Corbett rushes for 131 yards, 2 TDs, while Shelbred delivers go-ahead field goal & Henderson forces late fumble for Skyhawks second-straight win

Corbett rushed for a pair of touchdowns over 100 yards for the second-straight week (PHOTO BY Steven Goldburg)

WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 16, 2023) – Stonehill College posted its second-straight road victory with a 23-20 decision over Georgetown University in a non-conference football matchup at Cooper Field this afternoon.

Senior running back Jermaine Corbett rushed for over 100-yards for the second-straight week with two touchdowns, finishing with 131 yards on 29 carries to lead a Stonehill offense that never trailed on the afternoon and registered 348 total yards against a Georgetown defense that was ranked No. 1 in all of NCAA Division I FCS after two weeks. Senior Perry Shelbred delivered the winning points for the second-straight week, with his 37-yard field goal with 5:57 to play putting Stonehill in front for good.

Junior quarterback Ashur Carraha completed 15-of-24 passes for 175 yards and a score, with classmate Chris Domercant catching five of those passes for a season-best 94 yards and a touchdown, while carrying the ball twice for 19 to finish with a season-best 113 all-purpose yards.

Shelbred delivered a game-winning field goal for the second-straight week for the Skyhawks (PHOTO BY Steven Goldburg)

Freshman Nigel Henderson forced a fumble with 3:31 remaining that was recovered by sophomore Jordan Irvine following Shelbred's go-ahead field goal and then senior David Fuller-Williams closed the game out with a sack at midfield on the final play of the game.

Henderson finished with four solo tackles, while Fuller-Williams totaled four stops (three solo), 2.0 for a loss, including the game-ending sack. Senior Michael Lockavitch posted a team and season-high seven tackles (six solo), including 1.0 for a loss of three yards, while classmate Justin Waters contributed six stops (four solo).

Fifth-year quarterback Tyler Knoop  finished with 228 total yards to pace the Georgetown offense as he completed 19-of-27 passes for 195 yards and three touchdowns, while adding another 33 yards on the ground. Two of those touchdown passes went to postgrad running back Joshua Stakely who registered 141 all-purpose yards by gaining 105 yards on 12 carries on the ground to go with four catches for another 36 and two scores.

Sophomore linebacker Naiteitei Mose paced the Hoyas defense with a game-high eight tackles (five solo), including 0.5 tackles for loss. Senior De'Andre Wilborn contributed three stops (two solo), including 1.5 for a loss of seven and a sack. 

FIRST QUARTER

• Stonehill marched 89 yards in ten plays on its first possession of the game with Corbett capping the drive with an eight-yard touchdown after the Skyhawks defense got a stop near midfield on the opening drive of the game. Domercant had a big 42-yard catch from Carraha to flip the field position on the touchdown drive.

Domercant added a touchdown catch for the second-straight week (PHOTO BY Steven Goldburg)

SECOND QUARTER

• Georgetown pulled even with a 13-play, 97-yard drive that started in the first quarter and ended with a 14-yard touchdown pass by Knoop to Stakely 4:32 into the second quarter.
• Corbett restored the Stonehill lead with his second touchdown of the day, this from six-yards out at the end of a ten play, 64-yard possession with six minutes remaining in the half.
• Georgetown drew even at the break with a four-yard touchdown toss from Knoop to sophomore Nicholas Dunneman with 18-seconds remaining.

THIRD QUARTER

• Stonehill opened the second half with a grueling 16-play drive that ate up the first eight minutes of the third quarter, with Carraha connecting with Domercant for a 12-yard touchdown pass. The Skyhawks converted three times on third down during the possession, including the touchdown, also converting on fourth and two with a three-yard Corbett run to the Hoyas eight.
• Georgetown had an immediate response, quickly moving 75-yards in 11-plays for a 19-yard Knoop touchdown pass to Stakely for their second scoring combination of the afternoon with 1:47 remaining in the third.

FOURTH QUARTER

• Shelbred pushed Stonehill in front again, connecting on a 37-yard field goal with 5:57 remaining that concluded another double-digit play drive, this one 14-plays for 61-yards over 8:44.
• Two plays after Georgetown converted on third and seven from its own 28, Henderson forced a Hoyas fumble near midfield and Irvine dove on the loose ball with 3:31 remaining.

• Henderson forced a key fumble in the fourth quarter to help protect the three point win (PHOTO BY Steven Goldburg)

  Stonehill was unable to capitalize with a score, but used up all by 55-seconds before Georgetown started one final possession at the Hoyas 28. Knoop connected with junior wide receiver Brock Biestek for a 37-yard gain on third and ten to the Skyhawks 35. After a costly penalty backed the Hoyas to the 45, Fuller-Williams broke in on the final play and sacked Knoop to end the game.

Noteworthy

• Stonehill and Georgetown were meeting for the first time in program history – with the Skyhawks earning their first win over a Patriot League program in the first encounter with the League.
• Corbett surpassed 100 rushing yards for second-straight week and sixth time in his career overall, moving into a tie for fifth on the program's career list with 16 career rushing touchdowns.
• Domercant caught a touchdown pass for the second-straight week, giving him 13 touchdown receptions for his career, while his 1,181 career receiving yards moved him into ninth all-time past Dan Smith, '90 (1,164) on the career list.
• Carraha became only the tenth quarterback in Stonehill history to surpass 2,000 career passing yards, finishing the game at 2,081 yards in his 12^th career game to move into ninth on the program's career list past Dan Field, '96 (2,070).
• Stonehill has won back-to-back road games for the first time in its NCAA I FCS era and the first overall since a three-game road winning streak late in the 2021 season.
• Georgetown, which entered with the No. 1 defense in FCS, gave up 175 yards passing and 173 rushing to the Skyhawks after allowing 186 yards per game in two season-opening wins.

Up Next:

Stonehill (2-1, 1-0 NEC) will wrap up its three-game road trip next Saturday, when it visits Fordham University, ranked No. 22 in this week's American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) NCAA I FCS poll, for a non-conference matchup at 1 p.m. The Skyhawks next home game is Saturday, September 30, when they host reigning NEC Champions and NCAA FCS playoff participant Saint Francis (Pa.) University at W.B. Mason Stadium as part of Family Weekend and the kickoff to the College's 75^th Anniversary celebration at 1 p.m. Georgetown (2-1, 0-0 Patriot) visits Columbia University next Saturday at 1 p.m.

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