POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The Marist football team lost to Campbell by a score of 35-21 in a Pioneer Football League (PFL) contest on Saturday at Tenney Stadium. Senior running back Calvin McCoy (Bronx, N.Y.) scored two rushing touchdowns for the Red Foxes.
Campbell ran for 285 yards on the day, and was 11-for-16 on third-down conversions. The Fighting Camels jumped out to a 21-0 first-quarter lead, and although the Red Foxes rallied, Campbell never led by less than 14 the rest of the way.
Sophomore linebacker Paul Sakowski (Chester, N.Y.) led Marist with a career-high 13 tackles - the highest total for any Red Fox this season. Sakowski was one of four Red Foxes who had at least 10 tackles in the game, a list the also included junior defensive end Terrence Fede (Nyack, N.Y.) with 12, junior safety Tyler Ramsey (Southbridge, Mass.) with 11 and senior nose tackle David Toriola (Jamaica, N.Y.) with 10.
Marist received the ball to start the game, but its first drive ended on an interception by Campbell's Brandon Chandler. The Fighting Camels then drove 57 yards on seven plays for their first score, a one-yard rush by Jordan Cramer. After a three-and-out, Campbell drove 53 yards on eight plays for its second score, a four-yard run by Cramer.
On the third play of Marist's ensuing drive, Chandler intercepted his second pass of the first quarter and returned it 43 yards for a touchdown, as Campbell jumped out 21-0 with 2:21 left in the period. Sophomore Chuckie Looney (Ocala, Fla.) then replaced senior Tommy Reilly (Marlton, N.J.) at quarterback, and led the Red Foxes on a 12-play, 80-yard drive which resulted in a three-yard touchdown run by sophomore Atiq Lucas (Coram, N.Y.). However, Campbell answered with a 15-play, 80-yard scoring drive, as quarterback Braden Smith scored on a four-yard run to put his team up 28-7.
The Red Foxes answered with a scoring drive of their own, which covered 67 yards on seven plays and ended with a three-yard touchdown run by McCoy. The key play of the drive was a 36-yard completion from Looney to junior wideout Bartley Leneghan (North Royalton, Ohio). The score remained 28-14 Campbell entering halftime.
Receiving to being the second half, Campbell marched 80 yards on 13 plays, as Smith found Alex Green for an eight-yard touchdown pass to put the Fighting Camels back up by 21. With 3:30 left in the third quarter, McCoy scored on a three-yard run to cut the deficit to 35-21.
In the fourth quarter, Marist drove inside the Campbell 10 twice, but was unable to come away with points either time.
Carl Smith led Campbell with 104 rushing yards on 29 carries. Braden Smith finished 10-for-13 for 83 yards and one touchdown through the air, and added 82 yards and a touchdown on seven carries. For Marist, McCoy had a team-high 62 rushing yards on 21 carries. Lucas had 54 yards on eight carries to go along with team highs in receptions (six) and receiving yards (51). Looney was 13-for-20 for 178 yards and no turnovers.
Marist fell to 2-5 overall and 1-3 in PFL play. Campbell is now 3-3 overall and 2-2 in the league.
Marist will return to action next Saturday with a PFL game at Butler. It will be the first meeting between the Red Foxes and Bulldogs. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
Notes: Marist has now lost seven straight overall at home, and six straight PFL home games. ... The Red Foxes' two first-quarter interceptions with the only turnovers of the game, and dropped Marist to minus-12 in turnover ratio this season. ... Marist has scored a touchdown in the final two-and-a-half minutes of the first half four times this season. ... Each team only punted once. Campbell's Ted Moore had a 79-yard punt in the fourth quarter that was returned 36 yards by Marist senior Jaquan Bryant (St. Albans, N.Y.). ... Marist junior K Jason Myers (Chula Vista, Calif.) had touchbacks on all four of his kickoffs and now has 11 this season on 25 kickoffs. ... Marist has been outscored 56-3 in the first quarter this season, and has trailed at halftime in all seven of its games this season.
