The Seawolves survived a scare against the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers on a soggy Saturday, defeating them 16-10 in a hard-fought game. Stony Brook remained unbeaten at home and in conference play, improving their overall record to 4-4.
Senior running back Conte Cuttino (Uniondale, NY.) scored the game-winning touchdown for the second straight game, taking a screen pass from sophomore quarterback Michael Coulter (Yorba Linda, CA.) 28 yards to give the Seawolves the lead in the fourth quarter.
‘It’s a four-quarter game,’ said Head Coach Chuck Priore. ‘We had a beautiful 80-yard drive that was executed perfectly by a lot of different people. That is how you win football games.’
After three straight punts between both teams to open the game, Coastal Carolina received the first good field position of the day after E.J. Brown intercepted a Coulter pass and returned it 26 yards to the Stony Brook 30 yard line. They couldn’t capitalize, however, as the wind pushed Justin Durham’s field goal attempt to the right, and it bounced off the upright and into the endzone.
After a scoreless first quarter, the Chanticleers began the second quarter on their own 30 yard line after an SBU punt. Senior Tyler Santucci (New Kensington, PA.) came up with the first big play of the game, sacking Coastal’s Zach MacDowall for a loss of 13 yards. Two plays later, punter Ben Erdman failed to get the punt off and wound up fumbling, with redshirt freshman Jordan Gush (Richardson, TX) recovering it on Coastal’s four yard line.
The Seawolves wasted no time, as three plays later Coulter found senior Chris Tyler (Rocky Hill, CT.) for a nine-yard touchdown pass for the game’s first score. The first quarter ended with Stony Brook leading 7-0.
After a scoreless second quarter, the Seawolves opened the second half on their 16 yard line. After a four-yard Cuttino run, the Seawolves had back-to-back big plays that combined for 41 yards. Coulter first found sophomore Matt Brevi (Tampa, FL.) for 19 yards. Cuttino then ran the ball 29 yards to the Coastal 32. Redshirt freshman Wes Skiffington (Brandon, FL.) ended the drive with his school-record 12th field goal of the season, converting from 37 yards out to give SBU a 10-0 lead.
The Chanticleers would not remain silent, as they were finally able to score three drives later, when back-up quarterback Jamie Childers ran for a nine-yard touchdown.
Coulter was then intercepted for the second time, this time by Carlton Mitchell, putting the Chanticleers on Stony Brook’s 32. The defense held its ground and forced Durham to try his third field goal. He was able to make it from 38 yards out, tying the game at 10-10.
That score would not last for long, as the Seawolves were able to put together a seven-play 80-yard drive for a touchdown. The drive saw Stony Brook pick up three-straight first downs before Coulter found Cuttino, who broke a few tackles on his way to the endzone. A fumbled snap on the extra point left the score at 16-10.
Stony Brook’s defense came up big in the final minutes of the game, shutting down Coastal Carolina in the 4th quarter. On the ensuing drive, the Chanticleers marched to the Seawolves 31, but on third-and-eight junior Joseph Kirkpatrick (Athens, TX) came up with a sack for a loss of 11 yards, forcing a punt.
After taking 4:24 off the clock, Freshman Drew Evangelista (Cedar Grove, NJ.) pinned Coastal Carolina on their three yard line with a perfect 40-yard punt. Three plays later, the Seawolves forced a fumble, which senior Arin West (Toms River, NJ.) recovered to seal the victory.
Stony Brook’s defense totaled a season-high five sacks and held the Chanticleers to 177 total yards, the fewest allowed this season. Cuttino finished with a season-high 96 yards on 20 carries, while Coulter went 10-for-19 for 144 yards and two touchdowns and two interceptions.
The Seawolves head south next week to take on Gardner-Webb in a key matchup between conference rivals, both of whom are undefeated in the Big South.
