Pictured Above: Running Back
Ryan Fulse (Photo: Dave Saffran)
Staten Island, NY – Wagner junior running back
Ryan Fulse (Fort Meade, FL / Fort Meade / Milford Academy) rushed for 228 yards on 25 carries, delivering the top rushing game by a Seahawk in six years, but Bryant was able to use several big plays from wide receiver Jean Courant, who found the end zone three times including a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, to hold off the Seahawks by a 31-16 count this afternoon at Hameline Field.
With the win, the Bulldogs improve to 3-5 on the season, 1-2 in Northeast Conference (NEC) play while the Green & White fall to 2-6 overall, 0-4 in league play.
The Seahawks are next in action on November 4 when they host the Robert Morris University Colonials in a Noon kickoff on Senior Day, before concluding the 2017 season with road games at Stony Brook (11/11) and Sacred Heart (11/18).
After graduate student
James Cooper (Linwood, NJ / Mainland Regional/ Temple) boomed a 50-yard field goal, which had plenty of room to spare, to tie the game at 3-3 late in the first quarter, Bryant countered with that 100-yard kickoff return by Constant, who added a 25-yard touchdown reception early in the second quarter, to help the Bulldogs take a 17-3 halftime lead.
Midway through the third quarter, Fulse, whose previous career-high rushing day was a 19-carry, 153-yard effort at Columbia (9/16), bounced outside on a third-and-1 play for 38 yards up the left sideline for a touchdown. Fulse's 38-yard scamper, which was followed by a blocked extra point which left the score at 17-9, capped a quick-strike four-play, 67-yard drive which took just 2:07.
Bryant responded with a quick answer of its own, racing 68 yards on just three plays, capped by a 31-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Price Wilson to Courant, which pushed the Bulldogs' lead to 24-9.
Undaunted, junior quarterback
Luke Massei (Cary, NC / Green Hope) calmly led the Seahawks on a crisp five-play, 78-yard drive in 2:52, culminating in a well-thrown, high-arching, nine-yard TD pass to junior wide receiver
D'Erren Wilson (Greeneville, TX / Greeneville/UCF) in the deep left corner of the end zone. Cooper's extra point, with 3:39 left in the third quarter, made it a one-score game at 24-16.
This is as close as Wagner would get, however, as Wilson Bryant 63 yards in nine plays, capped by a 14-yard TD pass to Constant, with just 3:30 remaining in the game, to seal the 31-16 win.
Under duress much of the day, which resulted in two sacks and several quarterback hurries, Massei wound up with a gutsy 24-of-35 through the air for 210 yards, with one touchdown and no interceptions. His favorite receiver on the afternoon was Wilson, who snared a game-high seven catches for 71 yards.
Defensively, junior inside linebacker
Quintin Hampton (Moultrie, GA / Colquitt County / UCF) led the way with a team-high eight tackles and one sack, while sophomore outside linebacker
Cameron Gill (Douglasville, GA / Chapel Hill) added six stops, including four solo.
For Bryant, Wilson finished 16-of-22 passing 166 yards, two scores and no interceptions while backup quarterback Devin Ray made the most of his opportunities, going 2-of-2 for 41 yards, highlighted by a 25-yard TD toss to Couurant.
In the receiving department, Tom Kennedy led Bryant with five receptions for a game-high 109 and one touchdown. On the ground, halfback Brenden Femiano gained a team-high 82 yards on 16 carries. Linebacker Thomas Costigan paced the Bulldogs' defense with a game-high 11 tackles while Eulogio Portugale came up from his cornerback spot to record 10 stops.
Statistically, Wagner held the edge in several major categories, including overall yards (432-337), rushing (222-130) and time of possession (33:55-26:05), in addition to holding a narrow 210-107 edge in passing yards.
NOTE: Fulse's 228-yard rushing day was a career high and the most by a Wagner runner since November 12, 2011 when Dominique Williams rushed for 216 yards at Robert Morris on November 12, 2011.
Hall of Fame Day
(L-to-R): Al Palladino, Elizabeth Hayes, Meredith Kerns, Gil Barkman
Four former Wagner College athletes were formally inducted into the Seahawk Hall of Fame at a morning ceremony today. Comprising the Class of 2017 are: Gil Barkman (Class of 2000, Baseball), Elizabeth Hayes (Class of 2001, Volleyball), Meredith Kerns (Class of 2002, Women's Basketball), and Al Palladino (Class of 1961, Football).
These former Seahawk greats were selected on the merit of their athletic prowess and will be inducted on October 28, 2017 when the Green & White football team hosts Bryant at 12:00 pm. The Class of 2017 will be formally inducted at a morning ceremony in Spiro Sports Center's VIP room, before being publicly recognized at halftime.
The Hall of Fame, in 2017, will enjoy its 27th year of nominating, selecting and displaying those Wagner student-athletes who have distinguished themselves as extraordinary representatives of the Green & White. With the addition of these four individuals, the number of members in the Wagner Hall of Fame will grow to 170, each representing the best among the thousands of student-athletes who have dedicated themselves to competition in the name of Wagner College.
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