ONEONTA, NY – Hartwick dug an early hole that it never managed to get out of on Saturday as Morrisville scored 21 first-quarter points and then another 28 in the third for a 56-28 victory over the Hawks at Wright Stadium. 'Wick drops to 1-7 overall and 0-4 in Empire 8 play. The Mustangs get to .500 both overall and in the E8 with 4-4 and 2-2 marks.
The two teams combined for 969 yards of offense on the day. The Mustangs gained a total of 532 yards with the Hawks' accumulating 437.
Jack Steinman (North Haven, CT/North Haven) had a career day for the Hawks as he made 10 receptions for 160 yards and two touchdowns. Kishaun Bell (Beacon, NY/Beacon) contributed seven catches for 85 yards.
Davien Kuinlan (Bethpage, NY/Plainedge) rushed 27 times for a game-best 102 yards to go along with two scores. Grant Harman (Liberty, NY/Liberty) registered 327 yards passing and two touchdowns on 29-of-54 passing to go along with four interceptions.
Bill Flatow led Morrisville with 206 passing yards and four touchdown passes on 14-of-21 passing with one pick. Kinsey Williams ran for 83 yards and two scores on 13 carries. Jermaine Cooper made six catches for 99 yards and one visit to the end zone.
To start the game, Hartwick turned the ball over on downs after close to four minutes of action. Two plays later, Morrisville found the end zone and quickly it was 7-0. The Hawks' first play from scrimmage on their next possession was picked off and Flatow and Cooper made it seven more on their next play, giving the Mustangs a 14-0 lead in just a 22-second span.
Morrisville added to its total after forcing a 'Wick punt. Ten plays later the lead was 21 as Williams ran it in from seven yards out.
A 19-play, 96-yard drive that took nearly nine minutes off the clock would put the Hawks on the scoreboard as Kuinlan capped it off with a one-yard touchdown run.
Keith Slaughter's (Deer Park, NY/Half Hollow Hills West) interception would give the ball back to the Hawks only to have another turnover hand it right back to the Mustangs. They capitalized to make it a 28-7 ball game. Hartwick drove to the Morrisville 12 with under a minute left but four straight incomplete passes would put an end to the half.
The Mustangs received the ball to start the second half and they promptly drove for their fifth TD of the day. The Hawks fumbled on the ensuing kickoff return and the visitors recovered. They punched in another touchdown three plays later to extend the margin. The Mustangs forced the Hawks to punt and scored on their third possession of the third quarter after five plays to build a 49-7 lead with 6:40 remaining in the period.
'Wick quickly answered as Harman connected on three straight passes and Kuinlan rushed three times, the last coming on a 1-yard touchdown, and the Hawks cut into the deficit. However, after the kickoff, an 88-yard passing play gave the Mustangs six more and a 56-14 edge at the end of three quarters.
Harman found Steinman for a 25-yard touchdown a minute into the fourth. Following a pick on defense, the duo hooked up again, this time for a 5-yard scoring play with 9:13 remaining. Kevin Roberts (Montgomery, NY/Valley Central) provided his fourth PAT of the day to close out the day's scoring.
Defensively for the Blue and White, Nelon Priest (Schenectady, NY/Notre Dame Bishop Gibbons) and Jack Colbath (Monroe, NY/Monroe Woodbury) each had five tackles. Colbath had three for a loss as well as a pass defended.
Stephen Junjulas (Cold Spring, NY/Haldane) and Tommy Kurs (Rego Park, NY/Forest Hills) had four hits each. Junjulas also had an interception.
The Hawks are back home next weekend for Senior Day as they host nationally ranked Cortland on November 9 beginning at 1 p.m.
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