Oct. 22, 2005
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POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y.-The Duquesne football squad used a stifling defense to limit Marist to 113 total yards in the Dukes' 22-14 win at Leonidoff Field Saturday afternoon. Duquesne improved to 4-3 overall and 2-0 with the win, while the Red Foxes dropped to 4-3 and 1-1 in the MAAC. The Red Foxes came into the contest ranked second nationally among I-AA Mid-Major schools by CollegeSportsReport.com, while the Dukes were ranked third.
Marist retired the number of J.J. Allen at halftime of the contest. Allen succumbed to brain cancer on December 31, 2003. He is Marist's career leader with 41 touchdowns, and set single-season marks in 1998 with 278 carries, 1,623 yards, 21 touchdowns and scoring with 126 points.
Duquesne improved its winning streak against MAAC opponents to 35 in a row, the longest active streak in Division I-A or I-AA. The Red Foxes, who played Duquesne tough last season in a 7-3 loss, are one of just two schools to come within single-digits of the Dukes during that streak. Fairfield fell 21-20 to the Dukes on Sept. 16, 2000. Iona hung the last loss on the Dukes with a 62-50 victory on Oct. 23, 1999.
Duquesne jumped up on top at the 10:33 mark of the first quarter when running back Jeremy McCullough registered a 13-yard scoring run to give the Dukes a 6-0 lead.
Marist struck back later with a defensive score when sophomore cornerback Daniel Diaz (Newfield, N.Y.) picked off Duquesne quarterback Scott Knapp and returned the ball 43 yards for the score, giving Marist a 7-6 lead at the 5:40 mark.
The Dukes took advantage of good field position to set up their second score when defensive back Michael Ford picked off senior Marist quarterback James Luft (Lake Peekskill, N.Y.) at the Marist 38. Reserve running back Greg Hough broke free down the right sideline for the Dukes' second score at the 9:49 mark of the second quarter with a 16-yard touchdown reception.
The Dukes went up by a score of 19-7 at the 11:57 mark of the third quarter when receiver Travis Taltoan finished off a six play-74 yard drive with a 12-yard catch from Knapp.
After Duquesne kicker Mark Troyan extended the Duquesne lead to 22-7 with a field goal at the 7:38 mark of the third quarter, Marist junior receiver Prince Prempeh (Hamilton, N.J.) hauled in a 12-yard strike from Luft with 2:29 left in the contest for the final margin. The play was set up by a 62-yard punt return by senior wideout Guy Smith (New Milford, Conn.) to the Duquesne 12-yard line.
McCullough led Duquesne with 80 yards rushing and one touchdown on 25 carries, while Marist sophomore running back Obozua Ehikioya was held to 37 yards on 16 carries.
Knapp finished Saturday's contest going 19-for-31 through the air for 202 yards, with two touchdowns and three interceptions. Luft completed nine of 32 passes for 74 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. The touchdown gave Luft the Marist I-AA single-season record for touchdown passes in a season with 10. He also has 563 career passing attempts, 19 short of Brian McCourt's mark from 1990-93.
Receiver Dan Spriggs led the Dukes with four catches for 45 yards, while Marist was led by Smith's four catches for 38 yards. Smith now holds the school's all-time mark for receiving yards with 1,707, passing the record set by Jon Reed (1,685, 1994-97).
Defensively, linebacker John Simmons and defensive end Antoine Bullock led Duquesne with eight tackles apiece. The Red Foxes were paced by senior linebacker Mike Giummo's (Lincroft, N.J.) 12 tackles and one tackle for loss.
The Red Foxes will have a short week before their next game at MAAC foe Saint Peter's on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. in Jersey City, N.J.
