Throggs Neck, NY – Husson University football took a huge Eastern Collegiate Football Conference Win vs. Martime College Saturday in overtime, 17-14. The Eagles scored a late touchdown in regulation to tie the game and then scored on their first possession of overtime off a Reece Attard, 43-yard field goal.
Maritime got onto the board first, scoring just under three minutes into the game. Thomas Davis took the carry 39 yards to cap off a six-play, 63-yard drive to go up 7-0. The Privateers scored again a quarter later, as Gary Bigham punched in a two-yard touchdown to move ahead 14-0.
Both teams went scorless well into the third quarter when Husson scored their first six of the day. On the first play from scrimmage for Martime, Nelson Perez sacked quarterback Anthony Patti forcing a fumble. Perez recovered giving Husson a first down on the Privateer six yard line. On the next play, Kash Keezer dropped back and found Devin Sherman in the endzone to get the Eagles on the board. Attard's extra point was true, cutting the lead to 14-7.
Both teams fought hard through the fourth quarter, throwing interceptions to each other on back to back drives. It looked as though Martime would then run the clock out with just under two minutes to go, but Husson wasn't done clawing back into the game. With 1:46 remaining, Privateer running back Tyler Trodden lost ten yards and coughed up the football. Defensive back Dom Mowrer recovered the ball for the Eagles and scampered 40-yards for the touchdown. Attard tacked on yet another extra point to tie the score at 14.
Fast forward to overtime, as Martime drove well on their first possession. Trodden, unfortunately for the Privateers, fumbled once more to Husson and Ernest Wiggins recovered, ending the Martime drive.
Husson then had their own chance from the 25-yard line, and looked to win the game. Byron Jackson ran for a yard, Keezer threw incomplete and Ryan Dorso ran for negative two yards, setting up fourth down and 11 from the 26. Husson called upon Attard to win the game on what would be a school-record attempt of 43 yards. Reece's field goal cleared the uprights to give Husson the win in incredible fashion.
Keezer led both sides in passing with 124 yards, a touchdown and the lone interception while the running game struggled, racking up only 32 net rushing yards.
Husson's defense proved to be the saving grace, sacking the Privateers three times on the day. The Eagles also tackled Martime 11 times for losses including two from Perez for a total of 13 yards. The win pushes Husson's record to 2-6 with a 1-4 ECFC record for 2012.
On the win, head coach Sean Murphy stated: "This game was very emotional. There were a lot of momentum swings and a number of times when it would have been easy to lose focus, but the team responded immediately to all of them. The defense did an outstanding job neutralizing a strong offense and setting up all of our scoring opportunities. This was the most competitive I've seen the team this year and I'm very proud of our players and coaches."
Husson travels back to Bangor and will remain at home Saturday, November 3rd for a senior day showdown with Castleton at the Winkin Complex at 1:00 pm.