TROY, N.Y. - Running back Delano Munoz Whatts caught a screen pass from classmate George Marinopolous at the 4-yard line and the graduate student scampered to the front left corner of the end zone with 33.6 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to lift the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) football team to a come-from-behind 14-10 victory over Stevenson University in a non-league contest at East Campus Stadium. The Engineers, who won on a late touchdown last week, improve to 2-0, while the Mustangs drop to 0-2.
Trailing by three points with four minutes to play in the final frame, RPI forced a Stevenson punt following a three-and-out and began its drive at its own 43 yard line. Marinopolous found Munoz Whatts on the right for a 4-yard gain and then hit D.J. Palmer on the left for seven yards and a first down. A sack by Stevenson's Tashan Fitzgerald made it 2nd-and 17 from the Stevenson 46 yard line, but Marinopolous and Munoz Whatts made up eight yards on the next play. Pass plays of nine and 14 yards, plus a roughing the passer penalty, set the Engineers up on the 12 yard line. Marinopoulos hit Palmer for eight yards to get to the four and then connected with Munoz Whatts in the flat on a 3rd-and-2 that ended up in the end zone.
The Mustangs started the ensuing drive on its own 12 yard line with 26 seconds remaining and managed to get to the 40 yard line but an interception by Carlos Davis sealed the victory for Rensselaer.
Stevenson had taken a 10-7 lead earlier in the quarter when senior running back Kevin Joppy bulled his way into the end zone from a yard out with 11:33 to play. The visitors got the ball at the Engineers' 19 yard line after a dropped snap on a punt attempt resulted in a short run and a turnover on downs. A 14-yard pass from Ryan Sedgwick to Tylor Blake put them on the five yard line and Joppy finished the drive three rushes later.
The touchdown was the second straight score for Stevenson, which got a 26-yard field goal from junior kicker Brody Campbell with 19 seconds left in the first half.
Marinopolous had given Rensselaer the lead approximately six minutes earlier when he rushed in from four yards out. He finished an 8-play, 29-yard drive that was set up by an interception and a 24-yard return by linebacker Cam Younginer.
A senior, Younginer had one of three interceptions for the defense, joining Davis and Spencer Brockdorff. The defense also had three pass breakups while holding the Mustangs to 261 total yards, including only 150 passing.
Senior linebacker Joe Deptula led all tacklers with a career-high 13 tackles. Conor Ahern had 11 tackles, including a 10-yard sack, from his down lineman position and cornerback C.J. Lyons totaled 10 stops with a pass breakup. Offensively, Munoz Whatts rushed for 47 yards on 10 attempts and had a team-high five catches for 32 yards. Marinopolous completed 17 of 28 passes for 147 yards.
Sedgewick, a senior, was 18 of 32 for 150 yards with Steven Smothers catching six balls for 36 yards. Joppy led the Mavericks with 125 rushing yards on 32 carries. Senior defensive lineman Mario McIntyre had seven tackles, including five solos and three sacks (17 yards lost), while Josh Siegenthaler made six tackles with five being unassisted. The linebacker had a sack (4 yards), four tackles behind the line of scrimmage (28 yards) and a forced fumble, which he recovered in the end zone to end an Engineers first quarter drive.
The Mustangs are back on the field next Saturday when they play at Delaware Valley in their MAC opener (1pm). RPI travels to WPI next Saturday for the annual Transit Trophy Game (2:30pm).
RPI Scores Late Touchdown to Defeat Stevenson, 14-10
/seasons/2021/boxscores/20210911_3cfg.xml
2021
Stevenson
10
RPI
14
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stevenson (0-2) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
| No. 18 RPI (2-0) | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
Sep 11, 2021