CONTACT: Steve Mullen (518) 629-8063
FOR RELEASE: Immediate, Sunday, September 4, 2005
The Hudson Valley Community College football team began where it left off a year ago, defeating Hartwick College's junior varsity team 47-0 earlier today in Oneonta.
Hudson Valley (1-0), winner of its final five games last season, held Hartwick's offense to -2 total yards, including -54 yards on the ground, and forced seven turnovers. Sophomore linebacker John Fuschino (Clifton Park/Shenendehowa High School) led the defense with nine tackles, including five tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. Sophomore defensive end Kennedy Obeng (Bronx/Columbus High School) added seven tackles and two sacks.
Freshman running back Bobby Ransom (Tallahassee, FL/North Florida Christian School) got the Vikings on the board early in the second quarter with a five yard touchdown run. After a 34-yard field goal by sophomore kicker Bobby Collett (Middletown/Goshen High School), Ransom scampered in from two yards away to give Hudson Valley a 17-0 lead. Ransom finished the day with 78 rushing yards on 13 carries.
Freshman quarterback Marcus McLain (Pikeville, MD/Randallstown High School) gave Hudson Valley a 24-0 lead just before the half when he ran it in from 19 yards away.
Sophomore running back Dane Samuels (New City/Clarkstown North High School) dove over the pile from one yard away, giving Hudson Valley a 30-0 lead early in the third quarter. Samuels carried the ball 10 times for 89 yards on the day.
Hudson Valley got fourth quarter touchdowns on a 30-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Jon Shanks (Millbrook/Millbrook High School) to freshman wide receiver David Smith (Jersey city, NJ/James J. Ferris High School) and a 36-yard interception return by sophomore linebacker Malcolm King (Fort Lauderdale, FL/James Hubert Blake High School).
Hudson Valley amassed 454 yards of total offense, including 235 yards through the air. McLain completed eight of 21 passes for 100 yards. Shanks connected on nine-of-15 passes for 135 yards. Sophomore Donte Lewis (Troy/Walbrook High School) led the receivers with five catches for 54 yards. Sophomore tight end Jamal Harrod (Baltimore, MD/Southwestern High School) caught four passes for 59 yards.
Collett, who finished with two field goals and three extra points on the day, became Hudson Valley's all-time leading scorer for kickers. He has 60 points in his career, surpassing John Macharelli, who had 52 points in 1981.
Hudson Valley has one more non-league contest before opening up conference play versus Dean on September 17. The Vikings will host Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's junior varsity team at noon next Sunday, September 11.