FINAL STATS
PHOTO GALLERY
Staten Island, NY– Wagner fifth-year senior running back
Dominique Williams (Bridgeton, NJ/Bridgeton/Milford Academy) rushed for 177 yards on 31 carries, highlighted by a 73-yard third-quarter touchdown jaunt, but it was not enough as Robert Morris scored a late TD of its own to pull out a 17-13 win.
Williams has now passed an iconic name for the third spot on the Seahawk all-time rushing list, as his 4,221 career yards surpass the 4,177 yards gained by Hall of Fame member
Alonzo Patterson between 1979 and 1982.
With the victory, RMU improves to 3-4 on the season while evening its Northeast Conference (NEC) record at 1-1 while the Seahawks fall to 2-6 overall, 1-3 in league play,
The Colonials took their first lead of the game when sophomore quarterback Marcus Prather, starting in place of the injured Paul Jones, found tight end Tyler Digby in the end zone for an 11-yard score on a gutsy fourth-and-two call with 1:17 left in the game that erased a 13-10 deficit and lifted RMU to the victory.
This was largely a defensive-minded affair, with the teams combining for 11 punts on the crisp, sunny afternoon. Wagner got on the board first when fifth-year senior kicker
David Lopez (Plantation, FL/ American Heritage), seeing his first action since suffering a sprained ankle at Delaware on Sept. 21, boomed a 37-yard field goal with 37 seconds remaining in the opening quarter.
The Seahawk scoring opportunity was set up when redshirt sophomore cornerback
Deangelo James (Miami, FL/American Senior) pounced on a fumble at the Colonials' 28-yard line. The score remained 3-0 until RMU knotted the game at 3-3 when Connor Shennan split the uprights from 28 yards out with 2:40 left in the half.
Redshirt freshman
Chris Andrews (Queens, NY/St. Joseph's/Valley Forge Academy) gained his second career start for the Seahawks and played all but the final drive of the first half before giving way to senior
Kramer Berg (Plymouth, MN / Wayzata/ Rochester Community & Technical) who came on with 1:17 to go in the half. The Colonials had a golden chance to take the halftime lead when linebacker Mike Cook intercepted a Berg pass over the middle at the Colonial 40 and returned it 43 yards to the Seahawk seven with seven seconds to go in the half.
With one time out left, Prather completed a two-yard pass to Digby who was tackled in the middle of the field with 0.5 seconds remaining as the Colonials were able to get a timeout called in the nick of time. Shennan's 32-yard field goal misfired as time expired, sending the teams to their respective locker rooms with the game tied at 3-3.
Less than three minutes into the second half, Williams sent a charge through the homestanding crowd of 2,115 fans when he took a Berg handoff around left end and sprinted 73 yards up the sideline to pay dirt. The 73-yard run by Williams put Wagner in front by a 10-3 count and was his longest of the season, bettering the 52-yard run he had vs. Bryant (9/28). It was also the fourth-longest run of his career.
The Seahawks took that 10-3 lead into the fourth quarter. The momentum swung in RMU's direction when Eddie Antwan returned an #A.J. Firestone# (Mercersburg, PA/Mercersburg/Penn St.) 25 yards to the Seahawk 35. A late-hit penalty tacked on to the end of the run allowed the Colonials to set up shop at the Wagner 20. After a first-down incompletion, the Seahawks were flagged with another personal foul which made it first-and-goal inside the Wagner 10. Prather then hit wide receiver Duane Mitchell on a 10-yard strike with 7:09 to play to tie game at 10-10.
Using a mixture of Williams on the ground with three completions to junior wide receiver
Anthony Carrington (Toms River, NJ/Toms River North), Berg march the Seahawks down to the Colonials' 19. On third-and-five, Berg was sacked and on came Lopez to drill a pressure-packed 37-yard field goal to put Wagner back out front 13-10 with just 3:01 left in the game.
Prather then went to work on the ensuing drive. On second-and-10, he hit Mitchell for a 19-yard pickup to the Seahawk 44. A 15-yard strike to tight end Andrew Smith along the left sideline, was followed by a 10-yard completion to Mitchell that gave RMU a first-and-10 at the Wagner 19. On third-and-10, Prather hit Mitchell for eight yards, bringing about the pivotal 4
th-and-2 at the Seahawk 11 with 1:23 left.
With Shennan having already missed two field goals, the Colonials' opted to go for it and Digby was able to work his way open in the back of the end zone to haul in the 11-yard go-ahead score from Prather.
On its next possession, Berg hit Carrington on a pair of eight-yard completions and followed with an 11-yard strike to senior wide receiver
Tyree Watkins (Camden, NJ/Camden/Duke) that gave Wagner life and a first down at the RMU 41. After Berg picked up three yards on a scramble to make it second-and-seven at the Colonials' 38, RMU defensive back Eric Lowry stepped in front of Carrington to pick off Berg's next aerial at the Colonials' 12, snuffing out the drive and sending the visitors into the win column.
Seeing the first extended action of his career, Prather finished 17-of-33 passing for 204 yards and two touchdowns. Mitchell turned in a terrific performance for the Colonials, corralling eight passes for 141 yards.
The Seahawk defense did a yeoman's job bottling up the RMU rushing attack, limiting the Colonials to just 27 yards on 36 carries thanks in large measure four sacks that went for minus 24 yards. Running back Deontae Howard led RMU with 14 rushing yards on 11 carries while his backfield mate, Phil Peckich, was limited to 13 yards rushing, also on 11 carries.
Wagner was led by a trio of defensive players who had nine tackles apiece in cornerback
Jarrett Dieudonne (Ft. Lauderdale, FL/Dillard/Purdue), and linebackers
Trevor Loveland (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill West), and
Max Wassel (Totowa, NJ/Passic, NJ) who had nine tackles apiece. For Wassel, it marked the second consecutive career-high game as he had nine stops at Duquesne (10/12) while Diedonne and Loveland's nine-tackle efforts were each one shy of their career highs.
Wagner held a 351-231 edge in total yardage. The Seahawk defense turned RMU away twice in the red zone when the Colonials had first downs at the Wagner two-yard line and seven-yard line, respectively. Redshirt freshman safety
Bruce Brittingham (Trenton, NJ/Perkiomen School) came up with a big goal-line interception and the Seahawks sacked Prather four times
Offensively, Berg was 12-of-26 passing for 112 yards with a long completion of 24 yards to Carrington, who snared a team and career-high seven catches for 69 yards. Watkins had another five receptions, good for 44 yards. In addition to Williams' 177-yard running day, Andrews added 35 yards rushing on eight carries.
Penalties played a huge role in the outcome as Wagner was flagged 12 times for 153 yards while RMU suffered just seven penalties for 42 yards.
The Seahawks will play its second of three consecutive home games on Saturday, November 2 when they host Central Connecticut in a 1:00 pm start.
NOTES
RMU Coach Joe Walton Honored During Pre-Game
Prior to the game, Wagner paid honor to Robert Morris head coach Joe Walton, who announced last month he would be retiring following the 2013 season after 20 seasons as Colonials' head coach. Joining Walton at midfield for the recognition was
Walt Hameline, Wagner Hall of Fame member and former New York Jet assistant under Walton, Rich Kotite, and NEC Commissioner Noreen Morris.
Lopez Resumes March Through Record Book
The seven points scored by
David Lopez vs. Robert Morris, on two field goals and one extra point, give him 227 career points, moving him into seventh on the Seahawk all-time scoring list. Lopez now has now made 40 career field goals, just four shy of matching the Wagner and NEC all-time leader, Piotr Czech, who nailed 44 field goals between2004 and 2007.
Dominique Williams: By the Numbers
With his 177-yard rushing afternoon vs. Robert Morris,
Dominique Williams within striking distance of his third consecutive 1,000-yard season as he is up to 908 for the season, 92 yards of the milestone with four games remaining. The 5-9, 205-pounder has amassed his 908 yards on 194 carries, a 4.7-yard per carry average and has five touchdowns.
Williams Top Five Career Rushing Games
Williams' 177-yard rushing day vs. Robert Morris tied for the third-highest game of his career.
1. 216 yards at Robert Morris, 11/12/11
2. 180 yards Saint Francis U, 9/3/11
3. 177 yards vs. Robert Morris, 10/26/13
177 yards vs. Holy Cross, 11/10/12
5. 145 yards vs. Albany, 10/29/11
Williams Top Five Career Runs From Scrimmage
Williams' 73-yard run day vs. Robert Morris tied for the third-longest of his career. All five of
his all-time longest runs have gone for touchdowns.
1 81 yards at Sacred Heart, 10/6/12, TD
2. 79 yards at Robert Morris, 11/12/11, TD
3. 76 yards at Monmouth, 11/19/11, TD
4 73 yards vs. Robert Morris, 10/26/13, TD
5. 63 yards at Maritime (NY), 9/10/09, TD
WAGNER ALL-TIME RUSHING YARDS
1. Rick Sarille (1995-99), 5,290
2. Terry Underwood (1985-88, 5,010
3. Dominique Williams (2009-pres.), 4,221
4. Alonzo Patterson (1979-82), 4,177
WAGNER ALL-TIME SCORING
1. Rick Sarille (1995-99), 334
2. Terry Underwood (1985-88), 330
3. Dominique Williams (2009-pres.), 270
4. Piotr Czech (2004-07), 243
5. Tom O'Riordan (1983-86), 237
6. Frank Melos (1958-61), 232
7. Alonzo Patterson (1979-82), 226
8. David Lopez (2009pres.-) 227
9. Kito Lockwood (1992-1995), 222
WAGNER ALL-TIME TOTAL OFFENSE (Passing + Rushing)
1.
Nick Doscher (2009 - 12), 8,404
2 John Sciarra (2004-05), 5,845
3. Rick Sarille (1995-99), 5,290
4. Terry Underwood (1985-88), 5,010
5. Don Cavalli (1958-61), 4,393
6. Jesse Foote (1984-86), 4,273
7. Jason Cue (1993-94), 4,232
8. Dominique Williams (2009-), 4,288
9. Alonzo Patterson (1979-82), 4,177
10. Matt Abbey (2005-08), 3,862
Williams in All-Time NEC Record Book
NEC Rushing Yards
1.David Sinisi, MU, 2006-09, 5,049
2.Larry McCoy, DUQ, 2009-12, 4,549
3.Rick Sarille, WC, 1996-99, 4,460
4. David McCarty, UA, 2006-09, 4,287
5. Myles Russ, RMU, 2007-10, 4,271
6. Jordan Brown, BRY, 2009-12, 4,238,
7. Dom Williams, WAG, 2009-,
4,221
8. Sam Dorsett, RMU, 1999-03, 3,847
NEC All-Purpose Yardage
1. Jordan Brown, BRY, 2009-12, 6,788
2. David Sinisi, MU, 2006-09, 6,310
3. Rick Sarille, WC, 1996-99, 6,263
4. Dominique Williams WC 2009-, 5,217
5. David McCarty, UA, 2006-09, 4,976
NEC Scoring
1. David Sinisi, MU, 2006-09, 432
2. Rick Sarille, WC, 1996-99, 300
3. Jordan Brown, BRY, 2009-12,290
4. Drew Smith, UA, 2009-12, 270
5.Dominique Williams, WC, 2009-,
270
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