KINGS POINT, N.Y. - Freshman quarterback Dan Bronson completed a long touchdown pass to sophomore Matt Ervin with 3:08 remaining and the University of Rochester edged the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, 20-17, at Brooks Stadium on Captain Tomb Field Saturday afternoon.
Rochester's wining play came right after USMMA freshman kicker Erik Swayne booted a 27-yard field goal to give the home team a 17-13 lead with 3:30 left in the game. Ricky Sparks returned Swayne's kickoff to the 25 yard line. On first down, Bronson rolled to his right and found Ervin at midfield with no defenders near him. The sophomore ran untouched into the end zone for a 75-yard scoring play. Andrew Haber's PAT made it 20-17 with 3:08 left.
The Mariners started on their own 20 with just over three minutes remaining. Colin Hinchey gained three yards on first down. On second-and-seven from the 23, Mario Colangelo, who bulldozed Rochester all day (he finished with 22 carries for 111 yards), burst into the center of the line but the ball was jarred loose and Rochester freshman Isaiah Smith recovered at the MM 28. The Yellowjackets were able to run out the final 2:34 behind sophomore Nick Perpignan. He carried six times for a net of 22 yards in the closing minutes.
Rochester snapped a two-game losing streak and earned its first Liberty League win of the season. The Yellowjackets are 3-2 overall, 1-2 in the Liberty League. Merchant Marine is 2-4 overall, 0-3 in the league. The Mariners have lost three straight.
In his first varsity start, Bronson ran for a game high 123 yards on 19 carries. He completed 15 of 23 passes for 206 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Rochester finished with 510 yards in offense - 304 on the ground (Perpignan had 95 and one TD while Myles Allen ran for 66) and 206 in the air.Seven players caught passes from Bronson.
Merchant Marine totaled 261 yards in offense. The Mariners ran for 234 yards on 55 carries. Hinchey had 50 yards in 12 tries and quarterback Matt McDaniels ran 13 times for 40 net yards. McDaniels was 1-5 passing for 27 yards - but it went for a go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Bronson had two giveaways in the second half and both led to touchdowns. Early in the third, he tried to throw under heavy pressure on third-and-one. The ball was intercepted by Patrick Keyes and returned 30 yards for a touchdown. Swayne's PAT evened the score at 7-7 with 10:57 left in the period. Early in the fourth quarter, Bronson collided with Allen after a snap and fumbled the ball. It was recovered by Patrick Whalen at the Rochester 27. On the first play from scrimmage, McDaniels found Patrick Rice wide open in the middle of the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown. Swayne's PAT increased the lead to 14-10.
The Mariners were penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct when Rice spiked the ball after the TD. Sparks returned the kickoff to the 45. With the help of a 28-yard run by Perpignan, Rochester drove to the MM 14 and Haber kicked a 32-yard field goal with 10:41 left, pulling Rochester within 14-13.
Rochester took a 7-0 lead with 4:33 left in the first. The Yellowjackets drove 76 yards in 13 plays. Bronson kept the drive going with first-down passes to Farid Adenuga, Alec Sebastianelli, and Kyle Allegrini. Perpignan scored on an eight-yard run to put the guests ahead, 7-0.
Merchant Marine missed a golden chance to tie it in the second quarter. Bolstered by Colangelo's power (he rushed seven times for 50 yards), the Mariners drove from their own 22 to the Rochester one where they faced second and goal. McDaniels fumbled the snap and Matt Mender recovered for Rochester.