Box Score Box Score
LANCASTER, Pa. – Brendan Kilkenny blocked a 32-yard field goal attempt with 13 ticks on the clock to secure a 21-20 victory for Franklin & Marshall over Lycoming in the Centennial-MAC Bowl at Shadek Stadium. The Bowl win is the second consecutive for F&M and brought the Diplomats' mark to 8-3 this season, while the Warriors dropped to 5-6.
To watch the video of Kilkenny's game-preserving play, click here.
K.J. Pretty was named Most Valuable Player at the conclusion of the game.
Lycoming was in the driver's seat early in the first, taking a 13-0 lead with a little less than three minutes to play. The Diplomats answered on their ensuing possession with a 5-play, 61-yard drive capped off with a 31-yard touchdown run from Keshon Farmer with 46 seconds on the clock. Drew Thomlinson's point after brought the Diplomats within six, 13-7, heading into the second quarter.
The Warriors went up 20-7 early in the second with a 64-yard drive. The teams traded possessions over the next six minutes before F&M took over with a little under two minutes to play in the half. F&M drove 55 yards on six plays and Joe Hartley-Vittoria hit pay dirt from five yards out to make it a six-point, 20-14, game at the break.
F&M forced a three-and-out on the Warriors opening possession of the third quarter and took over on the Lycoming 32-yard line after a 22-yard punt return from Kevin Lammers. Three rushes from Hartley-Vittoria and an incomplete pass made it 3rd-and-8 on the Lycoming 20. On the next play, Tanner Erisman found K.J. Pretty for a 20-yard score and Tomlinson's point after put F&M up for good 21-20, with 11:18 left in the third.
The Diplomats withstood a 14-play, 51-yard drive by Warriors that resulted in a blocked field goal attempt by Matt Hamby on Lycoming's next possession. F&M went into ball control mode with two, five-minute drives that went into the fourth quarter with Lycoming taking over with a little more than three minutes play.
Lycoming connected on a 39-yard play and a 17-yard play and was set up on the F&M five-yard line with 18 ticks on the on the clock. Bobby McDevitt came away with a sack on the next play and the Warriors had to settle for a 32-yard field goal, which was blocked by Kilkenny.
Keshon Farmer picked up 94 yards on 15 carries with one score and Joe Hartley-Vittoria ended with 64 yards on 15 carries with one touchdown. Tanner Erisman completed 17-of-32 passes for 207 yards with one touchdown while K.J. Pretty ended with 95 yards on seven receptions and a score.
Stephon Smith ended with eight tackles (6 solo), while Matt Hamby had seven stops, including 3.5 for a loss and 2.5 sacks, a pass break up and a field goal block. Joe Granahan was in on seven stops with 1.5 sacks. Bobby McDevitt had 3.5 sacks and ended with six tackles and Sebastian Silva-Muniz also had six stops.
