FRANKLIN, Mass. - Leading 45-44 in the first overtime session, the Keystone College Giants were on the ropes against host Dean College, as the Bulldogs went for two and the win. However, Keystone intercepted the ensuing two-point try and held on for the thrilling 45-44 ECFC victory on Saturday afternoon at Lippert Field.
With the victory, the Giants end the 2022 season at 3-7 (3-3 ECFC) - winning their first three games in the program's history. Keystone ended the year on a two-game winning streak and was victorious in three of their final four contests. Dean wraps up the season at 1-9 (1-5 ECFC).
Mujaheed Muhammad (Philadelphia, Pa./Paul Robeson) had a career outing, as the sophomore rushed for a career-best 234 yards on 25 carries and two TDs, including a 73-yard score in the first quarter to put Keystone ahead 7-6.
Overall, the Giants rushed for 394 yards as Kevin Lewis (Philadelphia, Pa./Imhotep Charter), Tom Roach (Burlington City, N.J./Burlington City) and Christian Manzolillo (Lebanon, Pa./Lebanon) combined for 142 yards. Roach enjoyed a 42-yard scoring scamper with 12:53 to play in the fourth, giving KC a 35-30 lead.
In a back-and-forth affair, Dean led 23-21 at the break. Da'Jaun Vales (Magnolia, N.J./Sterling) had a four-yard TD run in the second while Lewis hauled in a seven-yard pass from Roach with only 22 seconds left in the opening half to bring the Giants within two.
Roach found Richie Crews (Cuddebackville, N.Y./Port Jervis) for a 31-yard TD with 1:31 to play in the third to make it a 30-28 game in favor of Dean. Following a Bulldog TD with 8:32 in regulation, Josue Hernandez (Middlesex, N.J./Middlesex) kicked the game-tying field goal as time expired to force the OT session.
Muhammad started OT with a seven-yard TD for Keystone to put the Giants ahead 45-38. Dean then scored on a 19-yard pass, but Joe Manfredo (Levittown, N.Y./General Douglas MacArthur) was able to pick off the ensuing two-point try to seal the win for the Giants.
Roach finished 13-of-27 for 133 yards and two TDs, despite being intercepted three times. His counterpart for Dean, Mozes Mooney, threw for 246 yards and four TDs. Roach found eight different receivers on Saturday, as Chanz Stevens (Leesport, Pa./Schuylkill Valley) hauled in four catches for 37 yards.
For Dean, Quintus Reid made 12 catches for 175 yards and two scores.
Defensively, Carlos Perez (Reading, Pa./Reading) and Frankie Vega (Edison, N.J./Edison) each had 10 tackles while Sean Pettway (Ellenville, N.Y./Ellenville), Sean Tocci (Lodi, N.J./Lodi) and CJ Riccobono (New Hyde Park, N.Y./New Hyde Park Memorial) combined for 22 stops.