CONTACT: Adam Sopris, a.sopris@hvcc.edu, 518-629-7898 or 518-416-2137
FOR RELEASE: Immediate, Saturday, October 15, 2022

The Hudson Valley Community College football team dropped a tough home match 28-19 against Sussex on Saturday afternoon in Troy, NY. 

The Vikings came out of the gates to take the early 6-0 lead over the Skylanders as Joshua Jean-Baptiste returned the opening kickoff 97-yards for a touchdown. The early score helped carry the Vikings momentum through the rest of the first half. 

Sussex eventually took a 7-6 lead after they scored their first touchdown of the game at the 8:32 mark in the second quarter. Michael Gould connected for a four-yard rushing touchdown with a converted point after.

On the kickoff, Joshua Jean-Baptiste put on his boosters as he returned the kick 98-yards for his second kickoff return touchdown of the game. Jean-Baptiste finished the game with 195-kickoff return yards and led the Vikings with 66 rushing yards on eight carries, an 8.3 yards per rush average. 

However, Sussex regrouped at the halftime break and scored the next three touchdowns to pull away from the Vikings. Hudson Valley scored their third touchdown of the game with 2:59 remaining in the fourth quarter when Kevin Mayfield finished a 10-yard run for a score to the left side of the field, but the game had already been decided as Sussex still held a two-possession advantage on Hudson Valley.

The Vikings are back home next Saturday, October 22 when they welcome Erie to Troy, NY for the 2022 NJCAA Region 3 Championship. Kickoff is scheduled for noon and the game will be streamed live at hvccathletics.com/watch.