CONTACT: Adam Sopris, a.sopris@hvcc.edu, 518-629-7898
FOR RELEASE: Immediate, Saturday, September 9, 2017

Hudson Valley Community College football dropped its home opener on Saturday afternoon to No. 8 Lackawanna College 47-15 at the Outdoor Athletic Complex.

The Vikings defense held Lackawanna to 13 points and trailed 13-9 at halftime before the Falcons scored 34 unanswered points in the second half to put the game out of reach for the Vikings.

Trailing 7-0, the Vikings put together a 5-play, 74-yard drive to tie the game up with 14:20 remaining in the second quarter. Freshman quarterback Wesley Manning found MarShon Hoover in the end zone on a play action pass to the right side of the field.

The Vikings would put two more points on the board before the half as Nicholas Jones returned a blocked extra point 98-yards for the score. The Vikings were awarded two-points for the defensive two-point conversion score and pulled closer to Lackawanna 13-9.

Hudson Valley scored again with 3:14 remaining in the game, as sophomore Tajmaleeak Beckett took the Vikings offense down the field, finding Michael Allen for the 12-yard touchdown pass on an inside slant route. The score capped a 6-play, 59-yard drive in 2:20. Allen finished the game with a team-high 98-yards receiving on six catches and a score.

The Vikings defense recorded 55 total tackles, two sacks for a loss of nine yards, including one forced fumble by Kapone Brown that was recovered by Richard Eversleigh.

Lackawanna's Jo-El Shaw rushed for 156 yards on 19 attempts for three touchdowns and the Falcons top receiver, Navon Prince tallied 108 yards on eight catches for two scores.

The Vikings are back in action next Sunday, Sept. 17 when they travel to face Ithaca JV for a 1 p.m. start.