Waters sparks defense early, while Domercant powers offense late with winning score in final minute

Waters recovered two fumbles that led to touchdowns, including a 17-yard scoop and score of his own, to lead the Skyhawks to a 17-point first quarter lead (PHOTO BY Jim Pierce)

PITTSBURGH, Pa. (November 11, 2023) – Stonehill College handed Duquesne University its first Conference loss of the season and delayed clinching the Northeast Conference championship outright for at least a week with a 33-28 triumph in NEC football action at Arthur J. Rooney Field this afternoon.

Junior wide receiver Chris Domercant racked up a career-high 184 all-purpose yards, despite a 96-yard kickoff return for touchdown nullified by penalty, scoring the winning touchdown with a 21-yard end around rush with 50-seconds to play to cap off a wild back and forth battle. He finished with 51 yards and the score on six carries, caught four passes for 66 yards and tallied 67 yards on three kickoff returns for the afternoon.

Senior linebacker Justin Waters led the Stonehill defensive effort which largely produced an early 17-0 lead just seven minutes into the game with six tackles (two solo), two fumble recoveries that led to scores, including a 17-yard scoop and score of his own with eight minutes remaining in the first quarter. Classmate Sam Murphy also totaled six tackles (five solo), including 1.0 for loss, and two pass breakups, while senior Anthony LaMonica contributed five tackles (four solo) and a key fourth quarter interception. Sophomore Jordan Irvine also added an interception for the Skyhawks who forced four turnovers in the contest.

Senior running back Jermaine Corbett led a Stonehill rushing attack that totaled 214 yards on the ground with his fourth 100-yard game of the season (eighth career), carrying the ball 21 times for 108 yards. Junior Noah Canty added three catches for 61 yards, while junior Jake Newsham chipped in with a touchdown.

Sophomore Keshawn Brown totaled 243 all-purpose yards for Duquesne with 103 yards and a touchdown on just two receptions, while adding 140 yards on six kickoff returns. Junior Darius Perrantes passed for 298 yards on only nine completions on 25 attempts with 89-yard touchdown to Brown, while adding another on the ground. Sophomore JaMario Clements was among three Dukes ball carriers with a touchdown, finishing with a team-high 52 yards on 14 attempts.

Postgrad Jayden Johnson was among three Duquesne defenders with double-digit tackles, finishing with a game-high 13 (two solo), while junior Gianni Rizzo totaled 11 stops (five solo), including 2.5 for a loss of 12 yards, and 1.5 sacks for a loss of 11. 

Domercant totaled a career-best 184 all-purpose yards and scored the winning touchdown with less than a minute to play to lead the Skyhawks on offense (PHOTO BY Jim Pierce)

FIRST QUARTER

• Stonehill scored 17 points over the first seven minutes of the game, including 14-points off turnovers as Newsham hauled in a ten-yard touchdown pass from junior Ashur Carraha three plays after Waters recovered a Perrantes fumble on Duquesne's first play from scrimmage after senior Perry Shelbred delivered a 22-yard field goal at the end of Stonehill's opening drive.
• Waters struck again on the Dukes next play from scrimmage after the ensuing kickoff from the Newsham score, scooping up a fumble caused by fifth-year defensive lineman Matt Beekey at the Duquesne 17 and running in untouched for the first touchdown of his career and a 17-0 lead before even half of the first quarter had expired.
• Duquesne chipped away, producing a scoring drive on its next possession that was capped by a two-yard touchdown up the middle by Clements with 3:14 to play in the first quarter.
• Shelbred closed the first quarter scoring with a 34-yard field goal with three-seconds to play on Stonehill's next possession.

SECOND QUARTER

• Duquesne scored a pair of touchdowns to take a one-point lead (21-20) into halftime, starting with Brown's 89-yard catch and score six and a half minutes into the frame.
• Perrantes pushed Duquesne in front on its next possession with a 34-yard touchdown run three plays after a punting miscue by Stonehill set the hosts up with great field position on the Skyhawks 37.

THIRD QUARTER

• Stonehill scored the lone touchdown of the third quarter when sophomore Javion Woodard punched the ball in from a yard out at the end of a 12-play, 63-yard drive with 1:12 remaining. It marked the Skyhawks second scoring drive of double-digit plays, including the opening Shelbred field goal after 11-plays on the opening drive, giving Stonehill 16 double-figure play scoring drives this season.

Corbett surpassed 100 rushing yards for the fourth time this season leading a Skyhawks team that rushed for 214 yards with 108 on 21 carries (PHOTO BY Steven Goldburg)

FOURTH QUARTER

• Duquesne reclaimed the lead with a two-yard touchdown run from freshman Edward Robinson with 2:45 remaining.
• Stonehill marched down the field on the ensuing possession in seven plays with Domercant's first career rushing touchdown (16^th career overall) on a 21-yard end around on second and eight with 50-seconds remaining.
• Brown gave the Dukes a chance on the ensuing kickoff, returning the ball to the Dukes 42 and the offense moved the ball to the Stonehill 33, but couldn't complete a pass from there with Stonehill sophomore cornerback Jahnez Williams breaking up a Perrantes pass on the second to last play.

Noteworthy

• Stonehill has won both meetings in two years against Duquesne in the all-time series since elevating to NCAA FCS prior to last season, adding to a 24-20 win over the Dukes in the Skyhawks first NEC contest in program history last September.
• LaMonica's first interception of the season came on the Stonehill five-yard line early in the fourth quarter with Duquesne marching towards a go-ahead score. It's the second interception of his career – both coming against the Dukes as he clinched the Skyhawks win last season with a pick late in regulation to seal their first NEC victory in program history.
• Stonehill's four takeaways this afternoon gives the Skyhawks 12 for the season, with five interceptions and seven fumbles, to improve back to plus-2 for the season.
• Stonehill fifth-year offensive lineman and two-year captain Thomas Walsh made 30th career start on the Skyhawks line this afternoon.

Up Next:

Stonehill (4-5, 3-3 NEC) returns to action next Saturday, when it hosts Long Island University for the final contest of the season with a Senior Day matchup at W.B. Mason Stadium at 1 p.m. Duquesne (6-4, 5-1 NEC) visits Merrimack College for a head-to-head clash for the NEC title and Conference's automatic bid to the NCAA FCS Playoffs next Saturday at noon.

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