to drive and use eight plays to score on a 1-yard Diante Wilson run to cut the deficit to 28-27 with 4:17 left.
The Red Haks then had one final possession and kicked a game-winning 21-yard field goal as time expired.
Lycoming had a chance to stop Montclair State on that drive on a fourth-and-four, but Luke Heinrich kept the drive alive en route to the go-ahead field goal.
"We were up nine points with six, six and a half minutes to go and give them 30 yards of penalties," Clark said. "On late screen we have a false start on a play where I'd love those yards too because then they're never in a situation to score and kick at the end of the game."
Now Lycoming wants to shake that loss off and get to 2-1 as the Warriors travel to Dickinson for a 1 p.m. game today. It's the first of back-to-back road trips for the Warriors who don't return to David Person Field at Girardi Stadium until Saturday, Oct. 3 against Catholic.
Lycoming standout running back Oliver was limited on Saturday against Montclair State as the Red Hawks did well containing him and not letting him use his legs to make explosive plays.
Oliver had just 80 yards on 20 carries while Joe Lyons threw for just 169 on 14 for r27 passing with two touchdowns. Oliver is a player who can make nothing into something when he has the ball, and an explosive playmaker the Warriors know can help turn a game around.
"It's great having Terrence," Hughesville graduate and Lycoming defensive back Aiden Barlett said. "He's an incredible athlete. That's just a kid you know is going to get his touchdowns and going to score."
Dickinson beat Lycoming last year, 52-29, in Williamsport. It was the Warriors' first game vs. Dickinson since 1989.
Dickinson won its season opener against Randolph-Macon College, 27-14, before suffering a 28-14 loss last week to Davidson College on the road. Against Davidson College, Dickinson allowed Casey Bullock to throw for 293 yards while Ben Klassen had 140 passing.
Dickinson running back Dane Sorenson ran for 94 yards on just four attempts and a touchdown, averaging an impressive 23.5 yards per carry. He'll look to run well against Lyocming as well, although the Warriors' defense has played well.
"We just play as a unit and play as one," Barlett said. " Just stop the other team. We have to keep preparing week in and week out."
Sorenson has rushed for 242 yards in two games with three touchdowns and is averaging 9.7 this season on the ground. Klessen has thrown for 270 yards in two games as well.
Both Lycoming and Dickinson are coming off losses and both are hoping to rebound this week as they face off against one another. That means both teams come into Saturday's matchup motivated and eager to win.