Morrisville scores 19 second-half points on way to 25-17 victory
over Western Connecticut State University
DANBURY, CT (Oct 3) —Two fourth-quarter touchdown passes from Jamieson Crast (Mannsfield, NY) helped lift Morrisville State College to a come-from-behind 25-17 victory over Western Connecticut State University at The WAC on Saturday afternoon.
Crast, who was forced to the sidelines in the opening minute of the game, returned one offensive series later and finished the day completing 13 of 25 passes for 233 yards and four touchdowns. The 6'0", 200-pound sophomore attempted to tackle WestConn's Brian Makles (Southington, CT) who picked off his pass and scampered 68 yards to give the Colonials a 7-0 lead.
His touchdown throws came from two, 70, 11 and 57 yards. The last three came over the final 25 minutes of action. Crast hooked up Hodges Sneed from two yards away and after a failed two-point conversion, WestConn's led 14-6 with 5:37 remaining before intermission.
Five minutes into the third stanza, he found a Joe Shue (Phoenix, NY) wide open in the flat for a 70-yard score. Shue was left alone when the Colonials were caught in a blitz and went untouched after catching the ball at midfield. Another failed two-point conversion gave WestConn a slim 14-12 advantage.
James Campbell (Oakdale, CT) tacked on a 21 yard field goal to increase the lead to five points, 17-12. As it turned out, it would be the only second-half points the Colonials could muster.
Crast and Shue connected again, this time from 11 yards out, for what proved to the game-winning touchdown. The six-play, 23-yard drive culminated with 8:15 remaining in the game.
Shue finished the day with four catches for 110 yards. Sneed had a team-high five catches for 38 yards.
Sean Barrett (Hopewell Junction, NY) raced down the left sideline for a 57-yard insurance score with 3:26 remaining.
A short kick-off by Cliff Hanratty (Northport, NY) gave the Colonials prime field position after Justin Cruickshanks (Colchester, CT) returned the ball to his team's 43-yard line.
After two-straight first-down pass conversions from James Williams (Wolcott, CT), and the ball on Morrisville's 28-yard line, the Colonials were flagged for holding and pushed back to the visitor's 39. Williams scrambled for 16-yard gain, but WestConn, with all its time outs used up, fell shot on its fourth-and-three attempt.
Williams completed 15 of 28 passes for 148 yards and was the team's leading rusher with 57 yards on 13 carries.
Morrisville's ground attack was led by Maurice Mitchelson (Bronx, NY) who had 23 carries for 59 yards.
The Mustangs, 1-4 overall, captured their first New Jersey Athletic Conference victory after dropping their first 13 league games since joining the powerful league as an affiliate in 2008.
WestConn falls to 0-4 on the season (0-3 in the NJAC) and have now lost 10 straight games dating back to October 11, 2008.
The Colonials host perennial NJAC power Rowan University next Saturday night. Kick-off is slated for 6 p.m. Morrisville hosts William Paterson University in upstate New York. It is the Mustangs home opener and is slated for a 12 noon start.
GAME NOTE: Prior to the start of Saturday's game, WestConn celebrated 40 Years of Football by honoring 31 returning players and coaches of the 1969 Football Club Team. That team was the impetus behind the beginning of intercollegiate football at Western Connecticut State College in 1970.
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