Tight End Ryan Owens (pictured above) had a career day vs. Bryant (Photo by Dave Saffran)

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Highlights / Post-Game Press Conference

Staten Island, NY – Bryant senior running back Ricardo McCray ran for 138 yards on 23 carries and two touchdowns while junior quarterback Dalton Easton threw  for 236 yards and three scores in leading the Bulldogs to a 40-10 victory over Wagner this afternoon at Hameline Field.

For Wagner, sophomore quarterback Alex Thomson (Keyport, NJ/Keyport), who practiced on a limited basis this week after being shaken up and forced to sit out the second half of last week's game at Duquesne, completed 13-of-28 passes for 170 yards and one touchdown. Thomson's 170-yrd passing day marked the second-highest output of his young career, surpassed only by his 219-yard effort vs. Lafayette back on September 26.

His favorite target today was senior tight end Ryan Owens (Gainseville, NY/Letchworth) who delivered a virtuoso performance with eight catches for 131 yards, both career highs, including a 43-yard third-quarter touchdown reception. For the athletic 6-4, 235-pound Owens, a 2015 Preseason All-NEC selection, the 43-yard grab was also a career long, and he is now averaging 13.0 yards per reception on the year. Owens' production today allowed him to assume the team lead in both receptions (22) and receiving yards (287).

In the rushing department, Thomson scrambled for 78 gross rushing yards on 16 carries. With 28 yards of losses factored in on four sacks, the 6-5, 220-pound signal-called wound up being credited with 50 net yards on the day. Senior running back Otis Wright (Fort Lauderdale, FL/Dillard) added 36 yards on nine carries, which computed to 4.0 yards per crack. Wright also delivered a would-be spectacular special teams play but his 94-yard, third-quarter kickoff return was negated by a holding penalty.

Defensively, Seahawk senior defensive end Mike Mentor (North Bergen, NJ/North Bergen/Fork Union Military Academy) tied for team-high tackles with eight, including a team-best seven solo stops. Also amassing eight tackles each, in sharing team-high honors, were senior strong safety Bruce Brittingham (Trenton, NJ/Perkiomen School) and junior cornerback Tim Hayes (Los Angeles, CA/Crespi Carmelite/University of Wyoming).

Bryant struck first in this game, needing just 1:32 in moving 80 yards in four plays with Dalton hitting Taylor Barthelette on a 62-yard touchdown pass to make it 7-0. On Wagner's second play from scrimmage, Marquis Watson stripped the ball away from junior running back Matthias McKinnon (Albany, NY/Bishop Maginn/Jireh Prep-NEC) with Charles Keenan recovering at the Bulldog 49. The Bulldogs then executed another quick-strike scoring drive, with wide receiver Jose DePadua hauling in a 24-yard TD pass from Dalton, to cap a three-play, 61-yard drive in 1:13, which made it a 14-0 score less than four minutes into the game. Later in the opening quarter, the Bulldogs put together a nine-play, 79-yard march, capped by a seven-yard touchdown toss from Easton to fullback Joe Fine in the left flat. After the extra-point try failed, Bryant led 20-0 after the opening stanza.

Following a scoreless second quarter that saw the Bulldogs take that 20-0 advantage into the locker room at intermission, Karl Sery picked off a Thomson pass on the first snap of the second half and returned it five yards to the Seahawk 40. Four plays later, McCray ran it in from 13 yards out to make it a 26-0 game with 12:53 to go in the third quarter.

Wagner got the on the board with 2:17 left in the third quarter via the 43-yard, Thomson to Owens connection. The Seahawks' other score came early in the fourth quarter when fifth-year senior kicker Bryan Maley (Eagle River, Alaska/Chugiak) booted a 32-yard field goal to cap an 11-play, 52-yard drive that made it 33-10 before McCray capped the day's scoring with his second 13-yard TD jaunt early in the fourth quarter.

Easton's 236-yard day through the air came on 15-of-26 passing. He did throw one interception, a third-quarter pick by senior linebacker Najee Harris (Norristown, PA/Norristown), which was his first of the season. The speedy DePadua paced Bryant in receptions (5) and receiving yards (75), in addition to delivering a late third-quarter 94-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Defensively for the Bulldogs, Kenney led all tacklers in the game with 10 and adding a forced fumble and a fumble recovery while Aaron Dixon added nine stops for Bryant.

With the win, the Bulldogs improve to 5-4 on the season and 3-1 in the Northeast Conference (NEC) while the Seahawks fall to 0-9 overall and 0-4 in league play. This was the eighth all-time meeting between the schools and the Bulldogs now lead the series 5-3. In games played on Staten Island, the Seahawks are 2-3 vs. the Bulldogs and 1-2 on the road.

The Green & White next host Central Connecticut on Saturday, November 14 at Noon on Senior Day in the home season finale.

Follow Wagner Athletics on Twitter (@WagnerAthletics) for all the latest news and updates on the athletic department and @Wagner_Football for all the latest news pertaining to Wagner Football and first-year head coach Jason Houghtaling @HossWagner #CHAOSonthehill. Seahawk athletics can also be followed on Instagram (@wagnerathletics)