Morrisville Football downs No. 22 Brockport, 24-21, on Senior Day

MORRISVILLE, NY – It couldn't have been scripted any better for the Morrisville football senior class honored prior to kick-off Saturday, than to go all out and take down nationally ranked No. 22 The College at Brockport on their home field in the regular season finale. Behind some record setting performances, and a final push of those that didn't want the season to come to end, they did just that and kept their playoff hopes alive by defeating the Golden Eagles by a final 24-21 Empire 8 score on Drake Field in Morrisville.

THE BASICS:

• Final Score: Morrisville 24, #22 Brockport 21 (halftime – Brockport 21-14)
• Location: Drake Field, Morrisville, N.Y.
• Records: Brockport 8-2, 5-1 Empire 8; Morrisville 6-4, 4-2 Empire 8

 
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Host Morrisville football did what no other Empire 8 team could do in nearly three complete seasons of league play on Saturday, and sent the Brockport Golden Eagles packing with a stunning 24-21 defeat to wrap up the regular season.
• The Empire 8 top ranked defense from the get-go proved why they lead the league in fewest yards allowed per game, but it was the combined effort of the Mustangs offensive and defensive units that rattled the Golden Eagles down the stretch as they earned the conference win.
• Morrisville outgained the visitors in total offense on the day, 346 to 239, with a majority of their offensive gain coming in the passing game.
• Junior quarterback Bill Flatow (Mamaroneck, N.Y.) completed 20-of-45 attempts for 265 yards and a touchdown score, nine to the hands of Toure' Hall Jr. (Stratford, N.Y.) who pulled in a team high 103 yards and a score.
• Flatow's totals on the day put him at the top of the Mustang season record books in passing yards and passing touchdowns, topping single season records established by Lemar Johnson during the infamous 2013 season.
• Senior wide out Jermaine Cooper (New York, N.Y.) added 87 yards behind his six receptions to contribute to the receiving game.
• Senior running back Kinsey Williams (Rome, N.Y.) collected 96 yards net rushing and two touchdown scores against the stingy defense that typically allows opponents an average of just 28.3 yards per game.
• Brockport has allowed a mere 283 total yards throughout the season in the rushing game, and a league least five touchdown scores.
• Jason Hellwig completed 14-of-287 passes for Brockport, collecting 170 yards through the air, while being dropped for three sacks.
• Jala Coad led the Golden Eagles with 101 net yards rushing, scoring twice, while fellow teammate Imhotep Cromer added another 72 yards on four receptions in the receiving game.
• Brockport had a pair in double digits, including Makhai Murphy who made 12 total stops, while registering a pass break up.
• L. Jenkins added another 10, pulled in an interception and broke up two passes.
• Andrew Covais was troublesome in the secondary, posting a total six tackles, while returning an interception 26 yards for a score. He also collected a quarterback hurry and two pass breakups.
• Morrisville senior safety Mike Bodnar (Miller Place, N.Y.) had a record breaking day, posting a team best nine stops, five solo, while recording two for a loss of five yards. His tallies on the day sent him over the top of the Mustangs all-time leaderboard in tackles, 280 to-date on the season.
• Ernesto Mitchell (Wheatley Heights, N.Y.) added another eight, along with Philemon Benjamin (Queens, N.Y.), but it was a big game from Deondrade Wells (Goshen, N.Y.) that contributed to the win for the Mustangs.
• Wells posted a total eight tackles, seven solo stops, one pass break up and forced a critical fumble at the end of the fourth quarter that sealed the upset victory for the hosts.
• Morrisville's offense got off to a slow start on the afternoon, managing 21 yards in their first possession, but it was the defensive unit that proved they were going to put up a fight all game long on Brockport's first, limiting the Golden Eagles to -1 yards in three plays on their opening drive.
• A sack on Flatow forced the Mustangs to punt, but Morrisville's defense again limited the Golden Eagles as their 70-yard drive came up short as the 24-yard field goal attempt said wide left of the upright.
• Brockport was able to break through on the following Mustang possession though, as Flatow's pass was picked off and returned 26 yards for a defensive score by the Golden Eagles Covais.
• Following a blocked punt, Brockport regained possession on the Mustangs own 11-yard line, and once again the defensive unit stood firm, forcing the Golden Eagles into a 36-yard field goal attempt.
• Senior Jermaine Rankine (Newburgh, N.Y.) dropped Hellwig for an eight yard loss on the sack, forcing the Golden Eagles back.
• In a second straight field goal attempt, Noah Panepinto sent the ball wide left, returning possession to the Mustangs without additional scoring on the board.
• Flatow struggled to find his rhythm in the pocket, and on the next drive Brockport once again picked him off, leading to an early second quarter rushing score by Coad for the 14-0 visitor advantage.
• After forcing Brockport to a quick three-and-out on their next offensive series, Morrisville quickly went to work offensively and gained some momentum as Flatow connected with Hall for a 17-yard gain along the far sideline and followed with a 28-yard strike to Cooper along the Mustangs sideline to bring the ball down to the Brockport two.
• The offensive line opened a huge hole for Kinsey on the right, who went untouched into the endzone for the rushing score, bringing the Mustangs within seven midway through the quarter.
• A questionable penalty whistled against the Mustangs on forth down led to a new set of downs and touchdown score for Brockport as Coad collected his second after scampering 13 yards across the goal line.
• Morrisville would respond, though, on their ensuing possession to send the game into the halftime break with a 21-14 Brockport lead.
• Flatow had to big back-to-back strikes to his leading receivers, switching fields and catching the Brockport secondary on their heels. The first to Cooper for the 14-yard gain into Brockport territory, and a second to tight end Kyle Tuohy (Amaranth, Ontario) for a 24-yard march to the 21.
• Flatow wrapped up the nine-play, 74-yard drive with a one-yard scoring strike to Hall, before Desmond Akpanoko (Roosevelt, N.Y.) nailed his second PAT down the center.
• Brockport opened the third with a drive into Morrisville territory, but on fourth down the pass sailed behind the receiver and turned over the downs and Morrisville wasted no time in putting more numbers on the board, making it a four-point game as Akpanoko nailed the 30-yard field goal down the center.
• The Mustangs defense forced Brockport to punt on the ensuing drive, and what looked like could be Morrisville's third turnover of the game fell in their favor as a 23-yard strike downfield went through the hands of the defensive back and into the hands of a falling Parrish Durham (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) for first down.
• Flatow hit Hall on the ensuing play, and following a pass interference call made against the Brockport defense, Morrisville gained a new set of downs on the Brockport eight.
• Morrisville wasted little time as Kinsey again scurried through a huge hole made by the offensive line on the right and across the goal line for the go ahead score, a 24-21 Mustang lead.
• The back-and-forth battle on the field fell into the hands of the Mustangs defense as they worked to preserve their lead over the #22 nationally ranked program.
• Brockport used the finesse of Coad to move the ball forward on their drive that started with 3:45 remaining on the clock, quickly reaching Morrisville territory.
• After a five-yard pound forward to the Morrisville 37, Coad again got the call and attempted to scamper along the Mustang sideline ahead for the first down, but a waiting Wells made a big stop and forced a critical and uncharacteristic Brockport turnover, recovering the fumble he forced and returning possession to the hosts with under two minutes to go in the contest.
• Curt Fitzpatrick's squad used back-to-back plays to Kinsey to move the ball and consume clock time, and with just over a minute to go, went into victory formation sealing the upset win over the Golden Eagles.
• The win keeps the Mustangs hopes alive for a post-season bowl bid as they finish the regular season with a 6-4 overall record, 4-2 Empire 8 slate. Their victory over Brockport was the first loss faced by the Golden Eagles in conference play since the 2016 season.

 
WHAT'S NEXT:

• Post-season details will be released this weekend, and as late as Monday. Check the college's athletic web site at www.morrisvillemustangs.com for more information.