WILLIAMSPORT, PA – Host Lycoming College used a 20-point third quarter outburst to push past Wilkes University 34-18 Saturday afternoon in both teams' Middle Atlantic Conference opener at David Person Field.

Wilkes slips to 1-1 overall and 0-1 in conference play following the loss. Lycoming improves to 1-1 on the year and starts 1-0 in MAC games.

Following a six play drive that stalled at their own 39, Wilkes was forced to punt on the game's opening possession. Lycoming took over at their own 14 thanks to a 48-yard punt from Jordan Fredo (Williamsport, PA/Williamsport Area).

On the Warriors first snap of the game, quarterback Tyler Jenny was sacked by Jon Koslop (Hazleton, PA/Hazleton) forcing Jenny to lose the football. The fumble would be recovered by Michael Paskas (Rutherford, NJ/Rutherford) at the Lycoming 10 setting up the Colonel offense. After a rush for no yards and a false start penalty, the Wilkes drive stalled and the Colonels were forced to attempt a 27-yard field goal. Fredo's kick rang true giving Wilkes an early 3-0 lead with 10:09 on the first quarter clock.

Lycoming took the ensuing kickoff and began another promising drive deep into Wilkes territory. The Colonel defense came up big again as Dylan Mohring (Mohrsville, PA/Schuylkill Valley) forced a Lycoming receiver to lose the ball at the Wilkes 4 recovering the ball on the same play.

The teams traded possessions until Jenny found Matt Atkinson for an 11-yard touchdown pass to give Lycoming its first lead of the contest, 7-3. Another Lycoming drive, this time a 6-play, 63-yard drive, was capped by a one yard rushing touchdown extending the Lycoming lead to 14-3 with 5:59 left until the half. The teams would go to the break with Lycoming leading 14-3.

The Warriors offense continued to roll in the third quarter outscoring Wilkes 20-0 in the frame. A 13-yard touchdown pass from Jenny to Atkinson followed by a 91-yard interception return pushed the Warrior lead to 27-3 midway through the third quarter. A 38-yard touchdown pass from Jenny to Ryan Umpleby concluded the Lycoming scoring in the frame as the Warriors led 34-3 after three stanzas.

Wilkes rallied to score 15 unanswered points in the final quarter, but it wasn't enough to complete the full comeback. Tyler Berntsen (Long Valley, NJ/West Morris Central) hit Ryan Casey (Manasquan, NJ/Manasquan) for a 26-yard touchdown pass capping off an 8-play, 67 yard drive on the Colonels first possession of the fourth cutting the deficit to 34-10. The Wilkes defense found a way to score late in the fourth as Marcus Leaf (Reading, PA/Berks Catholic) recovered a fumble in the Lycoming endzone for a defensive touchdown. PJ Incremona (Wood Ridge, NJ/Wood Ridge) ran for the two point conversion to make it 34-18 with 2:31 left. Lycoming used most of the clock on its next possession before punting. The Colonels ran out of time only getting off two snaps on the ensuing drive unable to make the full comeback.

Berntsen finished 11-for-27 passing for 152 yards and one touchdown. The Colonel ground game, which rushed for 263 yards and five scores against Morrisville, totaled just 107 yards not finding the endzone throughout the contest.

Jenny was the difference in the game for Lycoming going 20-for-21 for 305 yards and three touchdowns.

Defensively Wilkes was led by Tate Moore-Jacobs (New Cumberland, PA/Cedar Cliff) 13 tackles (0.5 tackle-for-loss). Omar Richardson (East Stroudsburg, PA/East Stroudsburg North) added eight stops while Paskas recorded seven tackles and the fumble recovery. Mohring and Leaf combined for 12 tackles with each recovering a Warrior fumble.

Tyler Denike and Tanner Troutman led the Lycoming defense with seven tackles each. As a team, Lycoming sacked Berntsen four times for a loss of 21 total yards.

Wilkes returns home next Saturday hosting Widener University (1-1) at 1:00 p.m. at Schmidt Stadium.