Release courtesy of Husson University Athletics Communications.
BANGOR, Maine - It was a rainy and windy fall day at the Dr. John W. Winkin Complex on Saturday, as the Husson University (7-2, 6-0 ECFC) football team clinched their third-straight Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) Championship with a 63-2 victory over Gallaudet University in the program's final ECFC game.
Husson recognized 13 seniors prior to the game for their accomplishments with the Husson University football program: Ty Bassett, Dominic Boulrisse, Cory Brandon, Javaris Carrigan, John Chen, Jake Dobos, Kyle Gaudet, Antonio Rocha, Tarik Smith, Quan Soyini, Elvin Suazo, Max Troiano and Brad Weston.
FOR HUSSON:
- Sophomore Miece Loureiro carried the ball 15 times for 139 yards with two scores, which included a 90-yard touchdown run. The 90-yard run broke Ryan Dorso's (88, Anna Maria, 2011) and Justin Spencer's (88, Assumption, 2003) single-game record for the longest rush from scrimmage in program history.
- Freshman Solomon Hassen racked up 87-yards off seven carries with a 71-yard rushing touchdown, the tenth longest rush from scrimmage.
- Senior Cory Brandon completed 14-of-21 pass attempts for a single-game school record 404 yards - previous record stood for 16 seasons - with five touchdown passes on the afternoon to become the first quarterback in program history to throw for 400 yards in a single game. The senior quarterback also set new single-game marks for highest average gain per play (17.6), highest passing efficiency rating (311.6), most passing yards gained per attempt (19.2), most passing yards gained per completion (26.9) and most total offense yards gained (387).
- Brandon struck for touchdowns of 82, 61, 57, 47 and 21 yards on the afternoon to record his third career five touchdown passing game, the only quarterback in program history to accomplish this feat.
- Brandon's main target on the afternoon was fellow senior Kyle Gaudet who caught seven of his passes for a single-game record 249 yards, an average of 35.6 yards gained per catch - a new single-game, and a single-game record four touchdown catches to bring his season total to 11 to surpass the program's previous single-season record of nine.
- With his 249 yards of receiving on afternoon, Gaudet passed Deon Wiggins for the most career pass reception yards in program history.
- Sophomore Tyler Halls caught four passes for 65 yards.
- The dual treat of senior Ty Bassett caught two passes for 53-yards with a touchdown and one run for five yards for 58-yards of all-purpose.
- Senior Elvin Suazo recorded a game-high nine tackles (seven solo, two assisted, 2.5 for loss) with sack for a 6-yard loss. Suazo currently sits second all-time with 23.0 career sacks, leaving him just a half sack away of tying Ray Ray Wiggins '10 career mark for most program history.
- Senior Jake Dobos tallied six tackles (four solos, two assisted), while two went for a loss of eight yards. He also recorded a pass breakup.
- Sophomore Frank Curran contributed six tackles (four solos, two assisted, 1.5 for loss) with a sack and two quarterback hurries.
- Senior Tarik Smith added five tackles (two solos, three assisted, three for loss) with 1.5 sacks and two quarterback hurries.
- Junior Marcell Mitchell had an interception and senior John Chen recovered a fumble and took it 28-yards to house.
FOR GALLAUDET:
- Logan Taylor and Lance Wood combined to complete 1-of-12 pass attempts for four yards with an interception.
- Cassmeir Hutchinson carried the ball ten times for 46 yards.
- Louie Akuffo piled up eight tackles and broke up two passes.
- Everett Polzin had seven tackles for the Bison.
GAME REVIEW:
- After the Husson defense forced Gallaudet to start the game with a three and out, the Eagle offense didn't waste any time to find the endzone as Brandon found a wide open Gaudet for a 21-yard touchdown catch to cap off a 4-play, 42-yard drive that lasted one minute and 18 seconds.
- On the Eagles next possession, Louriero broke loose for a 90-yard touchdown run thanks to blocks by sophomore left tackle Jacob Cameron, senior left guard Brad Weston and Bassett to push the Eagle lead to 14.
- Starting on their own 24 yard line, Husson found themselves in 3rd and 23 from their own 42 yard line after an Eagle penalty and a incomplete pass from Brandon. Brandon once again found his favorite target in Gaudet for a 15-yard pass to setup a 4th and 8 at the Bison 43. On the very next play Brandon connected for a 42-yard pass to Halls, who was tackled at the one-yard line Marc Wallace and Loureiro finished the drive off with 1-yard punch in giving the Eagles 21-0 lead 14:11 into the second quarter.
- The Eagles forced Gallaudet to punt again, but the Bison punter Jacob Guertler pinned the Eagles at the one yard line and Louie Akuffo tackled Loureiro in the endzone for safety, making the game 21-2 Husson with 11:02 left in the first half.
- From this point on the Eagles scored 42 unanswered points to clinch the program's fifth consecutive trip to the postseason.
TEAM STATS:
- Husson accumulated 684 yards on offense, averaging 10.4 yards per play.
- Husson finished with a single-game record 401 yards of passing (15.4 per pass attempt - a new single-game record) and 283 yards of rushing off 40 carries (7.1 per rush).
- The Husson defense held the Bison offense to 43 total yards, 43 of which came on the ground and four through the air, while forcing two turnovers and sacking the quarterback six times on the afternoon.
- The Eagle defense also held Gallaudet to a -5.5 passing efficiency rating and to an 8.3 passing completion percentage, both broke the program's single-game records for the lowest marks allowed.
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:
With the result, Husson improves to 6-5 in the history of the series with Gallaudet and finishes with a 43-26 all-time conference record mark as a member of the ECFC. The Eagles however have gone 37-4 vs. ECFC foes since 2013.
UP NEXT:
The Eagles concluded their regular season with a non-conference match-up versus Plymouth State University Panthers in Plymouth, N.H. next weekend. The kickoff of the first game between the Eagles and the Panthers since the 2005 season is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.