By Tiffany Williams –
The Coastal Athletic Association football schedule delivered a dramatic Halloween Saturday, with a stunning fourth-quarter comeback, an overtime escape, a high-scoring showdown and a series of performances that could have major implications for the conference race.
Sacred Heart produced the afternoon’s most remarkable finish, scoring 19 unanswered fourth-quarter points to defeat Stony Brook 32-31 after trailing by 18 entering the final period.
UAlbany defeated Campbell 45-35 in a game featuring two defensive touchdowns, while Rhode Island survived Maine 14-13 in overtime.
Monmouth continued its winning ways with a 34-21 victory over Bryant. North Carolina A&T edged Elon 13-10, and Towson overwhelmed Hampton 44-13.
Six games. Six different stories. And a Saturday that showed how quickly a football game can change.
Sacred Heart 32, Stony Brook 31
STONY BROOK, N.Y. — Sacred Heart was down 31-13 entering the fourth quarter.
Stony Brook had scored 17 unanswered points in the third quarter. Quarterback Quinn Boyd had thrown four touchdown passes. And with the Seawolves controlling the scoreboard, Sacred Heart appeared headed toward defeat.
Instead, the Pioneers delivered one of the most dramatic comebacks of the CAA weekend.
Sacred Heart scored three touchdowns in the final quarter, including a six-yard touchdown pass from Poochie Snyder to Jason Palmieri with just nine seconds remaining, to stun Stony Brook 32-31 at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium.
The comeback began with 5:45 remaining.
Sacred Heart put together a 15-play, 94-yard drive that consumed 7 minutes, 37 seconds, ending with John Michalski’s one-yard touchdown run.
The score reduced Stony Brook’s lead to 31-19.
The Pioneers were not finished.
Snyder directed another drive, this one covering 93 yards in seven plays. He connected with Steven Dowdy Jr. for a four-yard touchdown with 2:09 remaining.
Ryan Bocklet converted the extra point.
Suddenly, Stony Brook’s lead was just 31-26.
Sacred Heart still needed another possession and another touchdown.
The Pioneers got both.
Taking over for their final scoring drive, Sacred Heart traveled 94 yards in 11 plays, with Snyder finding Palmieri for the winning six-yard touchdown with nine seconds left.
The Pioneers had completed a remarkable comeback after being outscored 17-0 in the third quarter.
Snyder finished 28-of-43 passing for 309 yards and two touchdowns.
Sacred Heart generated 490 yards of total offense, including 181 rushing yards, and converted 10 of 17 third-down opportunities.
Stony Brook quarterback Quinn Boyd completed 29 of 40 passes for 333 yards and four touchdowns without an interception.
Boyd had connected with CJ Hester for a 31-yard touchdown in the second quarter, D.J. Linkins for a 19-yard score before halftime and Andrew Riggs for touchdown receptions of 13 and 18 yards in the third quarter.
Those four touchdown passes helped Stony Brook build what appeared to be a commanding lead.
But the Seawolves were shut out in the fourth quarter.
Sacred Heart, meanwhile, produced 19 points when the game was on the line.
The final result represented a devastating collapse for Stony Brook and an extraordinary comeback for Sacred Heart.
UAlbany 45, Campbell 35
ALBANY, N.Y. — UAlbany didn’t just defeat Campbell with its offense.
The Great Danes scored twice on defense, delivered explosive rushing plays and survived a furious Campbell comeback to secure a 45-35 victory at Tom & Mary Casey Stadium.
The afternoon began with a defensive touchdown.
Dillon Dunathan recovered a Campbell fumble and returned it 77 yards for a touchdown with 10:02 remaining in the first quarter.
Campbell answered with a one-yard touchdown run from JJ Cowan, tying the game 7-7.
But UAlbany quickly took control.
Kai Colón scored on a 14-yard run, and Rahshan La Mons broke free for a 63-yard touchdown run on the final play of the first quarter.
The Great Danes led 21-7 after 15 minutes.
Campbell quarterback Kamden Sixkiller responded with a 40-yard touchdown pass to Aaryn Tate early in the second quarter.
UAlbany answered again.
Colón connected with Daniel Growney for a 24-yard touchdown, and Brayden Heitmeyer added a 44-yard field goal.
Campbell closed the half with another one-yard touchdown run from Cowan, but UAlbany entered halftime ahead 31-21.
The Great Danes extended the lead in the third quarter when Jamari Young intercepted a pass and returned it 25 yards for a touchdown.
That defensive score pushed UAlbany’s advantage to 38-21.
Campbell refused to disappear.
Sixkiller found Chinua Ezeigbo for a 27-yard touchdown late in the third quarter.
Then Cowan broke loose for a 41-yard touchdown run with 13:13 remaining in the fourth.
The Fighting Camels had cut the deficit to 38-35.
But UAlbany delivered the decisive answer with 1:46 remaining.
Colón connected with BJ Norman for a 16-yard touchdown, restoring a 10-point advantage and securing the victory.
La Mons rushed for 119 yards, including the 63-yard touchdown.
Colón threw for 214 yards and two touchdowns.
Campbell’s Sixkiller threw for 271 yards and two touchdowns, while Cowan rushed for 97 yards and three scores.
Campbell generated 406 yards of total offense, compared with 389 for UAlbany.
But the Great Danes’ two defensive touchdowns proved critical in a game decided by 10 points.
Rhode Island 14, Maine 13 (Overtime)
PAWTUCKET, R.I. — Rhode Island survived a defensive struggle and an overtime scare Saturday, defeating Maine 14-13 at Centreville Bank Stadium.
The game featured little offensive scoring through regulation.
Rhode Island’s first touchdown came from its defense.
With 32 seconds remaining in the second quarter, Tyson Grimm intercepted a Maine pass and returned it 84 yards for a touchdown.
Ty Groff converted the extra point, giving Rhode Island a 7-0 halftime lead.
Neither team scored in the third quarter.
Maine finally broke through early in the fourth when Rashawn Marshall scored on a 25-yard touchdown run with 12:48 remaining.
Samuel Tremblay converted the extra point, tying the game 7-7.
Neither team could produce another score in regulation.
Maine received the ball in overtime and put together an eight-play, 25-yard drive, ending with Nick Laughlin’s one-yard touchdown run.
The Black Bears led 13-7 after failing to convert the extra point.
That missed opportunity proved decisive.
Rhode Island answered with a 25-yard touchdown pass from Alex McClelland to Marquis Buchanan.
Groff converted the extra point.
Rhode Island escaped with a 14-13 victory.
The final score concealed just how thoroughly Maine controlled several statistical categories.
The Black Bears generated 352 yards of total offense compared with Rhode Island’s 212.
Maine recorded 22 first downs. Rhode Island managed nine.
Marshall rushed for 139 yards on 25 carries, while Laughlin added 62 rushing yards and the overtime touchdown.
But Rhode Island’s defense delivered the game’s biggest play with Grimm’s 84-yard interception return.
Buchanan finished with nine receptions for 107 yards and the winning touchdown.
The Rams also overcame an offense that converted just two of 13 third-down opportunities.
In the end, one defensive touchdown and one successful overtime extra point were enough.
Monmouth 34, Bryant 21
WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. — Monmouth continued its impressive conference run Saturday, using a punishing rushing attack to defeat Bryant 34-21 at Kessler Stadium.
The Hawks entered the game undefeated in conference play and wasted little time demonstrating why.
Elijah Jennings opened the scoring with an 18-yard touchdown run with 11:17 remaining in the first quarter.
Sky Sholder added a 21-yard field goal, giving Monmouth a 10-0 lead after the opening period.
The Hawks extended their advantage early in the second quarter when Jennings broke free for a 37-yard touchdown run.
Then Kenny Smith Jr. delivered one of the afternoon’s biggest plays, racing 55 yards for another touchdown.
Monmouth led 24-0 with 8:28 remaining before halftime.
Bryant finally answered with a one-yard touchdown run from Jordan Bennett, cutting the deficit to 24-7 at the break.
But the Hawks continued controlling the game in the third quarter.
Sholder connected on a 34-yard field goal before Smith scored his second touchdown, this time on an eight-yard run.
Monmouth led 34-7 entering the fourth quarter.
Bryant scored twice in the final period.
Quarterback Brennan Myer connected with Shamar Fowles for a 21-yard touchdown with 11:07 remaining.
Deshon Jenkins added a 12-yard touchdown run with 23 seconds left.
But the Bulldogs had fallen too far behind.
Monmouth rushed for 319 yards on 47 attempts, averaging 6.8 yards per carry.
Jennings finished with 175 rushing yards and two touchdowns, while Smith added 157 rushing yards and two scores.
Together, they accounted for 332 rushing yards before losses elsewhere in the team’s rushing totals.
The Hawks needed just 81 passing yards from quarterback Frankie Weaver because their running game controlled the afternoon.
Bryant generated 297 yards of total offense, including 164 rushing yards.
Myer completed 14 of 27 passes for 133 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Monmouth improved to 6-0 in conference play, reinforcing its position in the CAA race.
North Carolina A&T 13, Elon 10
GREENSBORO, N.C. — North Carolina A&T survived a defensive battle Saturday, defeating Elon 13-10 on a late field goal at Truist Stadium.
Neither team scored in the first quarter.
The Aggies finally broke the scoreless tie when Asher Holland converted a 25-yard field goal with 21 seconds remaining before halftime.
North Carolina A&T led 3-0 at the break.
Elon responded in the third quarter.
Luke Barnes connected on a 25-yard field goal to tie the game 3-3 with 10:07 remaining.
Less than three minutes later, Kamerin McDowell-Moore scored on a two-yard touchdown run.
Barnes added the extra point.
Elon led 10-3.
North Carolina A&T answered with an 11-play, 78-yard touchdown drive.
Quarterback Kevin White connected with Jayvonne Dillard for an eight-yard touchdown pass with 31 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
Holland converted the extra point, tying the game 10-10.
The fourth quarter became a battle for field position and defensive stops.
With 2:18 remaining, Holland connected on a 34-yard field goal, giving the Aggies a 13-10 advantage.
That proved to be the winning score.
North Carolina A&T generated 266 yards of total offense, including 168 rushing yards.
White completed 11 of 23 passes for 98 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He also rushed for 95 yards.
Elon finished with 201 yards of total offense.
McDowell-Moore rushed for 102 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries.
Quarterback Brady Stober completed nine of 16 passes for 100 yards.
The Aggies converted seven of 15 third-down opportunities, compared with Elon’s three of 15.
For North Carolina A&T, the victory came down to defense, field position and Holland’s late kick.
Towson 44, Hampton 13
TOWSON, Md. — Towson delivered its most convincing performance of the weekend, overwhelming Hampton 44-13 at Johnny Unitas Stadium.
The Tigers dominated the line of scrimmage, piled up 591 yards of total offense and scored 30 first-half points.
Towson opened the scoring with a 33-yard field goal from Max Young.
Tristen Kenan added a one-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter, giving the Tigers a 10-0 advantage.
The lead continued growing in the second quarter.
Quarterback Jacob Davis connected with Jacob Zollar for a four-yard touchdown.
Davis later found Mason Cunningham for a 43-yard scoring pass, extending Towson’s lead to 23-0.
Hampton answered with a 72-yard touchdown pass from Sejhe Jackson to Isaiah Smith.
But Towson responded before halftime.
Davis scored on a 16-yard touchdown run with seven seconds remaining, giving the Tigers a 30-6 lead.
Hampton opened the second half with a 25-yard touchdown pass from Xavier Brookins to Damon Short.
That reduced the deficit to 30-13.
Towson quickly regained control.
Kemarrion Battles scored on a two-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter.
Then, early in the fourth, Battles delivered the afternoon’s most explosive rushing play.
He broke free for a 91-yard touchdown run, pushing Towson’s lead to 44-13.
The Tigers finished with 334 rushing yards and 257 passing yards.
Davis completed 19 of 26 passes for 216 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 109 yards and another score.
Battles rushed for 99 yards and two touchdowns on just four carries.
Kenan added 93 rushing yards and a touchdown.
Hampton managed just 47 rushing yards and 282 total yards.
Towson recorded 27 first downs compared with Hampton’s 12 and controlled possession for more than 35 minutes.
For the Tigers, the victory ended the afternoon with a decisive statement after a difficult start to the season.
Conference Race Intensifies After Dramatic Week 9
The CAA’s ninth week produced victories that carried significance beyond the final scores.
Monmouth remained unbeaten in conference play, while UAlbany strengthened its position with a victory over Campbell.
Sacred Heart’s comeback against Stony Brook demonstrated how quickly an apparent victory can disappear.
Rhode Island’s overtime win over Maine showed the importance of defensive scoring and special teams execution.
North Carolina A&T survived a close defensive contest, while Towson delivered a dominant offensive performance against Hampton.
The weekend also featured several outstanding individual performances.
Monmouth’s Elijah Jennings rushed for 175 yards, Rhode Island’s Marquis Buchanan recorded 107 receiving yards, and Stony Brook quarterback Quinn Boyd threw for 333 yards and four touchdowns.
Campbell’s JJ Cowan scored three rushing touchdowns despite his team’s defeat.
But perhaps the biggest story was Sacred Heart’s remarkable fourth-quarter comeback.
Trailing by 18 points entering the final period, the Pioneers refused to surrender.
Three touchdowns later, they had stolen a victory with nine seconds remaining.
As the conference moves deeper into November, Week 9 offered another reminder that no lead is safe and every possession matters.