WILLIAMSPORT, PA – After the Colonels scored on the game's opening drive, host Lycoming College scored 34 unanswered points, including 27 in the first half, on way to a 34-7 Middle Atlantic Conference victory over Wilkes University Saturday afternoon at David Person Field.
 
Wilkes slipped to 0-5 overall and 0-4 in MAC contests following the road defeat. Lycoming improved to 2-3 overall and evened its MAC mark at 2-2 after collecting the home league win.
 
After receiving the ball to begin the game the Colonels marched down the field on one of its most productive and longest drives of the season. Wilkes went to the ground game early with rushes on the first seven plays. Wade Rippeon (Damascus, MD/Damascus) called his own number from behind center five times collecting 26 yards in total moving the ball to the Lycoming 48.
 
Rippeon went to the air on the next play hitting tight end Garrett Armstrong (Hampton, NJ/Kittatinny) for a 13-yard gain. Another seven yard completion to Zach Bogoly (Easton, PA/Wilson Area) moved Wilkes to the Lycoming 19. Wilkes went back to the ground adding a first down with three short runs before Shane Deemer (Washington, NJ/Warren Hills) took home a three-yard carry to give the Colonels a 7-0 lead after a Mike Hauck (Fredericksburg, PA/Northern Lebanon) extra point. In all, the drive went 16-plays and 86 yards covering 4:36 of the first quarter.
 
Lycoming answered on its first drive of the game using a 20-yard pitch and catch from Chase Williams to Nick Costello to get into the end zone with 7:42 left in the first quarter. The Lycoming defense gave the hosts its first advantage of the game when Trey Smith picked off a Rippeon pass and return the ball 39 yards for the defensive score on the ensuing possession.
 
Lycoming tried to add to the touchdown lead late in the first quarter, but a 33-yard field goal was blocked by Wilkes as the hosts settled for a 14-7 lead after one.
 
The Warriors used good field position to start the second quarter and turned it into three points when Jamie Fisher's 32-yard field goal sailed through the uprights pushing the Lycoming lead to 17-7. The teams traded punts over the next four possessions before another Fisher field goal, this time from 23-yards, upped the advantage to 20-7 with 3:33 left in the first half.
 
Rippeon was picked off for the second time in the half late in the second quarter and Lycoming took advantage of the miscue with a 45-yard touchdown pass from Williams to Dante Gipson to give the Warriors a 27-7 lead at the break.
 
Lycoming added its fourth score of the game late in the third frame when Williams used his feet out of the pocket rushing 64 yards for a Warrior touchdown.
 
Of its seven possessions of the second half, six ended in punts for the Colonels and one on turnover of downs as the Wilkes offense struggled to find its rhythm to mount a comeback.
 
Rippeon finished 17-of-28 passing for 112 yards and the two interceptions. He found some room on the ground rushing 17 times for 34 yards, both season-highs.
 
Deemer finished with 15 carries for 43 yards and the lone Colonel score. Armstrong, Bogoly, Jeff Steeber (Berwick, PA/Berwick) and Austin Krauss (Kintersville, PA/Palisades) all posted three receptions with eight Colonels making at least one catch on the day.
 
Williams was the story for Lycoming finishing 20-of-33 passing for 270 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing 12 times for 109 yards and one more score.
 
Jordan Stiles (Camp Hill, PA/Cedar Cliff) led Wilkes defensively with a team-high nine tackles.
 
Wilkes returns home for the first time in three weeks next Saturday when its welcomes Widener University to Schmidt Stadium on Homecoming. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.