TROY, N.Y. - Sophomore quarterback Jake Kazanowsky scored on a four-yard run with 40.2 seconds left to finish a 10-play, 71-yard drive and give the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) football team a 10-6 come-from-behind victory over Morrisville State University in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Scotty Whitelaw Bowl at the East Campus Stadium. With the win, the Engineers finish the season at 8-3, while the Mustangs conclude with a 7-4 mark.
RPI got a crucial fourth down stop and got the ball on their own 29-yardline to start the winning drive with 3:18 remaining. It didn't get off to an ideal start for the Engineers as they faced a 4th-and-6 on their own 33-yardline. Kazanowsky converted the fourth down when he found senior receiver Peter Lombardi across the middle for a 22-yard gain.
Four plays later, RPI faced another fourth down – a 4th-and-5 at the Morrisville State 40-yardline. Just like the fourth down conversion earlier in the series, Kazanowsky found Lombardi for another conversion, this time on a 28-yard catch that moved the drive into the red zone to the Mustang's 12 yard line.
After Lombardi made an eight yard catch on first down, Kazanowsky scrambled and found the end zone from four yards out. Aleksandar Maric's point-after gave RPI a 10-6 lead with 40.2 seconds left on the clock.
On the ensuing drive by the Mustangs, Steven Frerichs found Aidan McDonald for a pair of completions of 18 and 13 yards, respectively. Following a nine-yard completion to Jarrell Chaney, the Mustangs faced a 4th-and-1 with four seconds remaining. Frerichs made a heave to the endz one, but his pass was intercepted by Carlos Davis and the Engineers won their 11th ECAC Bowl of all-time, tied for the most in history (Alfred University).
Morrisville State opened the scoring early in the second period when Owen Cole nailed a 46-yard field goal. He was called upon again in the third quarter and he converted a 30-yard field goal to break a 3-3 tie and give the Mustangs a 6-3 lead with 4:19 left in the third.
The Engineers trailed 3-0 late in the second quarter but tied the game with 11 seconds left in the first half on a 29-yard field goal By Maric to cap an eight-play, 60-yard drive.
RPI out-gained Morrisville State 331-200. The Engineers gained 211 yards through the air and 120 yards on the ground. Kazanowsky completed 23 of 38 passes for 211 yards. His counterpart, Frerichs, completed 17 of 30 for 145 yards.
On the ground, RPI's Christian Buckley gained 84 yards on 18 carries, while teammate Dameon Ming rushed seven times for 34 yards. Emmett Wood led the rushing attack for the Mustangs with 51 yards on 17 carries.
Lombardi had a game-high eight catches, while Shane Allison and D.J. Palmer each made four catches for 42 and 35 yards, respectively. For Morrisville State, Aidan McDonald gained 50 yards on his three receptions, while Jarrell Chaney and Wood also hauled in three receptions for 29 and 17 yards, respectively.
Defensively, Evan Salvaggio led the way for the Mustangs with 18 total tackles. Philemon Benjamin made nine tackles, while Ernesto Mitchel and Dante McGowan each finished with seven. RPI was led by Joe Deptula with 13 tackles, including one sack, while Conner Noyes and Josh Cohen chipped in 11 and 10 tackles, respectively.