Oct. 24, 2009
Box Score
MOREHEAD, Ky. - The Marist football team earned a 24-14 victory at Morehead State on Saturday in a Pioneer Football League contest. After trailing 14-0 halftime, the Red Foxes outscored the Eagles 24-0 in the second half to earn the win and improve to 4-3 overall and 3-2 in PFL play.
The win gives the Red Foxes their first three-game winning streak since 2005, and put the Red Foxes over .500 at the seven-game mark for the first-time since 2005 as well.
Senior wide receiver James LaMacchia (Bronx, N.Y.) had six receptions for 124 yards and a touchdown, and senior wide receiver Joseph DeSimone (Bronx, N.Y.) had three catches for 62 yards. Senior running back O'Neil Anderson (Dorchester, Mass.) ran for 69 yards, and senior quarterback Chris Debowski (Fountain Valley, Calif.) threw for 209 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Defensively, senior linebacker Nick Andre (Rockville Centre, N.Y.) and junior safety Rory Foley (West Roxbury, Mass.) led the way with seven tackles apiece. Foley also had two tackles for losses. Marist allowed Morehead State to gain just 67 yards of total offense in the second half.
After being held scoreless for the first 42 minutes of the game, the Red Foxes got on the scoreboard with a 58-yard pass from Debowski to LaMacchia, which cut Marist's deficit to 14-7.
With 8:48 to play, a 31-yard field goal by freshman kicker Jason Myers (Chula Vista, Calif.) made the score 14-10. After the Red Foxes forced a Morehead State three-and-out on the ensuing possession, Anderson's six-yard touchdown run put the Red Foxes up 17-14 with 6:02 to play and gave them the lead for good.
Morehead State, which had not had a possession in Marist territory in the second half, crossed midfield with just over three minutes to play. However, the drive ended when quarterback Evan Sawyer fumbled, and senior defensive end Brock Flynn (Lakewood, Pa.) returned it 55 yards to the Morehead State 8 with 2:30 to go. On third-and-goal from the six, Debowski's touchdown pass to junior running back Greg Whipple (Camillus, N.Y.) put the Red Foxes up 24-14.
Marist will return to action next week, when the Red Foxes host Valparaiso in a PFL contest. Kickoff is set for noon.
Notes: Senior cornerback Kwame Carlor (Southbridge, Mass.)and freshman linebacker Isaac Sine (Chantilly, Va.) both had interceptions. Sine's was the first of his career. ... Marist's average starting field position in the second half was the Morehead State 43. ... LaMacchia, who entered the game second in the country in receiving yards per game, now has four 100-yard receiving games this season. ... Junior Kevin Pauly (Rochester, N.Y.) tied a career high with a 64-yard punt in the third quarter. ... Whipple had a 71-yard kickoff return to open the second half.
