CONTACT: Justin Hoyt, (518) 629-7898, j.hoyt@hvcc.edu
FOR RELEASE: Immediate, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013
The Hudson Valley Community College football team (0-2) lost to Dean College (4-0) 20-17 on Saturday afternoon.
The Vikings struck first when Nick Casale (Tamarac/Troy) hit Jarrid Wilkinson (Rensselear/Rensselear) for a 24-yard touchdown in the first quarter. Casale then ran it in to convert on the two-point conversion to put the Vikings up 8-0. Hudson Valley took an 8-0 lead into the half, as the defense shut down Dean's offense, including a crucial fourth down stop.
Coming out of the half, Casale ran in a two-yard touchdown on fourth down to give the Vikings a 14-0 lead in the third quarter. Dean answered back with an 11 play, 75 yard drive that ended in a 17-yard touchdown run. Anthony Vilardi (Shenendehowa/Clifton Park) added a 32-yard field goal to put the Vikings up 17-7 going into the fourth quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Dean's 50-yard field goal attempt hit the right upright to keep the score at 17-7. After a Hudson Valley fumble on their own 19 yardline, the Bulldogs scored on the very first play on a 19-yard touchdown run to cut the lead to three. After a Viking punt, Dean drove the field to the 33 yardline to attempt another 50-yard field goal, but this time Betelho drilled it to tie the game, 17-17. The Vikings received the ball back with under two minutes left in the game, but a costly interception on third down proved to be the difference in the game. Dean drove it down to the eight yardline and converted on a 25-yard field as time expired to take a 20-17 victory.
Casale led the Vikings with 170 yards through the air and 55 yards on the ground, scoring both of Hudson Valley's touchdowns. Brandon Egan-Thorpe (New Paltz/New Paltz) led the Vikings in receiving with six catches for 58 yards. The defense stepped up big in the loss, led by Ashton McKenzie (Clinton/Bronx) with 5.5 tackles, including two sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss. Louis Carey (Tottenville/Staten Island) had a team-high eight tackles and recorded a sack, and Aaron Heath (Patrick-Harry/Roanoke/VA) added seven tackles.
The Vikings head out to in-state rival Erie next Saturday for a noon kickoff.