Pictured Above: Sophomore TE
Nolan Quinlan
(photo by Adrienne Terzuoli)
Coach Houghtaling Post-Game Press Conference
Staten Island, NY – Quarterback
Christian Alexander-Stevens completed 20-of-34 passes for 234 yards and a touchdown while running back
Dymitri McKenzie added 87 yards rushing and a score but it wasn't enough as East Stroudsburg earned a 24-14 victory over Wagner in front of a lively crowd of 2,243 fans at Hameline Field.
Defensively for the Green & White, consensus senior All-American linebacker
Cam Gill and sophomore defensive back
Naseem Barnett led the way with seven tackles apiece.
For the Warriors, quarterback Jake Cirillo completed of 11-of-21 passes for 138 yards and one touchdown and rushed 10 times for 93 yards in leading the Warriors to victory.
On Wagner's first possession of the game Alexander-Stevens, a graduate student transfer from FIU, and company matched 64 yards in eight plays, with McKenzie finishing the drive off with an eight-yard touchdown scamper off right tackle. The key play in the drive was a gorgeous one-handed 40-yard reception from junior wide receiver
Joshua DeCambre off a pretty throw by Alexander-Stevens.
ESU then responded with three consecutive touchdowns in building a 21-7 lead that the Warriors would take into the halftime break. The first of the three unanswered Warrior TDs came on a one-yard run by elusive scatback Devante Robinson that put the finishing touches on a 10-play 67-yard drive to make knot the game at 7-7 with 6:01 left in the opening quarter.
The Warriors then took the lead for good on a 20-yard strike by Cirillo to Robinson, capping a seven-play 81-ydrive that bridged the first two quarters, giving ESU a 14-7 lead in the opening minute of the second quarter. A big defensive play keyed ESU's third straight touchdown when Jashua Taylor jarred the ball loose with teammate Justin Haynes picking up the loose football and racing 35 yards to the Seahawk 10. On first down, Robinson raced in from 10 yards out as the Division II Warriors, now sensing the potential upset, opened up that 21-7 bulge.
Wagner got back into it by scoring the only points of the third quarter when Alexander-Stevens found wide open junior tight end
Lincoln McGarrity, who corralled his first career touchdown in the deep left corner of the end zone. The three-yard Alexander-Stevens to McGarrity connection drew the Seahawks within 21-14 midway through the third quarter.
That's the was the score remained until Cirillo engineered a late fourth-quarter drive, keyed by a gadget play that saw wide receiver Javier Buffalo hook up with Robinson on a 26-yard completion to the Seahawk 39. This back-breaking play helped set up what would prove to be the final dagger, a clutch 45-yard field goal by Jordan Walters with just 1:13 to play, which made it a 24-14 game, effectively putting the game out of reach for the Seahawks.
Wagner now hits the road for two consecutive road tests. On Saturday, September 14, the Seahawks travel to Stony Brook for a 6:00 p.m. date with the Seawolves. The following week, Wagner faces its second FBS opponent of the season with the Green & White set to fly to Boca Raton, FL for a matchup at FAU. In its first game vs. an FBS foe this season, the Seahawks acquitted themselves well,
battling UConn to the wire last Thursday in a tough season-opening 24-21 loss, which marked the closes margin of defeat ever by ann nEC team vs. an FBS team.
NOTES
Morris Cracks Top 10 in Career INTS
Senior defensive back
Myron Morris came up with his second interception of the young season and ninth of his career. Those nine career INTs for Morris tie Wagner Hall of Famer
Andy Fellouris for 10
th place on the all-time Seahawk career interception list.
Tight Ends Make their Mark
The 20 completions by Alexander-Stevens went to eight different receivers, including three tight ends. Sophomore TE
Nolan Quinlan recorded the first receptions of his career, which went for a team-high 54 yards. Starting TE
Adam Giordano snared three passes for 22 yards while McGarrity had just one reception for three yards but it was a big one as it was his first career TD. All told, Wagner's three tight ends combined for eight receptions for 79 yards.
