Fourth Quarter Rally Falls Short For Football
Nas Smith had his fourth 100-yard rushing game
The Central Connecticut football team rallied to within two points, but could not overcome the deficit, falling to Northeast Conference host LIU Saturday afternoon in Brookville, NY
The Blue Devils trailed 22-7 after three quarters but mounted two impressive fourth quarter drives that brought them within two points, 22-20. After Aiden Clark recovered his own onside kick with 62 seconds left, Ayinde Johnson intercepted the first down pass and returned it 54 yards for the game sealing touchdown.
The Blue Devils host Merrimack on November 12, at noon, for the final home game of the 2022 season. CCSU will honor its senior class prior to the game at Arute Field.
GAME INFORMATION
Score: LIU 29, CCSU 20
Records: CCSU (1-8; 1-4 NEC); LIU (2-7, 2-3 NEC)
Location: Bethpage Federal Credit Union Stadium | Brookville, NY
KEY MOMENTS
- Smith accumulated 43 total yards on the opening drive, capping the 10-play effort with a six-yard touchdown run, as the Blue Devils scored on the opening drive for the second consecutive game
- The Sharks answered on its first drive, that went 11-plays over 70 yards, that concluded with an 11-yard touchdown run by Pat Bowen
- Luca Stanzani found Tosin Oyekanmi over the middle that resulted in a 59-yard touchdown run
- Luqway Washington came up with a big sack in the middle of the second quarter, stunting an LIU drive and forcing the Sharks to a 32-yard field goal making the score 16-7
- Coney accounted for all the third quarter scoring with field goals from 25 and 32 yards out, pushing the Sharks advantage to 22-7
- Shon Mitchell connected on four passes to Kyren Petteway on the opening drive of the fourth quarter and Trey Gray scored from five yards out to cap the drive, bringing the Blue Devils within 22-14
- Mitchell scored on a keeper from the one-yard line with 64 seconds left, but the two-point conversion attempt fell incomplete, leaving the Blue Devils trailing 22-20, following the 18-play drive
- Aiden Clark recovered his own onside kick on the ensuing kickoff, but the Blue Devils were intercepted for a TD on the first play of the drive
BY THE NUMBERS
- Smith carried the ball 27 times for 127 yards and a touchdown
- Gray scored his first touchdown as a Blue Devil, carrying five times for 25 yards
- Petteway caught 10 passes for CCSU, for 102 yards, his first receiving game of more than 100 yards
- Jonathan Cabral-Martin led the defense with nine tackles
- Isaiah Green recorded 2.0 TFL's amongst his five tackles, while both of Shayne Manson's stops were TFL's
- Aiden Clark punted once for 54 yards and recovered an onside kick
- Stanzani was 19-32 for 234 yards and a touchdown for the Sharks
NUMBER TO KNOW
4 – The number of 100+ yard rushing games for Smith this season
