Long Branch, New Jersey, senior running back fuels Skyhawks with 94-yards, two touchdowns in second half

Domercant totaled 149 all-purpose yards and rushed for a touchdown for the second-straight week to help the Skyhawks pull away late (PHOTO BY Jim Pierce)

EASTON, Mass. (November 18, 2023) – Fueled by a pair of touchdowns by senior running back Jermaine Corbett, Stonehill College reeled off 19 unanswered points over the final 15:34 to cap its 2023 season with a 40-23 triumph over Long Island University in Northeast Conference football action on Senior Day on Timothy J. Coughlin, '80 Memorial Field at W.B. Mason Stadium this afternoon.

Corbett energized Stonehill's offense in the second half with 123 all-purpose yards, including 17 carries for 94 yards and the two touchdowns on the ground, while adding a 29-yard reception in just one half of play. Junior wide receiver Chris Domercant totaled a game-high 149 all-purpose with 56 yards on three receptions, 55 yards on five carries with a touchdown and 38 return yards for the game. Junior Noah Canty and sophomore Zavion Woodard chipped in with touchdowns for the Skyhawks.

Corbett rushed for two second half touchdowns to spark the Skyhawks to victory (PHOTO BY Jim Pierce)

Senior Sam Murphy paced the Stonehill defense which limited LIU to 103 yards on the ground and forced three turnovers with six tackles (five solo), including a sack for a loss of nine, and an interception. Freshman Mahkai Wilson added four solo tackles, including 2.0 sacks for a loss of six, while senior Anthony LaMonica collected an interception for the second-straight week with five stops, and junior Vahn Friday delivered a tackle in the end zone for a safety.

Senior Owen Glascoe totaled 130 all-purpose yards for LIU, rushing the ball 12 times for 97 yards to go with 33 yards on three receptions. Junior Davon Wells caught five passes for 62 yards and a touchdown, while postgrad Kyren Petteway added a touchdown on three receptions for 45 yards. Junior Michael Coney delivered three field goals for the Sharks.

Senior Mike Thompson led the LIU defense with eight tackles (seven solo), including 1.0 for a loss of two yards and a blocked kick. Sophomore Eric O'Neill added eight tackles (six solo), including 2.5 for a loss of four yards.

Corbett led a Stonehill offense that scored 26 points after halftime with two touchdowns of his own as the Skyhawks erased a three-point halftime lead (17-14) and two second half deficits following Coney field goals to win running away after scoring the final 19 points of the contest.

After Coney capped the opening drive of the second half with a 35-yard field goal to extend LIU's three-point (17-14) halftime lead to six, Stonehill marched 75-yards in five plays on its ensuing drive, with Corbett responsible for 40, capped by a five yard touchdown, to push the Skyhawks back into the lead (21-20) five minutes into the third quarter.

LIU regained the lead on its next possession after a 22-yard field goal by Coney with 3:15 remaining in the third, but Stonehill followed with Corbett's second touchdown of the game on a 21-yard jaunt down the left side with 34-seconds remaining to take a 28-23 lead. He again led the drive with 56 of the 75 yards on the possession.

Friday posted a key stop in the end zone in the fourth quarter to notch Stonehill's first safety in two seasons (PHOTO BY Jim Pierce)

Stonehill closed the game out with three fourth quarter scores, starting with Friday's burst thought the line to drop junior Jaden Dawkins in the end zone for a safety one play after freshman punter Nick Tanzola pinned a 38-yard punt inside the LIU one yard line. Domercant added his second rushing touchdown in as many weeks with an 11-yard score down the left side with 6:33 to play, before senior Perry Shelbred capped the scoring with a 22-yard field goal with 3:36 remining.

Noteworthy

• Prior to the game, Stonehill celebrated its 30 seniors and fifth-years that produced 23 wins since 2019 and leading the Skyhawks transition to NCAA Division I FCS over the last two years.
• Stonehill caps its second NCAA Division I FCS season with back-to-back wins and three victories in its last four games to finish in a four-way tie for second place in the NEC standings.
• Stonehill's two-game upswing is the longest current win streak in the NEC.
• Corbett's two touchdowns give him 20 rushing scores in 23 career games and the 94 rushing yards pushes him over 2,000-yards rushing for his career (2,063) – just the eighth 2,000-yard rusher in program history. His 21 total career total touchdowns are tied for ninth in Stonehill history.
• Corbett finished the season with 895 rushing yards in eight games – good for ninth on Stonehill's all-time single season list.
• Friday's fourth quarter safety is Stonehill's first since 2021 season at Pace.
• Shelbred's eight points scored today give him 167 points in 29 career games to rank seventh in Stonehill history.
• Junior Ashur Carraha is only the eighth quarterback in Stonehill history to surpass 3,000-yards passing (3,136) after totaling 144 yards on 12 completions and a touchdown today.
• Stonehill earns its fourth win in 19 all-time meetings with LIU, including the Sharks LIU Post era, marking its second win over LIU at W.B. Mason Stadium and first since a 38-28 triumph in 2013.
• With the win, head coach Eli Gardner (36-34) moves into a tie for second in Stonehill's varsity era for wins with Connie Driscoll (36-24) who led Stonehill for six years between 1993 and '98. Gardner only trials former head coach Robert Talley (48-46) by 12 wins for the program record.

Stonehill honored its 30 fifth-years and seniors prior to today's game. The group has been a part of 23 wins and a transition to NCAA FCS football that has produced a second place finish in the NEC standings in just its second year (PHOTO BY Jim Pierce)

Up Next:

Stonehill wraps up its second NCAA FCS season with a 5-5 record overall, including a 4-3 record in the NEC to finish tied for second in the final regular season standings, along with LIU (4-7, 4-3 NEC).

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