Washington's two TDs leads Skyhawks back from 11-point fourth quarter deficit

Washington scored two touchdowns to lead the Skyhawks back from 11 points down and clinch a double-overtime win.

BLOOMSBURG, Pa. (September 3, 2022) – Stonehill College battled back from an 11-point fourth quarter deficit to claim a 33-30 triumph over Bloomsburg (Pa.) University in a non-conference football matchup that kicked off the Skyhawks NCAA Division Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) era on Danny Hale Field at Redman Stadium this afternoon.

Sophomore running back Jarel Washington scored a pair of touchdowns to lead the Stonehill comeback in his collegiate debut, the first on a 49-yard toss and run from sophomore quarterback Ashur Carraha with 4:32 to play sparked the comeback and pulled the Skyhawks within three (27-24) after Carraha connected with sophomore Chris Domercant for the two point conversion, before ending the game with a two-yard touchdown scamper in the second overtime period. 

Shelbred delivered four field goals, including a tying 31-yarder to force overtime. (PHOTO BY Kyle Haupt/Bloomsburg Athletics)

Leaders

Stonehill

Washington: 99 all-purpose yards, with 11 carries for 50-yards and a touchdown, and adding the 49-yard touchdown reception.
Carraha: 21-for-42, 254 yards, touchdown, interception, three sacks in first collegiate appearance.
Domercant: 6 receptions for 88 yards.
Sophomore Jermaine Corbett: 18 carries for 122 yards and a touchdown, marking his second career 100-yard game.
Junior Perry Shelbred: Four field goals on five attempts, delivering from 24, 22, 37 and 31 yards.
Junior Micah Brown: 12 tackles (six solo), 0.5 tackles for loss of two yards.
Junior Marje Mulumba: 8 tackles (3 solo), 3.0 tackles for loss of 12 yards. 

Bloomsburg

Junior Quentin Gaskill: 12 tackles (ten solo), 2.0 sacks for a loss of 23 yards, forced fumble, interception, three pass breakups.
Sophomore Kaleb Monaco: 111 all-purpose yards, with 52 yards on 19 carries, 2 receptions for 12 yards and 47 yards on three kickoff returns.
Sophomore John Ayres: Two touchdowns with a four-yard TD rush and fumble recovery for TD in end zone.
Freshman Brendan McGonigle: Three field goals from 22, 44 and 33 yards. 

Corbett posted his second career 100-yard game in as many starts, scoring the Skyhawks first touchdown of the season late in the first half (PHOTO BY Mary Gettens)

How it Happened

• Stonehill marched down the field on the opening possession of the game with a 15-play, 69-yard drive that consumed 7:11 of the clock, but was forced to settle for a 24-yard Shelbred field goal with 7:43 remaining in the first quarter.
• McGonagle knotted the score 3:41 into the second quarter with his first field goal from 22-yards out after an 18-play, 75-yard Bloomsburg drive that ate over eight minutes of the clock.
• Bloomsburg grabbed its first lead with its first of two touchdowns off Stonehill special teams turnovers that gave the Huskies great field position as Ayres pounced on a fumble on a rush from the one yard line just 1:09 after McGonagle's field goal.
• After Shelbred's second field goal from 22-yards out, Bloomsburg stretched its lead to 11 (17-6) after sophomore Zane Janiszewski scored one a one yard plunge with 1:27 left before the half.
• The 87-seconds were enough for Stonehill to get a huge score heading into the intermission to draw back within four (17-13) after Corbett's first touchdown of the year on a nine-yard scamper with 21-seconds left before the half.
• Shelbred pulled Stonehill back within a point (17-16) with his third field goal of the afternoon, this time from 37-yards out, with 6:50 left in the third.
• However, Ayres second touchdown of the day from a yard out and a 44-yard McGonagle field goal on either side of the third and fourth quarter pushed the Bloomsburg lead back to 11 (27-16) with 12:49 left in the fourth.
• Carraha connected with Washington on a out pass to the right sideline and Washington ran clear down the sideline for the first career touchdown pass and reception for the sophomores that pulled Stonehill back within three after Carraha found Domercant for the two-point conversion with 4:32 left.

• Mulumba helped spearhead the Skyhawks defensive effort (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes)

  Shelbred followed with a 31-yard field goal with 16-seconds left at the end of an eight play, 46-yard drive, that forced overtime.
• Stonehill's defense shined in the first overtime period after Shelbred missed a go-ahead field goal attempt on the first possession, driving the Bloomsburg offense 25-yards in reverse for a turnover on downs that sent the game into double overtime.
• McGonigle's third field goal of the day from 33-yards out gave Bloomsburg a lead after managing just nine yards on its second possession of overtime.
• Stonehill took six plays to traverse the 25-yards on its possession and claim the win as Washington scampered in from two yards out, virtually untouched, for the winning score.

Noteworthy

• Stonehill was playing its first overtime game since a 17-10 win at Pace University in 2016.
• Stonehill has now won its last two overtime contests.
• Stonehill capped the series with Bloomsburg having won the last four games between the two programs, with four-straight wins at Redman Stadium where the Skyhawks are now 4-1 all-time.
• Brown led three Stonehill players with double-digit tackle totals with 12 (six solo), being joined by fifth-year defensive back Masyn Lorick with ten (seven solo) and sophomore Marc Christian Georges adding ten (five solo).
• Stonehill finished 10-for-18 on third downs, compared to 7-for-16 for Bloomsburg.
• Stonehill finished with 453 total yards, with 199 rushing and 254 passing, while Bloomsburg totaled 228 total yards (48 passing, 180 rushing).

Up Next:

Stonehill (1-0, 0-0 NEC) is right back in action next Saturday, September 10, when it hosts Post University for a non-conference matchup at W.B. Mason Stadium at 1 p.m. The Skyhawks, who are in transition to NCAA Division I FCS as a member of the Northeast Conference, will open its NEC schedule on Saturday, October 1, when it hosts Duquesne University in a game that will be featured as part of the NEC's Game of the Week package on ESPN3 at noon. Bloomsburg (0-1, 0-0 PSAC) hosts Clarion University next Saturday at 2 p.m.

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