CONTACT: Justin Hoyt, (518) 629-7898, j.hoyt@hvcc.edu
FOR RELEASE: Immediate, Saturday, September 27, 2014
The Hudson Valley Community College football team (4-0) defeated Erie Community College (0-4), 21-20, on Saturday afternoon.
Rafael Hidalgo (Brooklyn Lab/Queens) hit Chris Osterman (FDR/Poughkeepsie) for a 74-yard strike all the way to the one-yardline, and Elijah Udoh (Manchester/Manchester, CT) punched it in to give the Vikings a 7-0 lead in the first quarter. Erie answered right back with a 68-yard score to tie the game at seven. The Vikings scored a touchdown right before the half when Hidalgo hit Craig Hardgers (Greece Olympia/Rochester) for a four-yard touchdown.
Hudson Valley came out in the fourth quarter with a score as Hidalgo hooked up with Osterman for a one-yard touchdown to go up 21-7. The Kats would answer, as Erie scored on drives of 69 and 54 yards, but Ashton McKenzie (Dewitt Clinton/Bronx), blocked the PAT to preserve a 21-20 lead. The defense came up with a few big stops down the stretch and the Vikings were able to hold on to the narrow victory.
Osterman had a career-day with nine receptions, 206 yards and a touchdown. His 206 yards put him second in school history with receiving yards in a game. Hidalgo passed for 306 yards and two touchdowns, and Udoh rushed for a team-high 61 yards and one touchdown.
On the defensive side of the ball the defense held the Kats to eight yards on the ground. Kevin Melder (Eastridge/Rochester) led the Vikings with 6.5 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. Jacky Smith (Putnam City/Louisville, AR) had a team-high four pass breakups, Derrick Tate (Edmondson Westside/Baltimore City, MD) forced a fumble and Khalil Parker (Patterson/Baltimore City, MD) recovered it. The Vikings are off to their best start since 2001, when the Vikings started out 6-0. Hudson Valley hosts East Coast Prep on Friday at 3 p.m.