Photo By:
Christina Santucci/Saffran Photography

FINAL STATS

Walt Hameline Post-Game Comments

Staten Island, NY – In a game that featured a combined 851 yards of total offense, 83 points, 52 first downs and five lead changes, the Merrimack Warriors eked out a 42-41 victory over Wagner before 2,634 fans who witnessed the first-ever night game at Hameline Field.

Senior quarterback Joe Clancy completed 35-of-50 passes for 309 yards and four touchdowns, including the game-winner, a three-yard toss to wide receiver Shane Ferguson with 30 seconds to play that capped a 14-play, 96-yard drive.

For Wagner, fifth-year senior running back Dominique Williams (Bridgeton, NJ/ Bridgeton/ Milford Academy) rushed for 110 yards on 25 carries and two touchdowns in breaking the century mark for the 22nd time in his 32-game career. Redshirt junior quarterback Matt Misley (Park Ridge, NJ/ Park Ridge) had a sparking second half to finish with 174 yards passing and a touchdown while completing 16-of-28 passes. Misley's favorite target was senior wide receiver Tyree Watkins (Camden. NJ/ Camden), a transfer from Duke, who had six receptions for 89 yards. Fellow senior wide receiver Cody Morgan (Boston, MA/Boston College HS/Syracuse/Milford) had three receptions for 33 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, Wagner was led by redshirt freshman linebacker Najee Harris (Norristown, PA/ Norristown) who had a team and career-high nine tackles, while redshirt junior cornerback Jarrett Dieudonne (Fort Lauderdale, FL/ Dillard/Purdue) added eight stops.

Making the third start of his career, Misley also ran the ball effectively in Wagner's read offense, gaining 98 yards on 16 carries.

The Warriors, who compete at the Division II level in the Northeast-10 Conference, were led defensively by linebacker Jimmy Holland and defensive lineman Justin Hood who finished with 10 tackles apiece.

Merrimack jumped out of the gates quickly as Quinn McDonough returned the game's opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown to make it a 7-0 game 14 seconds into the contest. Ferguson with 30 seconds to play that capped a 14-play, 96-yard drive. Late in the first quarter, junior linebacker Trevor Loveland (Cherry Hill, NJ/ Cherry Hill West) caused a fumble that was recovered by redshirt junior defensive end Yamir Ortiz (River Dale, NJ/ Pascack Valley, NJ) at the Merrimack 13. On the very next play, Misley scampered in for his first career rushing touchdown in tying the game at 7-7.

The Warriors countered with a nine-play, 75-yard drive capped by a 13-yard TD pass from Clancy to wide receiver Frankie Dunn that made it 14-7 at the 1:31 mark of the first quarter. Merimack opened a 21-7 lead early in the second quarter by marching 63 yards in 13 plays, with Clancy taking it from one yard out with 10:29 to go in the half.

The Seahawks would answer back with a 30-yard field goal by fifth-year senior David Lopez (Plantation, FL/ American Heritage) to make it a 21-10 game. Merrimack then executed a quick strike six-play, 68-yard drive, in just 1:14, culminating in a Clancy 21-yard TD toss to wide receiver Jere Brown that made it 28-10. Wagner responded with a drive of its own that resulted in a 47-yard field goal by Lopez with 3:01 before halftime which made it a 28-13 game at intermission.

In the second half, with the newly-installed permanent lighting system now taking full effect, Wagner opened with a bang as Williams took it in from 26 yards out to top off a crisp 8-play, 69-yard march to draw the Seahawks to within eight points at 28-20. This touchdown drive kicked off a 21-0 Seahawk surge, which mirrored the 21-0 second-half surge that Wagner put on Georgetown a week ago in posting a 28-21 comeback win.

Misley, now feeling more and more comfortable, bid time in the pocket, deftly avoiding several would-be tacklers before finding senior wide receiver Cody Morgan (Boston, MA/Syracuse/Milford) in the back of the end zone on a six-yard hook-up to draw Wagner to within one point at 28-27 at the 5:12 mark of the third quarter. The Misley to Morgan connection capped an 11-play, 89-yard drive.

The fired-up Seahawk defense then forced a three and out, leading to field position at the Merrimack 49 following a Warrior punt. From there it took Wagner 11 plays and 4:35 to find paydirt as Misley raced in from eight yards out to give the Seahawks their first lead of the night at 34-28 with 13:42 to go.

After a promising Merrimack drive eventually ended with a punt, Wagner took over at its own 10-yard line. On first down, however, freshman running back Matthias McKinnon (Albany, NY/ Bishop McGinn/Jireh Prep) fumbled on first down with the Warriors recovering at the Seahawk 15. Five plays later, Clancy tossed a two-yard TD pass to senior tight end Greg Devine to put Merrimack back out in front, 35-34 with 8:15 left.

Undaunted, Misley led Wagner on a nine-play, 69-yard march with Williams knifing his way in from three yards out to put the Green & White back into the lead at 41-35. A blocking in the back penalty on Merrimack sent good feelings throughout the crowd and forced the Warriors to set up shop at their own four-yard line with just 4:59 to play.

Clancy then went to work, as Merrimack marched steadily up the field, en route to a clutch, well-executed drive that culminated in a three-yard TD pass from Clancy to Shane Ferguson who got open in the right flat. Nick Zwaan's sixth extra-point of the game gave Merrimack a 42-41 lead. Wagner would make things interesting by driving to midfield but the game ended when Misley was sacked and fumbled, setting off a Warrior celebration.

After being outgained 280-134 in the first half in total yards, Wagner turned the tables in the second half, out-gaining the visitors 284-153 in the second half as the Warriors finished with a scant 433-418 lead in total offense.

Misley's confident, in-control play in the second half bodes well for the Seahawks going forward. In the first half, Misley completed 5-of-13 passes for 41 yards while after intermission, he connected on 9-of-15 aerials for 133 yards. On the ground, Misley rushed six times in the opening half for 29 yards. In the second half, he shook loose for 69 yards rushing on 10 carries.

Both teams wound up with 26 first downs on the evening.

Left-handed redshirt-freshman quarterback Chris Andrews (Queens, NY/St. Joseph's/Valley Forge) saw the first action of his career in the first half, throwing one incomplete pass while gaining eight yards on two carries in his brief stint.

The Seahawks will be the team stepping up in class next week when Wagner travels to Syracuse to meet the Orange in a 4:00 pm kickoff at the Carrier Dome in a game that will carried live on ESPN3. The matchup with Syracuse marks the second time in school history and the second straight season that the Seahawks have faced a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) team. On August 31, 2012, Wagner dropped a hard-fought 7-3 decision to Florida Atlantic in Boca Raton, FL.