FINAL STATS
Albany, NY – The Wagner College football team fought gallantly against first-place Albany before coming up on the short end of a 30-11 decision on a wet, blustery afternoon at University Field.
With the victory, the Great Danes clinch the outright Northeast Conference (NEC) championship, finishing the regular season with an 8-3 overall record and a perfect 7-0 mark in league play. The Great Danes will represent the NEC in the third annual Gridiron Classic vs. the Pioneer Conference Champion on Sat., Dec. 6. With the loss, Wagner ends the season with a 3-8 record, 1-6 in NEC play.
The Seahawks put up a good fight against of the top mid-major FCS programs in the nation. Herb Glass gave the Great Danes a 3-0 lead on a 49-yard field goal with 4:20 left in the first quarter. Wagner answered with a 31-yard field goal by senior Eric Ortiz (Vista, CA/ Oceanside, CA). Albany took the lead for a good on a quick-strike three-play, 56-yard drive which was capped y a 35-yard TD pass from QB Vinny Esposito to WR Tim Bush that made it 9-3 with 13:26 left in the first half.
Wagner blocked the extra point attempt and junior CB Jorel Joseph (Fairfax Station, VA/ Bishop Ireton) scooped it up and raced up the right sideline 85 yards for a rare defensive PAT, worth two points, which cut the deficit to 9-5.
Junior QB Adam Farnsworth (North Ogden, UT/ Univ. of Iowa) was picked off at the Albany three-yard line by linebacker Emerson Kinsey which quelled a serious Wagner scoring opportunity. Albany then closed the half with an impressive 11-play, 91-yard drive that was capped by an 11-yard TD run by TB David McCarty, who became Albany's career and single-season rushing leader on that play. The McCarty TD gave Albany a 16-5 halftime lead.
Great Dane CB Daniel Avery put the game out of reach with 8:43 left in the third quarter when he intercepted a pass by senior QB Matt Abbey (La Canada, CA/ St. Francis Prep), who replaced Farnsworth in the second quarter, and raced 56 yards for a TD that widened the lead to 23-5. Trailing 30-5, Wagner scored its lone TD of the game with 3:00 left when junior QB Tyler Newberry (Germantown, MD/ Mercersburg Prep) hit junior TE Morgan Mizell (New Rochelle, NY/ Fordham Prep) in the end zone. The two-point attempt failed, fashioning the final score at 30-11.
It was Newberry's second career TD pass and Mizell's third career TD reception. Freshman RB Prince Young (Neptune, NJ/ Fork Union) looked sharp in the opening half with 75 yards on 16 carries before suffering an injury during the second quarter which caused him to sit out the second half. Wagner was already without junior RB Shane Smith (Susquehanna, PA/ Milford) who was injured in practice prior to the Nov. 8 game vs. Duquesne.
All three Wagner QBs struggled against Albany's stout defense. Farnsworth completed just 2-of-12 passes for 15 yards and two INTs. Abbey was 2-of-7 for eight yards with the one INT. Newberry completed 7-of-18 passes for 46 yards, all career highs. All told, the three Wagner QBs combined for 11-of-37 passing for 69 yards and three INTs.
For Albany, Esposito was 15-of-25 passing for 197 yards and two TDs while McCarty gained 104 yards on 28 carries. Bush wound up with 141 yards receiving on 10 catches. Linebacker
Chris Simpson and DL Eddie Delaney led Albany defensively with seven tackles each.
NOTES - Junior WR Lon Woods (St. Petersburg, FL/ J.P. Taravella) returned to the lineup after missing two games due to injury, and caught four passes for 29 yards. Woods finished the season as Wagner's top receiver with 41 catches for 422 yards in just nine games of action. Sophomore WR Tyrone Collins (Geneva, NY/ Geneva) also had a sterling season with 37 receptions for 398 yards. Senior LB Jason Haskins (Cliffwood Beach, NJ/ Kean Univ.) led the Wagner defense in tackles with 12 while junior LB Olatunde Ogunlana (Staten Island, NY/ Tottenville) added nine stops. Haskins finished the season tops in tackles on the team with 102, followed by sophomore DB Stefen Gage (Syracuse, NY/ Henninger) who made 95 stops.
