CONTACT: Steve Mullen (518) 629-8063
FOR RELEASE: Immediate, Saturday, October 30, 2004
Vikings Clinch Eastern Division with Win over Dean
Freshman running back Dane Samuels (Clarkstown/Clarkstown High School) carried the ball a school-record 51 times for 243 yards and three touchdowns to lead Hudson Valley Community College to a 33-18 win over Dean College (2-7/0-6 NFC) in Northeast Football Conference action in Franklin, MA.
With the win, Hudson Valley (6-3/5-2 NFC) clinched the conference's Eastern Division and will play at Erie Community College at noon on Saturday, November 13 in the conference's first-ever championship game. The Vikings will host Union JV at noon on Sunday, November 7 in their regular season finale.
Hudson Valley sprinted out to a 21-0 halftime lead. Samuels scored a pair of first-quarter touchdowns, and sophomore quarterback Jonah Chappell (Brownfield, ME/Fryeburg Academy) hit freshman wide receiver Ricky Johnson (Newport News, VA/Heritage High School) with a 33-yard touchdown strike to give the Vikings a comfortable lead at the break.
Dean gained some momentum when defensive lineman Ted Rene picked up a Hudson Valley fumbled snap and rumbled 62 yards for a score to cut the Vikings lead to 21-6 with 11:47 remaining in the third quarter.
The Vikings responded by driving 46 yards on 12 plays, getting a 34-yard field goal from freshman kicker Bobby Collett (Middletown/Goshen High School) to go up 24-6.
Dean got a fourth quarter touchdown run from Hezekiah Ross and touchdown reception from Anton Beardon, but Samuels third score of the day with 5:03 remaining in the game ensured the Vikings would return home with the win.
Hudson Valley finished the day with 349 total yards and held Dean to 132 total yards. The ground attack allowed the Vikings to control the ball for more than 37 minutes in the game.
Chappell completed six-of-11 passes for 88 yards. Johnson caught two passes for 49 yards.
Daniel Roach had six carries for 56 yards to lead the Bulldogs.
Sophomore defensive end James Brown (Danbury, CT/Danbury High School) led the Hudson Valley defense with seven tackles, including five tackles behind the line of scrimmage.
