Sacred Heart took advantage of a huge second half to blow out Stony Brook, 38-10, at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium on Saturday night.
Moment that mattered: With only nine yards between the line of scrimmage and his own goal line, redshirt sophomore Joe Carbone tried to air out a 19-yard pass early in the third quarter. However, Sacred Heart senior defensive back Khaamal Whitaker picked off the lofty throw. The Pioneers scored a touchdown on the ensuing drive, taking the lead, 17-10, and the team would stay on top for the rest of the game.
What the loss means: A loss against the top team in the Football Championship Subdivision’s weakest conference is disappointing, especially after defeating the former No. 2 team in the country.
However, the Seawolves found the chink in their armor: creative play calling. Read option runs, flea flickers and a bevy of shovel passes proved to be Stony Brook’s downfall. Long passes tore up the Seawolves’ secondary, proving that ballhawking is still needed amid the hard-hitting duo of senior defensive back Jaheem Woods and junior defensive back Tyrice Beverette.
Standout Seawolf: Although it was not the four scores and 100 yards he had against Richmond, redshirt junior running back Stacey Bedell was again solid, producing 62 yards on the ground. The Mastic Beach native scored Stony Brook’s only touchdown of the day. He averaged 4.4 yards on 14 attempts, including a second 30-yard gain in the second quarter to set up a field goal that would give the Seawolves their only lead of the game
Three takeaways:
- Turnovers killed the Seawolves. Not only was Carbone picked off after attempting a lofty prayer of a pass, but redshirt sophomore Pat Irwin fumbled the ball with 49 seconds left in the first half. Carbone threw an interception in the fourth quarter, which Sacred Heart returned for a touchdown.
- Although it did not allow a sack in the team’s win against Richmond, Stony Brook’s offensive line gave way to pass-rushing defenders against Sacred Heart. The line allowed three sacks and crumbled under pressure many more times.
- Responding to big wins is not Stony Brook’s forte. The win against Richmond, arguably the biggest win in Stony Brook Football history, was a marker of how good they can be. However, much like they did after defeating then-No. 13 New Hampshire last season, the Seawolves followed up with a loss. Instead of a 21-0 shutout loss to William and Mary, Stony Brook fell flat with a 38-10 pounding at the hands of Sacred Heart.
What’s next: After a bye next week, Stony Brook will look to redeem itself on the road, taking on Towson on Oct. 8. Last season when the two squared off, Towson spoiled Stony Brook’s Homecoming, defeating the Seawolves 21-14.
