Fueled by the energy of over 5,700 cheering fans, the Seawolves football team collected its first win of the season, a 21-20 nail biter over Brown University at LaValle Stadium.
With only 47 seconds left in regulation and the home team’s fate in the balance, Seawolves quarterback Michael Coulter (Yorba Linda, CA.) found wide receiver Donald Porter (Charles Town, WV.) in the end zone, setting up Wesley Skiffington’s (Brandon, FL.) game winning extra point.
With the thrilling victory, the Seawolves improve to 1-2 and build momentum heading into a date with nationally ranked UMass next weekend.
After Brown used only four plays to get on the scoreboard, the Seawolves bounced back with a three-play scoring drive of their own that knotted the score. After sophomore Matt Brevi (Tampa, FL.) returned the kick off for 51 yards, Stony Brook capitalized on the good field position and sophomore Edwin Gowins (Bellport, NY.) tied the score at 7 with a 27-yard run. But, still in the first, Brown went back on top with a 23-yard touchdown pass, heading into the second quarter with a 14-7 lead.
The Bears threatened to extend their lead nearly midway through the second period, but junior Arin West (Toms River, N.J.) had other plans. The defensive back intercepted a pass in the end zone and saved the Seawolves from falling into a deeper hole. But Brown would get it right back, recovering Conte Cuttino’s (Uniondale, N.Y.) fumble and again threatening to score. However, the Seawolves defense picked off another one, as junior Stephen Schwicke (East Patchogue, NY.) returned the grab for 32 yards.
Coulter was temporarily replaced by sophomore quarterback Dayne Hoffman (Ada, MI.), who made his presence felt immediately by completing a 26 yarder to Porter to kick off the drive. The Seawolves then went for it on 4th and 8th, which resulted in a 28-yard touchdown completion to redshirt freshman Jordan Gush (Richardson, TX.) with a little over six minutes to go in the half. The teams entered the break dead locked at 14.
The third quarter saw the Brown offense go on the longest drive of the game, moving 71 yards in 10 plays. The drive included a fake punt on 4th and 6th at their own 33-yard line that resulted in a 37-yard gain. Brown would eventually score, breaking the tie to lead 20-14, but missed the extra point kick attempt that proved crucial.
Midway through the fourth, the Seawolves managed to stop the road team’s drive and force a punt. Stony Brook’s game winning drive ensued. After Coulter completed a 16 yarder to Gush for a first down, the Seawolves used two grabs from Brevi and a Cuttino run to end up 7 yards from the end zone. That turned to 10 yards after a three-yard loss, but the home team was still within striking distance.
Then, after eluding his man in the end zone, Porter gave Coulter a nice target for the game winning touchdown with less that a minute to go. Porter’s heroics gave the Seawolves a chance to take their only lead of the game on a Skiffington extra point attempt. Last week’s Big South Special Teams Player of the Week did not disappoint, kicking it in and giving the Seawolves the 21-20 victory.
‘At the end of the day, football is about your ability to finish the game,” Head Coach Chuck Priore said, ‘And in the fourth quarter, when it came time, that is what we did.’
The Seawolves travel to Amherst to take on Massachusetts on Saturday. Kickoff is slatted for 6:00 p.m.
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