Late touchdown pushes Saxons past Springfield
SPRINGFIELD, MA – Sophomore tailback Chris Lopez scored on
a five-yard run with 38 seconds left to snap a 28-28 tie and give
the Alfred University football team a 35-28 win over host
Springfield in the Saxons Empire 8 Conference opener Saturday
afternoon.
The late touchdown capped a nine-play 45-yard drive and helped
23rd-ranked AU stay unbeaten on the season at 3-0 (1-0 Empire 8).
With the loss, Springfield falls to 3-1 (0-1 Empire 8).
The score was tied at 21-21 after three quarters before the Saxons
took a 28-21 lead on a 10-yard touchdown run by freshman tailback
Austin Dwyer. Dwyer, who scored three TDs on the day (two rushing,
one receiving), ran for a career-high 168 yard on 22 carries.
The Pride came right back on their ensuing possession, marching 61
yards on just four plays, with quarterback Josh Carter scoring on a
four-yard run to cap a 1:33 drive. Both teams exchanged punts
before AU took possession at the Springfield 45-yard line with 4:21
left in the game. The Saxons converted a pair of crucial fourth
down tries on the drive. Junior linebacker Nick Clark rushed for
three yards on a fourth-and-one play at the Springfield 35. Then,
on fourth-and-10 at the Pride 35, junior quarterback Tom
Secky completed a 28-yard pass to sophomore wideout Andre
McCloud that put the ball at the Springfield 5-yard line. Lopez
scored the winning touchdown on the next play.
Springfield had one last chance, moving the ball to the AU 25-yard
line before Carter's last-second toss was intercepted by AU
senior wide receiver Ryan Thon at the goal line on the game's
final play.
Springfield took an early lead in the game, driving 56 yards in six
plays on its opening possession, with running back Alex Mendez
giving the Pride a 7-0 lead with a 14-yard run 2:20 into the game.
Alfred answered with two straight touchdowns. On the Saxons'
next possession, Dwyer scored on a 56-yard run on Alfred's
first play from scrimmage. With 2:22 left in the opening period,
Secky hit freshman wide receiver Josh Phillips with a 22-yard TD
pass to cap a three-play 46-yard drive.
The Pride knotted the game at 14-14 when running back Mark Safer
score on a four-yard run with 47 second left in the first half. The
score came five plays after Springfield's Scott Christy
intercepted a Secky pass at the Pride 31 and returned it 48 yards
to Alfred's 21-yard line.
AU regained the lead with 9:15 left in the third when Secky passed
10 yards to Dwyer to cap an 11-play 80-yard drive. A Mendez
three-yard run with 5:18 left in the third made it 21-21.
Alfred put up 468 yards of offense (233 rushing, 235 passing) and
had three turnovers. Lopez finished with 65 yards rushing on 11
carries with one touchdown. Secky completed 17 of 24 passes for 235
yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Phillips had four
catches for 66 yards and Dwyer had three for 32 yards. Thon
finished with two receptions for 34 yards.
Springfield, which entered the game as the nation's
third-best rushing team (404.7 yards per game), ran for 309 yards
but was held to 31 yards passing and turned the ball over twice.
Mendez had 129 yards rushing and two TDs and Carter finished with
63 yards on 13 carries.
Clark had a team-high 11 tackles to pace the Saxon defense. Senior
linebacker Chad Pieri had eight tackles (two for loss) and junior
linebacker Brady Bonaquisti (LeRoy, NY/LeRoy) had 10 tackles and a
forced fumble. Junior end Marcellus Jones had eight tackles (1
½ for loss) and a fumble recovery and sophomore tackle Mike
Raplee had nine tackles.
Ken Goodwin had a game-high 12 tackles (one for loss), a fumble
recovery and an interception to pace the Pride defense, Cody
Flanigan had five tackles and 1 ½ sacks.
AU is in action next on Saturday, Oct. 2, at 1 p.m. at home against
Frostburg State.
