Off the back of a strong fourth-quarter performance, the Stony Brook football team extended its winning streak to two games.
The Seawolves (2-1) were in the Bronx, N.Y. on Saturday for a matinee showdown with the Fordham Rams (0-3). Powered by its defense, Stony Brook came out on top 27-21 in a back-and-forth affair to secure its second win of the season.
After a sloppy offensive start for each team, the Rams struck first with just 2:05 remaining in the first quarter. Aided by a pair of penalties by the Seawolves, Fordham marched down the field on an eight-play, 78-yard drive. From 11 yards out of the end zone, Fordham quarterback C.J. Montes found a hole on the left side and scored on a designed run to make it 7-0.
Despite its early struggles, Stony Brook’s offense also cleaned things up late in the opening quarter. A 15-yard connection between quarterback Malachi Marshall and running back Brandon Boria brought the Seawolves just shy of midfield and immediately after, Marshall hit wide receiver Dez Williams with a 36-yard deep ball down the left sideline to enter the red zone. From there, the team’s drive stalled, but kicker Enda Kirby drilled a 34-yard field goal in the opening minute of the second quarter to cut its deficit to 7-3.
Following a three-and-out by the Rams, the Seawolves’ offense took the field with quarterback Tyler Knoop under center and gained their first lead of the day. After a few short-yardage gains, Knoop found wide receiver R.J. Lamarre open near the right sideline for a 29-yard gain before hitting tight end Cole Bunicci in the middle of the field with a 22-yard reception to set up a first-and-goal scenario. From seven yards out, Knoop sent a pass to wide receiver Jayden Cook at the left side of the end zone, where he fought through tight coverage and caught it to take a 10-7 lead.
However, Stony Brook’s lead was short-lived. Though the Seawolves’ defense remained strong, Knoop tried to force a pass while under pressure that Fordham defensive end Peter Chalhoub tipped and picked off for a pick-six to restore a 14-10 advantage for the Rams.
The interception prompted head coach Billy Cosh to go back to Marshall, who rewarded his decision. Stony Brook put together a 13-play, 75-yard scoring drive that featured a one-handed, 29-yard reception for Dez Williams. After wide receiver Jasiah Williams was stopped just short of the end zone, running back Roland Dempster took the rock to the house for a short, one-yard touchdown run to make it 17-14.
With just four seconds to go until halftime, the Seawolves had an opportunity to tack onto their lead, as Kirby was put into position for a 32-yard field goal attempt. However, he knocked it off the right post and wide to keep Stony Brook’s lead at three points going into the half.
Much like the game started, both offenses were shaky to start the second half but only Fordham’s defense capitalized. During a third-and-long play, Marshall fired a pass right to Fordham cornerback Alex Kemper, who ran it back 55 yards for the Rams’ second pick-six of the game with 8:53 remaining in the quarter.
Though they were down heading into the fourth quarter, the Seawolves — led by Jasiah Williams — flipped the script in the first three minutes. After a five-yard rush by Boria to start its drive, Marshall and Jasiah Williams connected for three passes for a grand total of 69 yards, bringing Stony Brook all the way down to Fordham’s six-yard line. From there, Boria capped off the drive with a touchdown run up the gut for the first of his collegiate career to give his team a 24-21 lead.
From that point on, the Seawolves’ defense took over. With 10:49 left in the final quarter, Fordham backup quarterback Jack Capaldi — who replaced Montes after defensive tackle Rushawn Lawrence sacked and injured him earlier in the game — misfired a pass that was picked off by cornerback Rudy Silvera at the left sideline. Silvera returned it for 37 yards to the Rams’ 29-yard line, eventually leading to a 41-yard field goal for Kirby to extend Stony Brook’s lead to 27-21.
Fordham had its best opportunity to potentially take the lead with 6:48 to go in the contest. From the Seawolves’ four-yard line, Fordham running back Julius Loughridge found the end zone. However, the score was negated due to a holding penalty. Just two plays later, Capaldi had a man open up the middle for what would have been the go-ahead touchdown, but linebacker A.J. Roberts made an athletic play to break up the pass and tip it to Lawrence for an interception.
In a last-ditch effort to tie things up with a minute and a half remaining, Capaldi slightly overthrew a ball to wide receiver Garrett Cody on fourth down, allowing safety Jayson Allen to break up the pass and promptly end the game.
“Defensively, I thought we played outstanding,” Cosh said in a postgame interview with Stony Brook Athletics. “Tackling, making big plays, pass rush. Our defense kept us in the game. We’re playing hard, we just got to play smarter on offense.”
Under center, Marshall and Knoop both had solid days. Though Marshall completed just 50% of his passes (18-for-36) and was picked off, he threw for 268 yards. Knoop went 5-for-7 (71.4%) for 60 yards, a touchdown pass and an interception.
On the ground, Boria led the team with 65 yards on 14 carries and a touchdown, while Dempster racked up 51 yards on 16 touches and scored a touchdown. Boria also accumulated 15 receiving yards on one reception.
Both Dez Williams and Jasiah Williams had productive days. Dez Williams caught three passes for 73 yards, while Jasiah Williams notched seven catches for 88 yards. Lamarre led the team with 96 receiving yards on seven receptions.
Bunicci racked up three catches for 44 yards and Cook’s lone catch was a seven-yard touchdown reception.
Defensively, linebacker Chayce Chalmers led the squad with nine total tackles to go with a sack, while Roberts followed closely behind him with eight in addition to his pass breakup. Along with Lawrence’s interception, he also recorded a pass breakup and led the team with two sacks.
Defensive end Rodney Faulk, defensive tackle Taylor Bolesta and linebacker Anthony Ferrelli each registered a sack, while linebacker Tyson McCloud and defensive lineman Franco Milano contributed half a sack apiece.
Silvera notched two pass breakups along with his long interception return, as well. Stony Brook combined for nine tackles for loss and seven sacks, putting Montes, Capaldi and the Rams’ offense as a whole under constant duress.
The Seawolves will be back in action next Saturday when they head to Buies Creek, N.C. to take on the Campbell Camels to open their conference season. The Camels are 1-2 overall and 0-1 in Coastal Athletic Association play this year. They are coming off a 21-9 loss to Rhode Island. Opening kickoff is set for 5 p.m.
