Though it was a close game through the first two quarters, the Stony Brook football team fell apart in the second half to bring its four-game winning streak to an end.
On Saturday afternoon, the Seawolves (4-2, 1-1 CAA) took on their toughest opponent since week one — the No. 5/6 Villanova Wildcats (5-1, 2-0 CAA) — in a Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) matchup. The game was close coming out of halftime, but the Wildcats put up 28 unanswered points to end the game and secure a 42-24 victory.
Stony Brook’s first possession of the game ended with a gift. After being forced to punt on fourth down, punter Clayton Taylor’s punt was muffed by Villanova wide receiver Devin Smith, which allowed the Seawolves to jump on the loose ball and regain possession at the Wildcats’ 19-yard line. From there, running back Roland Dempster powered through the right side for a 9-yard touchdown run to put Stony Brook up 7-0.
Just as time expired in the opening frame, Villanova answered back. Starting on their own 9-yard line, quarterback Connor Watkins helped the Wildcats dig themselves out with a 35-yard rush. A few plays later, Watkins connected with wide receiver Lucas Kopecky, who brushed off a defender and took it into the end zone for a 26-yard touchdown reception to tie the game.
It did not take long for the Seawolves to take the lead back, as Dempster started the second quarter by doing what he has done all season thus far: score. Following a 15-yard and 17-yard gain on back-to-back plays, Dempster charged his way through the middle of the field for a two-yard touchdown rush, giving Stony Brook a 14-7 advantage.
On a second-down play in the Seawolves’ territory, Watkins heaved a pass to Smith, who bobbled the ball and sent it back into the air. However, wide receiver Luke Daly was in perfect position, grabbing it and diving forward for a 32-yard completion that put the Wildcats at Stony Brook’s one-yard line. With ease, running back David Avit took a handoff up the middle for a rushing touchdown to knot the game at 14 apiece with just over three minutes left in the first half.
A minute and a half later, the Seawolves received yet another gift, as Villanova punter Ethan Gettman was fed a low snap that he could not hold on to. Gettman had no choice but to fall onto the ball and give Stony Brook possession in the red zone. Though it was unable to get into the end zone, kicker Enda Kirby nailed a 26-yard field goal as the clock ran out to give the team a 17-14 lead heading into halftime.
The Seawolves continued their momentum after getting the ball to start the second half. After marching up the field with the help of a 17-yard connection between quarterback Tyler Knoop and tight end Cal Redman, Dempster took yet another rush up the middle for his third touchdown of the day to put his team up 24-14.
With just under eight minutes to go in the third quarter, Stony Brook returned the favor for the Wildcats’ shortcomings on special teams with a muffed punt of its own. Wide receiver Kevonne Wilder tapped the ball with his foot and it trickled away from him, allowing Villanova to recover the fumble and gain possession at the Seawolves’ 26-yard line. Two plays later, Avit rushed up the middle for another one-yard touchdown to cut Stony Brook’s lead to just three points.
“[It] was tough,” head coach Billy Cosh said in a postgame press conference. “We just have to be better on [special] teams [towards] the end as a group.”
The Avit show was not done there. On the Wildcats’ next possession, he took a handoff up the left side and went 59 yards for a touchdown that gave them a 28-24 advantage for their first lead of the game.
However, that was not even Avit’s biggest play of the day. With 8:40 to go in the fourth quarter, he saw a wide-open middle of the field and used it to go 72 yards for his fourth rushing touchdown of the game, extending Villanova’s lead to 35-24.
The Wildcats tacked on for their final time late in the fourth quarter, as running back Ja’briel Mace rushed up the right side of the field for a 21-yard touchdown rush to put the finishing touches on what wound up being a 42-24 rout.
“There were some plays … in critical moments [that] Villinova capitalized on,” Cosh said. “That’s what we have to learn [to do] and that comes with experience.”
Dempster made up much of the Seawolves’ offense, rushing for 115 yards on the ground along with three rushing touchdowns. Those three touchdown runs brought his season total up to 12, quadrupling his total from his last three campaigns combined as his monster year continued.
“[I] come in prepared [every day],” Dempster said. “Shoutout to the [offensive line] because that wouldn’t be possible without them.”
In the air, Knoop — who started in place of quarterback Malachi Marshall — threw for 147 yards and completed 22 of his 32 passes (68.8%). He also threw an interception near the end of the third quarter.
Knoop’s main target was running back Shakhi Carson, who had seven catches for 22 yards. Behind him, Dempster had six catches of his own, totaling 41 yards. However, Redman was the team’s leading receiver, going for 50 yards across his three receptions.
Avit had a huge day for Villanova. After having just seven rushing yards going into halftime, he ended the contest with 183 yards on the ground with four touchdowns.
On defense, linebacker Tyson McCloud led Stony Brook with six total tackles. Defensive tackle Rushawn Lawrence and defensive end Rodney Faulk, along with linebacker Anthony Ferrelli, had five total tackles of their own. Lawrence and linebacker Chayce Chalmers each tallied one sack. Faulk and McCloud picked up half of a sack apiece, as well.
The Seawolves will now have some time to regroup after their loss, as next week is their bye week. Stony Brook will return to action in two weeks on Saturday, Oct. 19, when they will head to the Johnny Unitas Stadium in Towson, Md. in hopes of spoiling the Towson Tigers’ homecoming. Towson is 2-3 on the season overall and 1-1 in CAA play. Kickoff for that contest is scheduled for 1 p.m.
