The torch was passed this Saturday in Newton, Massachusetts on senior day with freshman tailback Johrone Bunch (Meriden, CT/F.T. Maloney) scoring four touchdowns along with 186 yards rushing to lead the Mount Ida College football family past SUNY Maritime College in a 35-28 victory. Bunch, who has combined for seven TD's and a total of 377 yards on the ground the past two contests, punched in the game winning score with 8:36 to go in the fourth quarter off a one yard blast. Bunch tied the all time record for touchdowns scored in a game with four, cementing his name in the books along side alumni Antwan Harris '06 who conquered the feat twice during his career. The Mustangs improve to 4-5 overall with one game remaining in the season, surpassing last year's win total of three. The Privateers drop to 4-5 on the year, rounding out 2008.
The game was very close for the bulk of the action with the visitors opening up the scoring on a 4 play, 52 yard drive. First year quarterback Anthony Gagliano (Islip Terrace, NY/St. Anthony's) hit his twin brother John Gagliano (Islip Terrace, NY/St. Anthony's) in the end zone on a 24 yard pass to take the 6-0 lead with 6:57 remaining in the first quarter. The PAT by freshman David Kittinger (Fort Myers, FL/South Forth Myers High) was good for the 7-0 lead.
The Mustangs struck instantly on a Bunch touchdown, his first of the day, on a 12 yard run up the gut. The score came off an 11 play, 68 yard drive that was highlighted by the tremendous rushing tandem of Bunch and freshman QB Anthony Tokarz (Holden, MA/Northeast Regional). The two combined for 62 yards on the drive to knot the score at 7-7 with 2:52 to go in the first quarter.
After a good return by the Privateers, the visitors answered not even a minute later on a break out 34 yard touchdown run by freshman James Spanopolous (Franklin Square, NY/H. Frank Carey). This quick two play, 36 yard drive gave the lead back to Maritime up 14-7 at the 1:57 mark in the first quarter.
Spanopolous tallied his second touchdown with 10:28 showing early in the second quarter off a 10 play, 68 yard drive that was conquered via the triple option. This gave the visitors the two score lead up 21-7. The rushing attack seemed to be the bread and butter for the Privateers until the Mustang defense started to sniff it out in the beginning of the second half.
On a very odd play for Mount Ida's second touchdown on a fumbled snap that Tokarz wisely picked up and aired out in the corner of the end zone. Junior wide out Kyle Watkins (New Haven, CT/James Hillhouse) hauled in the pass for the touchdown, his fifth consecutive game with a TD. After a Bobby Hemmann (Newington, CT/Newington) PAT that was blocked by the Privateers, the Mustangs would trail 21-13 with 2:49 before end of the first half.
The Mount Ida defense started the second half with a solid stand against the Privateers sniffing out the triple option and staggering their offense a bit. The Mustangs took over at their own 30 and again were lead by the Bunch and Tokarz duo for a 10 play, 70 yard drive. It was capped off by another Bunch TD, his second of the day. The hosts opted to go for two and succeeded on a pass from Tokarz to sophomore receiver Steven Harris (Plantation, FL/Plantation) making it 21-21 with 8:29 remaining in the third quarter.
The turning point of the contest came when freshman linebacker Theo McCummings (Natick, MA/Natick) forced a fumble on the Privateers 27 yard line and pounced on it at the visiting 19 giving Mount Ida solid field position. The Bunch/Tokarz show would continue on a three play, 19 yard drive capped off on an eight yard scamper by Bunch, good for his third TD of the game. This gave the Mustangs the outright 28-21 lead at the end of the third quarter.
The Privateers took over at their own 21 yard line and marched down the field via their triple option attack that Mount Ida had been denying the entire second half. Maritime QB Anthony Gagliano pounded the run on a 10 play, 79 yard drive that ended on a 13 yard dash from John Gagliano knotting up the score at 28 -28 in the opening of the fourth quarter (12:11).
The next drive for the Mustangs proved to be the game winner on a one yard goal line blast by Bunch, good for his fourth touchdown of the game. This came off a 10 play, 77 yard drive that feature mostly Bunch and Tokarz in the rushing attack, similar to the way it had been the whole day. After the Hemmann point after Mount Ida had the 35-28 advantage.
The Privateers had one more solid opportunity to tie the game up and send it into overtime. On the Mount Ida 13 yard line, the visitors went for it on fourth and three but could not convert due to an outstanding tackle by Mustang freshman Shareff Champlain (Lisbon, CT/Briarwood College). This ended any hope for SUNY Maritime with less than a minute remaining, giving Mount Ida their fourth victory of the season winning 35-28.
Although Tokarz and Bunch were the story of the day, the Mount Ida defense was the difference. McCummings led the charge for the Mustangs with six solo tackles, a forced fumble, and a recovery. Champlain matched his teammate also with six solo tackles while senior Nick Ferrante (Patchogue, NY/Patchogue-Medford) tallied five tackles and two forced fumbles. The one sack for the hosts came from junior linebacker David Green (Homewood, AL/Homewood) for a loss of six yards. Tokarz netted 144 yards rushing, his highest of the season, and one TD.
The Privateers were led offensively by John Gagliano with 103 yards on the ground and a touchdown. Spanopolous netted 94 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Gagliano went 2-9 with one interception, by Mount Ida junior Michael Epps (Englewood, NJ/Dwight Morrow). The SUNY Maritime defense struggled to stop the offensive rushing attack featuring Bunch and Tokarz giving up a total of 324 total yards on the ground. Privateer junior Troy Smith (Brooklyn, NY/Fort Hamilton) led all tackles with eight and a forced fumble. Junior's Michael Oehl (Nesconset, NY/Smithtown West) and Dawit Goodall (Amityville, NY/Amityville) combined for 10 tackles, five a piece.
SUNY Maritime will end their 2008 campaign at 4-5 while the Mustangs will head to Morrisville State College a week from today for their final game of the season, kickoff coming at 12:00 p.m.