Oneonta, NY - Husson football started yet another chapter in it's 11-year existence Saturday as the second Gabby Price era began against Hartwick College of the Empire 8 Conference. Husson lost by a final of 33-7 in the fifth meeting all-time between the two schools.
Husson's opening drive resulted in a three-and-out after a penalty on third down and the Eagles punted to the Hawks. The Hawks took advantage and scored the game's first six on a John Garcia Pass to Travis Samuels for 74 yards. Hartwick missed the extra point and the score stood at 6-0 Hawks.
The Eagles were forced to punt once again on their next drive and Hartwick capitalized yet again, this time on just one play. Garcia tossed down field for Frankie Molina for 50 yards and the score, putting the Hawks up 12-0 after another missed extra point.
Hartwick started a drive with 40 seconds left in the first quarter that extended almost five minutes into the second, ending on a three-yard John Garcia Pass to Frankie Molina again for the score. Alex Tesoriero split the uprights for the extra point, extending the Hawks' lead to 19-0.
The Eagles would quickly climb back, reeling off a drive over five minutes of their own.Byron Jackson rushed for nine yards, Ryan Dorso added 16 yards of his own moments later and Ryan Stroud ran for four more of his own to move the Eagles to the Hartwick 30. Stroud then threw to Ben Foss two plays in a row, one good for ten yards and the other good for 15 on a Hawk penalty. Finally, on fourth and goal from the three, Stroud connected with Caleb King for Husson first score of the game and the 2013 season.Reece Attard added the extra point to cut the Hartwick lead to 19-7.
Unfortunately for the Eagles, that would be only scoring on the afternoon for the Green and Gold. Husson brought in Attard for a 39-yard field goal as time was waining in the first half. With 14 seconds left, Attard hit the deep field goal to make it 19-10. Hartwick committed a personal foul on the play, however, and Husson chose to accept the penalty, move downfield to the Hartwick 11 and wipe the field goal. Stroud was able to complete a pass on the next play to Ryan Dorso, but the Hawks stopped the Eagles and time ran out in the first half.
For much of the third quarter both teams kept each other at bay and it wasn't until two and a half seconds left in the third quarter that Hartwick put another score on the board. Garcia found Molina once more from 14 yards out to push the score to 26-7 after Tesoriero added the point after.
The Garcia-Molina show continued late in the fourth when the two hooked up one more time from 20 yards out to push the score to the final of 33-7.
Head coach Gabby Price noted after the game: "We had some really great efforts today. I thought our players played hard for all four quarters and we're certainly disappointed in the outcome, but there were some good things to build on in the coming weeks. We need to do some things better, and we will, that's why we go out and practice. We're excited about the improvement we've seen in our team; it was a great effort."
Game Notes:
- Husson RB Byron Jackson went into the day with 994 career rushing yards and eclipsed the 1,000 yard mark as an Eagle with his 46 yards on the afternoon.
- Reece Attard's 46 yards per-punt in the contest is the best mark in a single game in program history surpassing Jon Tefft's 45.8 mark in 2004 against Southern Virginia in Husson's first program win.
- Husson is now 1-4 vs. Hartwick all-time in six meetings. Husson's lone win vs. the Hawks came in 2006 at home on September 23rd. 2006 was also Husson's first winning season in program history.
- Husson travels to Springfield, Massachusetts next Saturday to take on old non-conference foe Springfield College. The Eagles and the Pride kickoff at 12:00pm.
