Football | 9/25/2021 8:30:00 PM
MORRISVILLE, N.Y. – The SUNY Morrisville football team notched their first win of 2021 in a dominating way Saturday afternoon, as they topped visiting Buffalo State College 41-10 on Drake Field in Morrisville during the college's Mustang Weekend (homecoming) activities. Head Coach Ed Raby, Jr. earned his first coaching win at Morrisville.
THE BASICS:
- Final Score: Morrisville 41, Buffalo State 10 (halftime: Morrisville 21-3)
- Location: Drake Field, Morrisville, N.Y.
- Records: Morrisville 1-3, Buffalo State 0-3
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
- Host SUNY Morrisville football picked up their first win of the 2021 season in week four, handing Buffalo State College a 41-10 rout on Mustang Weekend on Drake Field in Morrisville Saturday afternoon.
- Morrisville raced out to a game total 281-yards in the running game, adding another 103 net in the assault through the air, out-gaining the Bengals a total 384 to 236 on the afternoon in total offense.
- The Mustangs, who found the end zone five times behind their fast foot, averaged 6.7 yards per rush, and were carried by freshman Alex McBurnie (Brooklyn, N.Y.) who put together a collegiate high 191-net yards on 26 carries.
- McBurnie added two scores to go along with junior Justin Donnelly's (Meridian, N.Y.) two scores and 29-yards.
- Alek Britten (Schenectady, N.Y.) collected 103 yards passing on the day, completing 9-of-12 attempts for a touchdown strike, finding wideout Kaden Gabler (Camden, N.Y.) who registered 21 yards on one reception.
- Quamel Jarvis (Rochester, N.Y.) led the receiving unit with 47-yards on his three receptions, including a long of 27 on the day.
- Donnelly added another 13 yards to his offensive tallies, reining in two.
- The Mustangs starting linebacker unit led the defensive efforts on the day, posting a combined 24 total stops, including three for a loss of five yards, a forced fumble and interception while holding the Bengal offensive unit to just 236 yards total offense on the day.
- Ernesto Mitchell (Wheatley Heights, N.Y.) led the unit with nine stops, recording one tackle for a loss of two yards, while Joe Miller-LaBar (Groton, N.Y.) added another eight, five solo, to go along with his 1.5 tackles for a loss of two yards.
- Miller-LaBar also forced a fumble and returned an interception for seven yards.
- Philemon Benjamin (Queens, N.Y.) added seven stops in the win.
- A majority of the Buffalo State offensive efforts came from the passing game behind the play of two quarterbacks sharing duties on the afternoon.
- Cam Sionko collected 73 yards behind his 12-for-20 effort, throwing an interception, before being replaced by Javon Ford who finished the contest 3-for-5 for 67 yards and the Bengals lone touchdown passing score.
- Ford also registered 44 yards in the run game, leading the Bengals as the Mustangs posted a tough front and limited the visitors to under 100 on the day.
- Cam Crosier reigned in a long reception of 54 yards to add to his other four tallies for a combined 73-yard afternoon, racing to the end zone to post the touchdown score.
- Darren Thompson led the Bengals with eight total stops for the defensive unit, five solo tackles in the efforts.
- After exchanging possessions early on in the quarter, Morrisville began their second drive from their own 14-yard line after being forced back from a personal foul penalty on the return the play prior.
- Immediately, McBurnie went to work, scampering for four yards on the first play of the drive, before breaking three tackles and racing down to the Buffalo State 22-yard line.
- After a five-yard gain by Donnelly into the red zone, McBurnie pounded the ball forward on three straight plays into the end zone, registering his first collegiate touchdown score, and giving the Mustangs their first score on homecoming weekend. Owen Cole (Maspeth, N.Y.) completed the point after for the 7-0 lead at the 7:59 mark.
- Buffalo State was able to put numbers on the board on the ensuing drive, completing the 49-yard drive with a 22-yard field goal from Nick Sciandra with 1:34 showing on the clock in the opening quarter.
- After a Mustang punt early in the second, Morrisville was able to regain possession of the ball on the ensuing Bengal drive, as Miller-LaBar stepped in front of the pass attempt by Sionko and returned the ball to the Bengal 21.
- Miller-LaBar's interception set up a one-play, 21-yard scoring strike from Britten to a wide open Gabler over center for the quick score, and 14-3 Mustang lead.
- Both teams were quiet offensively until the Mustangs drive with 5:20 remaining before the halftime break.
- Once again McBurnie pounded the ball forward on three straight plays, before Britten connected with Jarvis to break into Buffalo territory.
- From there it was all on the foot of the freshman running back who posted double digit gains back-to-back before finding the end zone for a second time on a nine-yard pound up the middle, and 21-3 host lead at the break.
- Morrisville added to their lead midway through the third on a 28-yard scurry by Donnelly, before adding another less than four minutes later on another 26-yard scoring run.
- Holding a 34-3 lead heading into the final quarter, Buffalo State was able to get one score back at the 10:41 mark, as Ford found Crosier toeing the right sideline for the 54-yard scoring play.
- Morrisville, though, put one final score up on the board to claim the dominating win and put the game out of reach, with Steven Frerichs (Wilson, N.Y.) following the center block and pushing his way into the end zone to complete the 12-play, 68-yard drive with his two-yard scoring run.
- The visitors attempted one last drive, but after a sack for a loss of nine-yards, and a penalty, the ball was turned over on downs and the Mustangs walked away with head coach Ed Raby's first career win.
WHAT'S NEXT:
- Morrisville will open Empire 8 action next Saturday as the Mustangs see a familiar face return to Drake Field in former head coach Curt Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick will bring his 3-0 Cortland Red Dragons to the Mustang Valley for a 1 p.m. league kick-off.
- The Mustangs throughout the week will be holding a Morrisville Community Food Pantry drive, and will be receiving donations at the gate Saturday.