CONTACT: Steve Mullen (518) 629-8063
FOR RELEASE: Immediate, Saturday, October 25, 2003
The Hudson Valley Community College (7-1) football team kept its bowl hopes alive with a 14-7 overtime victory over Nassau Community College (5-2) earlier today in Troy. It is the first time since 1980 that Hudson Valley has defeated Nassau and only the second time the Vikings have won in 27 meetings between the two schools.
Sophomore running back Emmanuel Marc (Spring Valley/Spring Valley High School) carried the ball 41 times for 204 yards and two touchdowns to lead Hudson Valley. It is his 11th straight 100-yard game and the fourth time this season that he has rushed for more than 200 yards.
The Vikings took a 7-0 lead with 3:22 remaining in the opening quarter on a one-yard run up the middle by Marc. Hudson Valley went 31 yards on five plays after freshman defensive end Jonal Saint-Dic (Elizabeth, NJ/Elizabeth High School) recovered a Nassau fumble at the Lions' 31-yard line.
Nassau controlled much of the momentum in the second half, holding the Vikings to only 127 yards in the half. The Lions tied the game at 7-7, with 3:36 remaining in the third period, on a one-yard run by Brendan Lucas (Hempstead).
Hudson Valley reclaimed the momentum going into overtime when, on a fourth down and two at the Hudson Valley 47 yard line, Marc broke off a 36 yard run to give the Vikings a chance to win the game in regulation. Even though Hudson Valley's 39-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left with five seconds left in regulation, the Vikings had the Nassau defense on its heels.
Marc took over from there. His first carry of the overtime went for 23 yards. He finished the drive off with a two-yard touchdown run to put the Vikings up 14-7.
Nassau's hopes fell short when Saint-Dic recovered a Nassau fumble at the nine-yard line to end the Lions' overtime drive.
Saint-Dic finished the game with seven tackles, including two sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Sophomores Jeremiah Virden (Akron, OH/Buchtel High School) and Frantzy Dorlean (Spring Valley/Ramapo High School) contributed 12 and 10 tackles, respectively.
Sophomore running back Omar Palmer (North Babylon) had 80 yards on 25 carries to lead Nassau.
Hudson Valley will play its final regular season game on Sunday, November 2 against Union JV. Kick off is set for 1 p.m. on Veterans Memorial Field.