Thursday, October 21, 2010 (Newton, Massachusetts) – With 1:49 remaining in the fourth quarter, Mount Ida College football sophomore quarterback Scott Drosendahl (East Aurora, NY/East Aurora) found junior wide out Nick Lynch (Hampton Bays, NY/Hampton Bays) in the back of the end zone to give the hosting Mustangs a 35-31 lead over visiting Maritime College (SUNY) after a converted point after attempt (PAT) on a three play, 31 yard drive with 1:04 to go in the contest.
On the ensuing drive the Privateers would keep their undefeated season alive (8-0) with a game winning five play, 65 yard drive capped off on a 45 touchdown pass from Maritime sophomore quarterback Joe Dickey (Middletown, NJ/Middletown North (NJ)) to sophomore wide receiver Erik Heedles (Staten Island, NY/New Dorp) on a tipped ball that fell into his hands for the score.
A missed PAT after the visitors' final touchdown gave the hosts one last chance with 1:04 remaining to get down field and get into field goal range. Unfortunately for the Mustangs, a Drosendahl pass was picked off at the Maritime 39 yard line solidifying a 37-35 Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) victory for the Privateers to keep their perfect season alive Saturday afternoon in Newton, Massachusetts. The Mustangs, who snap a two game ECFC winning streak, fall to an overall record of 4-3 going 3-2 in conference play while the victors improve to 8-0, 5-0 in the ECFC.
After an opening interception by the Mustangs in the Privateers end zone, the visitors took over at their own 20 yard line completing a nine play, 80 yard drive that finished on a Dickey four yard quarterback keeper giving Maritime an opening 7-0 advantage after a successful PAT from senior place kicker and wide receiver Madison Leary (Tavares, FL/Tavares).
A three an out immediately following by Mount Ida set the visitors up on their own 32 yard line and would eventually convert a 10 play, 68 yard drive capped off by a senior John Gagliano (Islip Terrace, NY/St. Anthony's) 12 yard scamper giving the Privateers a commanding 14-0 advantage to end the first quarter after another success point after attempt by Leary.
The Mustangs snapped out of their offensive funk to start the second quarter completing a seven play, 71 yard drive on a 25 yard strike from Drosendahl to Lynch cutting the visitors lead to 14-7 after a converted point after attempt by senior place kicker Billy Beauzile (Brooklyn, NY/Samuel J. Tilden).
Mount Ida would force Maritime to punt on the ensuing drive and followed by completing a seven play, 78 yard drive finished off by a Drosendahl touchdown pass to senior Paul Shaughnessy (Malden, MA/Northeast Metro Regional), the first of three TD's for Shaughnessy on the day, cutting the visiting advantage to 14-13. A failed extra point attempted by the Mustangs due to a botched snap kept the hosts one point away from tying the score towards the end of the second quarter.
The action picked back up on the opening play of the third quarter. Sophomore return specialist Fritz Jean (Palm Coast, FL/Palm Coast) got every spectators pulse pumping on a 65 yard kickoff return giving the visitors a quick 21-13 lead after a successful point after attempt by Leary.
Another interception by Drosendahl in the Maritime end zone on the ensuing drive set up the Privateers, after an attempted return, on their own five yard line. A forced fumble by Mount Ida defensive end A.J. Knibbs (Spotswood, NJ/Spotswood) five plays into the drive set the Mustangs up with prime field position and would eventually convert a five play, 29 drive pulling with a deuce trailing 21-19 capped off on Shaughnessy's second TD catch of the day from six yards out. A successful two point conversion try from Drosendahl to Lynch knotted the score at 21-21 with 5:47 remaining in the third quarter.
After neither team could convert any points for the rest of the third stanza, Maritime would take over the lead on a 39 yard field goal attempt by Leary giving the visitors a 24-21 advantage to start the fourth quarter.
A three an out by the Mustangs set up the Privateers with a chance to widen the margin towards the end of the contest. A 32 yard pass from Dickey to Heedles gave the visitors a 31-21 advantage completing a seven play, 68 yard drive following a converted point after attempt with 9:35 remaining in the contest.
On the ensuing drive, Mount Ida powered up a five play, 64 yard drive finished by a 29 yard touchdown strike from Drosendahl to Shaughnessy, his third TD catch of the day, pulling within three points trailing 31-28 after another successful extra point by Beauzile with 7:27 to go in the game.
The Mustang defense forced a Maritime punt on the following drive after a costly personal foul penalty on the visitors making it 4th and 16. On the punt attempt, a botched snap over the head of Privateers punter Sean Wiggers (Norwood, NJ/Northern Valley Old Tappan) set up the Mustangs to take over the lead starting from the visitors' 31 yard line. Drosendahl connected with Lynch on a six yard slant pattern in the end zone taking their first lead of the contest up 35-31 with 1:49 remaining in the contest.
With 1:04 remaining in the fourth, Maritime would eventually capture the victory on a 45 strike from Dickey to Heedles for the 37-35 ECFC win. On 2nd and 4 from the Maritime 41 during the final drive for the visitors, Mount Ida sophomore cornerback Azim Carter (East Hartford, CT/East Hartford) had a potential game winning interception slip through his hands.
Drosendahl had an exceptional career game with a season high five touchdown passes going 17-27 for 301 yards through the air but also added a costly three interceptions. Shaughnessy had his best game ever as a Mustang catching three passes, all for touchdowns, good for 68 yards receiving and also added 26 carries for 123 yards rushing averaging 4.7 yards a carry. Lynch was also outstanding with seven catches for 158 yards receiving and two touchdowns.
Dickey and Heedles drove the boat for the Privateers offensively with Dickey completing 10 of 14 passing for 168 yards and two touchdowns also adding 14 carries for 48 yards rushing and touchdown. Heedles pulled in three catches for 83 yards, two of the catches were for crucial touchdowns.
The Mustangs were led defensively by senior safety Shane Gardner (Sunrise, FL/Northeast) with nine solo tackles and sophomore linebacker Michael Brockenberry (West Haven, CT/West Haven) added eight solo tackles and one for a loss.
The Privateers were led by ECFC leading tackler sophomore Keith Barnes (Westbury, NY/Westbury) with a game high 11 tackles and one forced fumble.
The Mustangs will travel to Husson University this coming weekend for another ECFC match-up starting at 1:00 p.m.