Morrisville wins thriller over rival Utica

Football | 10/19/2024 9:43:00 PM

MORRISVILLE, NY – SUNY Morrisville football captured their second straight win in league action Saturday afternoon, holding on to defeat rival Utica University in a thrilling 28-26 final in Morrisville in Empire 8 play.

THE BASICS:

• Team Scores: Morrisville 28, Utica 26 (halftime: Morrisville 21-14)
• Location: Drake Field, Morrisville, N.Y.
• Records: Morrisville 3-3, 2-1 Empire 8; Utica 3-3, 1-2 Empire 8

 
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Host SUNY Morrisville football held on for a thrilling Empire 8 win Saturday afternoon on Drake Field in Morrisville, defeating rival Utica University by a 28-26 final.
• Morrisville generated 325 yards total offense on the day, including a 256-yard slate in the running game while registering three touchdown scores.
• Isaac Sylvain (Schenectady, N.Y.) led all ball carriers with a 139-yard net performance, scoring twice in the contest.
• Quarterback Christopher Stancarone (Levittown, N.Y.) added 92-net yards and a score, also completing 7-of-12 passes for 69-yards and a touchdown.
• Quamel Jarvis (Rochester, N.Y.) served as Stancarone's main target, reining in four for 51 yards.
• Stancarone's scoring strike found the hands of Thomas Malvagno who finished with one catch for a five-yard touchdown score.
• Utica collected 395 yards total offense on the day, but not without a double-digit effort defensively from duo Evan Salvaggio (Geneseo, N.Y.) and Eric Sparkman (Syracuse, N.Y.).
• Salvaggio led the way with 14 stops, six solo, while Sparkman added 12, including eight solo tackles, including a tackle for a loss of two yards.
• Camerin Camacho (Cape Coral, Fla.) added eight, while Dillon English (Webster, N.Y.) and Justin Anderson (Jamaica, N.Y.) each registered a quarterback hurry while combining for 13 total tackles.
• Pioneer quarterback Brett Fuller went 24-for-28 on the day for 238 yards and three scores, hitting Tyshawn Taylor a total seven times for 99 yards and two touchdowns.
• Matt Brantley led the Pioneers with his 63-yard net rushing effort for a score, as Utica collected a total 157-yards on the ground.
• Darius Johnson and James Lanier each recorded 12 tackles to lead the defense, Lanier adding a sack for a loss of five yards, while recording a quarterback hurry.
• Morrisville marched downfield on their opening drive after a 36-yard kickoff return by Xavier Gaines (Pomona, N.Y.) that positioned the hosts near midfield to start the drive.
• Three straight carries by Sylvain, including a 24-yard scramble around the right corner, brought the Mustangs down to the Utica 25, where Omar Jarvis (Rochester, N.Y.) added 14 more yards to the drive with his 11-yard rush to the 11.
• Stancarone made it a first and goal with his six-yard gain to the five-yard line, before hitting Tommy Malvagno (Oakdale, N.Y.) in the back of the end zone for the early host lead.
• Owen Cole (Maspeth, N.Y.) completed the point after.
• Utica responded on the following possession with a short seven-yard left pass from Fuller to Matt Brantley to complete the 71-yard drive in 12 total plays.
• Morrisville began their ensuing drive on their own 28 with 3:39 to go in the opening quarter, and just before the end of the frame, Stancarone found Quamel Jarvis for an 18-yard gain at the Utica 30.
• Back-to-back carries by Stancarone bought the ball to the Utica 18, before Sylvain tacked on 11 more with three carries to the Utica one.
• Sylvain followed the center across the goal line to put the Mustangs back in front, capping off the 74-yard drive with the one-yard rushing touchdown score, before Cole completed the extra point kick for the 14-7 Morrisville lead.
• Morrisville was forced to punt on their next drive attempt, but quickly recovered possession of the ball as the 43-yard punt by Ed-Son Jean-Baptiste (Brooklyn, N.Y.) hit a Utica player and became a live ball that was recovered by Ryan Fish (Ithaca, N.Y.) at the Pioneers one yard line.
• Stancarone followed the right tackle into the end zone to put the hosts ahead 21-7 with minutes to go in the half.
• Utica took advantage of a pass interference penalty against the Mustangs and Fuller found an open Taylor deep downfield for the 44-yard passing score to make it a 21-14 game with 1:50 to go.
• After forcing the Mustangs to turn the ball over on downs, Utica set up for a 44-yard field goal with one second remaining on the clock, but the attempt hit the goalpost crossbar and bounced out, sending the game into the break with a one possession host lead.
• Utica was able to add another score to their total late in the third, and looked to tie the contest at 21, but the point after attempt sailed wide of the left upright, making it a 21-20 ball game in favor of the Mustangs.
• In the fourth, Morrisville utilized the quick foot of Sylvain to move into Pioneer territory, before Stancarone had a quick hit to Quamel Jarvis on third down to position the Mustangs on the Pioneer 34.
• Sylvain found a hole on the right on the next play and outraced the Utica defense to the right corner of the end zone to extend the Mustang lead to 28-20.
• Utica threated to score on their next possession, but the Mustangs line forced the turnover on downs, preventing the fourth down conversion on their own six.
• Morrisville took over possession with just 1:14 remaining on the clock, but were forced to punt, placing the visitors on the hosts 38-yard line with 13 seconds to go.
• After a Fuller pass fell short, the Pioneers had one last opportunity and Fuller launched the hail Mary to the back of the end zone where the tip fell into the hands of Taylor to give Utica the touchdown score, and two-point conversion opportunity to tie the contest and force overtime.
• A false start pushed the Pioneers back five yards and, in an attempt to go for two, Fuller's pass was behind the intended receiver, giving the Mustangs the 28-26 Empire 8 win.

 
WHAT'S NEXT:
 

• Morrisville carries momentum into next week's Empire 8 battle, heading to Brockport for a 2 p.m. kickoff Saturday.

ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit www.empire8.com.
 
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