Sept. 13, 2008
Box Score
LORETTO, Pa. -- The Marist football team earned its first victory of the season, rebounding from a 16-point second-half deficit to earn a 30-22 triumph at Saint Francis (Pa.) on saturday. The Red Foxes, who trailed 16-0 midway through the third quarter, scored all 30 of their points in a span of 15:05.
Senior running back Obozua Ehikioya (West Hempstead, N.Y.) ran for 159 yards and two touchdowns. Both of his touchdowns came in the fourth quarter.
The Red Foxes first got on the scoreboard with 8:02 left in the third quarter, when senior running back Keith Mitchell (Syracuse, N.Y.) scored on a 15-yard touchdown run to cut the Red Flash's lead to 16-7. Saint Francis scored a touchdown on its next possession, but freshman wide receiver Paul Rabito (Brewster, N.Y.) returned for two points. It was Marist's first return for two points in six years.
Rabito's return sparked a streak of 23 consecutive points by the Red Foxes. On the first play of the fourth quarter, junior quarterback Chris Debowski (Fountain Valley, Calif.) threw his first touchdown pass as a Red Fox when he hit junior wide receiver James LaMacchia (Bronx, N.Y.) for the first touchdown of his career. The score cut Marist's deficit to 22-16. The play was set up by a 37-yard run by Debowski, which was aided by a crushing block by LaMacchia.
Just over three minutes later, Mairst took the lead following a five-yard run by Ehikioya and an ensuing extra point by sophomore kicker Nic Zivic (Coscob, Conn.) came off the edge to tackle Red Flash punter Bobby Fuller before he could get his punt attempt off.
After the Marist defense forced a Saint Francis three-and-out on the next possession, Ehikioya scored a 36-yard touchdown to cap a six-play, 50-yard drive to close out the scoring.
With two touchdowns, Ehikioya now has 38 in his career. He stands just three behind the late J.J. Allen for first place in Marist Football Championship Subdivision history. Ehikioya also moved into third place in Marist FCS history in rushing yards, passing Alfredo Riullano and Christopher Price.
Marist rolled up 443 yards of offense, including 289 on the ground. Debowski finished 13-for-20 for 154 yards in the air, and he added 79 yards on 12 carries on the ground. Junior tight end Robert Spano (Mamaroneck, N.Y.) caught four passes for 68 yards to lead the Red Foxes' receiving corps.
Junior linebacker Kevin Foley (Washingtonville, N.Y.) led Marist with eight tackles. The Marist defense forced Saint Francis to go three-and-out on all three of its drives in the fourth quarter, as the Red Flash gained just two yards of offense in the final period.
Marist will now play five consecutive home games at Tenney Stadium at Leonidoff Field, starting with Friday night's contest against Wagner at 7. The contest will feature a pre-game tailgate and post-game fireworks. For further information, check back at GoRedFoxes.com.
