FINAL STATS

Albany, NY - Albany used a big second-half performance en route to a 24-14 win over Wagner in Northeast Conference (NEC) action at University Field earlier this afternoon. In defeat, the Seahawks fall to 5-5 and 3-4 in the NEC while the Great Danes improve to 5-5 and 3-4 in the league.

The Green & White dominated the statistical scoreboard in the first half but could only muster 14 points and turned the ball over twice in the second half. Down 10 points late in the third quarter, Wagner was stopped on a key fourth-and-goal play at the one-yard line and could never really recover as the Great Danes won their 10th straight game against the Seahawks and 13th in 14 all-time meetings.

Sophomore Nick Doscher (Staten Island, NY / Moore Catholic) turned in a solid performance, going 19-for-31 in the air for 251 yards and one touchdown while also picking up a team-best 76 yards on 20 carries for a combined 327 yards of total offense. Junior David Crawford (Hebron, TX / Carrollton) was the main beneficiary from Doscher, hauling in five passes for a career-best 117 yards in recording his second career 100-yard performance. Senior Tyrone Collins (Geneva, NY / NY) also had a big game, catching five passes for 66 yards and his fourth touchdown of the year.

Albany got the opening kickoff of the third period and marched downfield to the tune of 64 yards on five rushing attempts. All 64 yards were picked up by Dillon Romain, who capped the scoring strike with a 25-yard rushing touchdown. Following the Herb Glass extra point the Great Danes led 21-14.

Starting at his own 25-yard line, Doscher began the next drive with a 40-yard pass to Crawford bringing the ball to the Albany 35-yard line. After a three-yard pick-up by senior Eric Foxworth (Trenton, NJ / Holy Cross) and a personal foul penalty, Doscher hooked up with Crawford on a 17-yard pass to the five-yard line before fumbling the ball out of bounds, resulting in the Great Danes securing possession at their own 20-yard line. Albany would take advantage as Glass booted a 37-yard field goal, extending the lead out to 24-14.

On the ensuing drive, the Seahawks appeared poised to dent the scoreboard but had their drive stall at the one-yard line on a Great Danes defensive stand.

Albany then for all intents and purposes put the game away as the Great Danes ran off a 16-play, 94-yard drive that took 9:47 off the clock. Included on the back-breaking drive was 93 yards rushing from Romain on 11 carries. The Seahawk defense would, however, keep Albany off the scoreboard, when senior #T.J. Czeski# (Amsterdam, NY / Amsterdam) blocked Glass' 23-yard attempt while giving the Green & White one more shot with 8:06 to play.

Unfortunately, Doscher would throw an interception and Albany ran the clock out en route to the 24-14 win.

The teams went into intermission tied at 14-14. Wagner won the statistical battle with Albany in the first half, holding advantages in total plays (49-22), time of possession (20:21-9:39), first downs (12-4), total yards (231-110), rushing yards (120-24) and passing yards (111-86). The Seahawk defense also stood tall, forcing a pair of fumbles.

Wagner took advantage of the first Albany turnover for the first score of the game. Great Dane punt returner Ryan Kirchner fumbled the ball after running into his own man on a Kyle Muir (Sr., Spencerport, NY / Spencerport) kick. Junior Dom Gaston (Phillipsburg, NJ / Bergen Catholic) pounced on the ball at the Albany 23-yard line, giving the Green & White a fresh set of down. Foxworth picked up four yards on the ground on the next play before Doscher evaded the blitz and found a wide-open Collins going across the middle for an easy 19-yard touchdown. Sophomore David Lopez (Plantation, FL / American Heritage) kicked the extra point, making it 7-0 at the 4:22 mark of the first quarter.

Albany immediately responded when Buddy Leathley found Kevin Chillis on a 49-yard scoring strike before tying the game up at 7-7 on a Herb Glass extra point with 2:45 to go in the opening quarter. The Great Danes caught a break when Leathley's pass was tipped by senior Stefen Gage (Syracuse, NY / Henninger) into the hands to Chillis.

Kirchner would atone for his earlier fumble when he returned a punt 80 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter. After the Glass extra point, Albany led 14-7 with 11:54 until halftime.

Wagner would answer with a 12-play, 88-yard scoring drive that took 5:58 off the clock. Doscher picked up two huge first downs on the drive with a nifty 10-yard pass to Collins on a 3rd-and-5 before rushing for 12 yards on a 3rd-and-4 play. Doscher was 4-of-5 for 39 yards in the air while Foxworth rushed for 32 yards on five plays, highlighted by an 11-yard touchdown scamper at the 5:48 mark of the second quarter. The Seahawks tied the game up at 14-14 on Lopez's second extra point of the game.

The Green & White had a chance to reclaim the lead but a late first-half drive came up empty at the Great Danes 36-yard line.

Sophomore Nick Suppes (Dumont, NJ / Dumont) had a team-high 12 tackles while Czeski collected nine tackles in front of hometown fans.

Romain led Albany with 193 yards and one touchdown on 28 carries. Leathley was 8-of-15 for 150 yards and one touchdown.

Great Danes coach Bob Ford picked up his 246th career win while keeping his former assistant Walt Hameline stuck on 200.

Wagner concludes its season at Sacred Heart on Saturday, November 20 at 1:00 pm.