Second Heartbreaker For Wilkes After Not Holding A Late Lead Vs. Lycoming, Colonels Have Lost Twice By 11 Total Points.

Times Leader Staff
Sunday, September 19, 2004 Page: 1C

WILLIAMSPORT – It was a frantic fourth quarter between Wilkes and host
Lycoming on Saturday at Homecoming at David Person Field.

However, it was an all-too-familiar ending for the Colonels. For the second
consecutive week, Wilkes fell short in the final minutes in a 21-13 Middle
Atlantic Conference loss.
Lycoming, held scoreless through the first 56 minutes, improved to 1-1
overall and in the MAC thanks to three fourth-quarter touchdowns, including a
Matt Murdock 58-yard interception return with six seconds left in the game.

There were two lone bright spots for Wilkes (0-2 overall) after its ninth
loss in the past 10 games against Lycoming.

Senior tailback Brett Trichilo became the No. 1 all-time rusher in the MAC
and school history. He carried 24 times for 81 yards, giving him 4,422 yards
for his career, moving him past former Wilkes standout Mike Hankins (4,399
yards 1996-99).

Also, because of a scheduling quirk, the loss will not count against Wilkes
in the MAC standings, leaving the Colonels at 0-1 in the conference after a
season-opening 38-35 loss to Albright.

Trichilo’s 4-yard touchdown run in the second quarter gave Wilkes a 7-0
lead. That was all the scoring until a wild fourth quarter.

Lycoming quarterback Phil Mann capped a 10-play, 47-yard drive with a


On Wilkes’ ensuing drive, backup quarterback Brock Snyder connected with
Trichilo for a 12-yard screen pass on third-and-10. On the next play, Snyder
hit Wyoming Valley West graduate Jim Jordan for a 50-yard touchdown pass. Kyle
Devlin’s extra-point kick missed and the Colonels led 13-7 with 2:40 to play.

Lycoming took over, but Mann missed on his first three pass attempts. A
roughing-the-passer penalty on Wilkes kept the drive alive. After two
third-down conversions, Mann and tailback Dan Snee, brother of Montrose High
School graduate and current New York Giants lineman Chris Snee, hooked up for
a 6-yard touchdown pass. That gave Lycoming a 14-13 lead with 56 seconds left.

The Colonels started their ensuing drive at their 30, but two plays later,
Murdock stepped in front of Snyder’s second-and-10 offering.

Snyder, a sophomore, replaced junior starter Duran Porrino, who was pulled
in the second quarter after going 1-of-4 for 15 yards. Snyder finished 6-of-16
for 93 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions.

It was another loss in which Wilkes won many statistical categories. Wilkes
outgained Lycoming 248-246 and recorded six sacks, but again lost the turnover
battle (4-1).

Linebacker Tyler Henninger led the Colonels defense with 10 tackles and two
sacks.