BANGOR, Maine – Shane Brozowski (Rensselaer, N.Y.) threw for 458 yards and three touchdowns and ran for three more as Castleton State College won 55-51 over Husson University in Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) action Saturday afternoon at The Winkin Complex.
With the win Castleton (4-3, 4-1) keeps pace with Norwich University for second place in the conference behind still unbeaten SUNY-Maritime. Husson falls to 1-7, 1-4. The Spartans return to action next Saturday in their final home game of the season versus Becker at 12 noon.
Castleton reached the scoreboard four minutes into the first quarter when Brozowski kept the football for a seven yard rushing touchdown. On the ensuing drive, Justin Lindie (Winslow, Maine) rushed for 27 yards and capped the drive with a seven-yard touchdown rush. Lee Gustin's (Dexter, Maine) kick attempt was successful to even the score at 7-7.
Castleton answered with another scoring drive that featured a 24-yard Brozowski hook-up with Brandon Boyle(Springfield, Vt.). Another Brozowski pass to Evan Cassidy (South Burlington, Vt.) was good for a 12-yard touchdown, pushing the Castleton lead to 14-7.
It was just a picture of things to come, as neither team had much success on the defensive side of the ball with both teams combining for 1363 yards of total offense. Last week Castleton and Anna Maria combined for over 1100.
The scoring continued on the next drive when Husson's Byron Jackson (Bridgeport, Conn.) rushed for 30 yards, setting up Lindie for another four yard rushing touchdown.
Castleton once again answered when Brozowski scored on the quarterback keeper to give the Spartans a 21-14 lead, following the successful kick by Luis Robitaille (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.).
Husson struck first in the second quarter as Jack Hersom (Sidney, Maine) connected with receiver Desmond Nutter (Belgrade, Maine) for a 21-yard pass that set up an 11-yard rushing touchdown by Jackson. Castleton blocked the point-after-touchdown attempt and Husson recovered in the end zone to take its first lead of the contest 22-21.
Castleton once again scored on its ensuing drive, this time on a Brozowski-to-Adam Farmer (South Burlington, Vt.) 15-yard touchdown. The Spartans finally registered a defensive stop, and Brozowski turned into yet another touchdown, this time hooking up with Cassidy for a 63-yard strike.
The Spartans closed out the half leading 41-29 on touchdowns from Brozowski and Husson's Lindie.
Lindie opened the second half in the same manner he ended the first, carrying the ball three-straight times for 73 yards including a 60-yard touchdown trot that cut the Spartan lead to 41-36.
Husson grabbed the lead (43-41) with just over two minutes remaining in the quarter after a Kyle Vanidestine (Bangor, Maine) recovered a fumble to set up a Tyler Pembroke (Veazie, Maine) touchdown reception.
Castleton opened the fourth quarter with an 11-play touchdown drive, capped by a Tyler Carpenter (Fort Edward, N.Y.) score to reclaim the lead. Once again the Eagles answered with a touchdown of their own, grabbing a 51-48 advantage with 5:54 left in the contest.
After a Castleton's drive stalled, Brandon Bergeron (Hartford, Vt.) forced an Eagle fumble and Cody TanCreti (Hartland, Vt.) pounced on the loose ball with 3:12 left on the clock, setting up the game-winning drive.
Carpenter rushed for 19 yards on the drive, the final two for a Spartan touchdown. Robitaille's extra point made it 55-51 with 49 seconds remaining. Husson's final drive ended with a TanCreti interception as time expired.
Brozowski completed 34-of-52 attempts, completing passes to eight different receivers. Cassidy caught 11 passes, two of which went for touchdowns amassing a Spartan record 217 yards. Carpenter pounded out 179 yards on 29 carries and two scores to pace the Spartan ground game and added seven catches out of the backfield for 84 yards.
Defensively, Dustin Young (Dunnellon, Fla.) recorded 10 tackles while Bergeron had eight, including two for a loss, a forced fumble and a sack.
Lindie paced the Eagles with 253 rushing yards and five touchdowns, followed by 170 rushing yards and one touchdown by Jackson. Hersom passed for 150 yards and one touchdown.