Box Score Lycoming used two third-quarter touchdowns to hold off a feisty Misericordia University football team 28-14, Saturday afternoon at Mangelsdorf Field.

Jeff Puckett led the Cougars with two touchdown passes and added 118 yards rushing while Juwan Petties-Jackson and Ryan Kurtz both had touchdown receptions.

Craig Needhammer (248 yards) and Blake Bowman (178) combined to for 426 yards on the ground for the Warriors.

With Misericordia trailing 14-7 at halftime, the Cougars forced a punt on the opening drive of the second half, but the Warriors took advantage of an MU turnover to go up by two scores and added a TD late in the third quarter to take a 28-7 lead.

After going three-and-out on the game's opening drive, the Cougars forced a Lycoming punt and took over at their own 33 yard line.

Puckett popped outside on a keeper and picked a first down at the 43.  Petties-Jackson picked up a first down into Lycoming territory on a quick slant, but the drive stalled at the Warriors' 41.

Facing third-and-seven from their own 27, Lyco's Tyler Jenny found Ryan Umpleby for a 27-yard strike across midfield.

A holding penalty backed the Warriors up, but Needhammer rambled down the left sideline for 26 yards to the Misericordia30.

Four straight runs by Needhammer set up first-and-goal at the nine and Jenny connected with Matt Cookson for a 10-yard touchdown with 2:20 remaining in the first quarter.

The Cougars responded with a 12-play, 56-yard drive deep into Lycoming territory.

Brandon Leap hit Colton Pyne over the middle for seven yards and hit Petties-Jackson on a quick out for a first down at the 43 yard line.

Pyne made a nice catch on an out for eight yards into Lycoming territory.

Puckett broke a tackle and picked up 12 yards up the middle for a first down at the Lycoming 37 and had another 12-yard gain for a first down at the 22.

The Warriors stopped the threat with an interception at their own two yard line on fourth-and-five.

Bowman went 15 yards to the 31 and Jenny converted a big third down play with a 17-yard strike to Ryan Umpleby.  A facemask penalty on the Cougars moved the ball to the MU 32.

Bagasevich batted down a potential scoring pass on first down, but Bowman went 24 yards on the next play inside the 10 and Jenny hit Corey Talerico for three the score on third and goal and a 14-0 lead.

Michael Cheslock went around left end for seven yards on the next possession and Puckett stutter-stepped for a 16-yard gain across midfield. 

On the next play Puckett hit a streaking Petties-Jackson in stride for a 47-yard touchdown with 4:38 left in the second quarter.

The teams exchanged punts with Lycoming setting up for a last-minute drive at their own nine yard line.

Two Needhammer runs moved the ball to midfield, but MU's Matt Martin made a leaping interception on the final play of the first half.

The Cougars held the Warriors to just two yards on the first series of the second half, but the Warriors recovered a fumble on the ensuing punt deep in MU territory.

Jenny found Cam Kriner for 13 yards on fourth-and-eight and Needhammer eventually leaped over the pile from one yard out to make it 21-7 midway through the third quarter.

Cheslock took a shovel pass on the first play around right end for a first down at the MU 29. 

After hitting Randy Custodio across the middle for 11 yards to the 45, Puckett weaved his way for eight yards to the Lycoming 47.

The drive stalled, but Patrick Newins' 45-yard punt was downed at the Lyco four yard line.

Needhammer broke free down the left sideline, but was caught from behind by Bagasevich after a 90-yard run to set up first-and-goal at the MU six yard line.

The Cougars' defense stiffened and Lycoming eventually missed a short field goal attempt.

Lycoming forced a three-and-out and Bowman went 52 yards on the ensuing drive for a 28-7 lead with less than a minute to play in the third quarter.

After a pass interference penalty gave the Cougars a third down, Leap found Tom Stelzer down the middle for 20 yards to near midfield.

Puckett dodged a tackler to go off right tackle on back-to-back plays and hurdled a defender up the middle for a first down to the Warriors 22.

Kurtz made a diving grab in the end zone on the next play for a 22-yard score to get MU with 28-14 early in the fourth quarter.

A 44-yard gain by Bowman helped set up a first-and-goal for the Warriors, but the Cougars forced a fumble at the goal line on third down and Dom Picarillo recovered in the end zone.

Puckett broke a tackle for a nine-yard gain on a key third down conversion and then hit Petties-Jackson on a 15-yard slant to midfield.

Pyne made a nice grab for a 22-yard gain on fourth-and-11 to move to the Lycoming 29.

After a holding penalty backed the Cougars up, Rowe had two grabs for seven yards to set up a fourth-and-six at the Lycoming 25.

Kurtz hauled in a short pass and broke a tackle, but was stopped just short of the marker and Warriors took over on downs.

Picarillo and Salazar led the MU defense with 11 tackles and a fumble recovery while Rob Hart and Sean Weg had nine stops.

Bagasevich had seven tackles and two pass breakups for the MU.