Bangor, ME - The Becker Hawks capitalized on their chances in a tightly contested Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) match up with Husson University. Regulation finished with the teams deadlocked at 14, and the Becker College Hawks came through on their overtime possession to earn the 20-14 victory.
The Eagle passing game was working despite the wet conditions, as Kash Keezer (Veazie, ME) was 14-38 for 183 yards, connecting to 7 different receivers. Ben Foss (Wales, ME) led all receivers with 4 receptions for 52 yards, and Imadhi Zagon caught a screen pass that went for a score. Zagon finished the game with 142 all purpose yards. Defensively, Husson had 4 players with double-digit tackles. First year linebacker Jason Nickola (Hudson, NH) led the effort with 15 total tackles (5 solo), followed by Godfrey Taylor (New York, NY) with 11 total (5 solo). Chris Dalecki (So. Berwick, ME) had 8 solo tackles, 2.5 for loss (10 total), 3 sacks and 2 forced fumbles while Kyle Vanidestine (Bangor, ME) had 8 total tackles and 2 interceptions to help the Husson D.
Becker was led by first year runningback Tyler Iafelice (Edgewater, NJ) who had 21 carrires for 161 yards and two TDs. Quarterback Robert Baker was 16-33 passing for 141 yards. Jonathan Rivera (Dracut, MA) led the Hawks receivers with 5 catches for 41 yards. On defense, Becker was led by Asante Harris (Charlotte, NC) and Andrew Reid (East Orange, NJ) who each turned in 5 total tackles with 4 solos apiece.
Both punters had strong performances in the tightly notted contest. Kyle Bishop (Waterville, ME) had 6 punts for the Eagles, averaging 36.8 yards per punt and 2 inside the 20, including a 47 yard bomb that rolled out of bounds at the 1. Eric Glynn (West Hartford, CT) of Becker had 6 punts as well, averaging 35.3 per punt with 2 inside the 20 as well.
Becker got the scoring started on their third drive of the game covering 83 yards on just 2 plays. Both plays on the drive were runs by Iafelice, the second of which broke for 78 yards and the score. Mike Carroll (Sutton, MA) added the kick to give the Hawks a 7-0 lead.
On the Eagles' first posession of the second quarter, Husson started on the Becker 30, and after a run for no gain, Keezer found Foss for a 29 yard reception that nearly got into the endzone. Ryan Dorso (Farmingdale, ME) punched it in for the score, and after a Doug Dieuveuil (Veazie, ME) kick, the score was tied 7-7 with 12:31 left in the half.
The Hawks responded on their very next drive, compiling a 10 play, 62 yard drive that spanned 4:15, capped off by a one yard rush by Iafelice. Carroll's kick was good and Becker was back on top 14-7.
Husson answered right back with a touchdown drive of their own on their very next posession. The Eagles mounted a 7 play 59 yard drive that took just two and a half minutes, and finished it off by setting up the screen to Zagon, taking Keezer's short pass 39 yards for the score. Dieuveuil converted and tied the game at 14.
That would be it for the scoring in the first half, and regulation as well after both defenses were able to post 2nd half shutouts. Neither team could get things going offensively. Becker had a shot to win in regulation, putting together a 15 play, 54 yard drive that started with 6:32 left, and went 6:17. The drive ended abruptly when Taylor Bradley (Skowhegan, ME) intercepted a pass in the endzone for his second pick of his rookie season.
The 4th quarter finished with the score still tied, and the game went into overtime. Becker won the toss, and chose to go on defense first.
The Eagles started the overtime period with a pair of incompletions, before Keezer found Desmond Nutter (Belgrade, ME) for a 5 yard completion. The Eagles set up for a 36 yard field goal, but Dieuveuil's attempt went wide right.
Becker got the ball for their shot from the 25 yardline, and started out with 4 rushes from Ezequiel Torres (Ledyard, CT) to pick up a first down. Baker passed the ball for 2 yards, and Kyle Gregg (Charlotte, NC) rushed for 9 yards and another first down to get the ball to the Husson 3 yard line. Gregg took another handoff from the 3, and squeezed through the hole and into the endzone for the game-winning score.
