By Alyssa Gehris, Staff Writer
Susquehanna’s football team earned a convincing 33–10 win against McDaniel on their last home game of the season to keep postseason hope on Saturday, Nov. 4.
In the Parent’s Weekend game at Amos Alonzo Stagg Field in Selinsgrove, Susquehanna Seniors, running back Cameron Ott and quarterback Nick Crusco, were the catalysts for the win.
Ott rushed for 138 yards and three touchdowns while Crusco was 19-26 for 206 yards accounting for two more scores.
Susquehanna’s steady scoring started out in the first three quarters with one touchdown in each and then to seal the win, two insurance scores in the fourth quarter.
Susquehanna wasted no time putting the first points on the board, as the senior duo would take advantage of good field position from a return by sophomore wide receiver Mikah Christian, and would score just 1:38 into the game. Ott had two short runs and then finished off the drive with a 32- yard touchdown run on the left side down the sideline.
Freshman kicker Rory D’Alesandro, coming in for freshman starting kicker Connor Lustenberger, who missed the game with an injury, would miss the ensuing extra point attempt and the score would stand at 6–0 River Hawks early in the first.
Remaining time in the first quarter was filled mostly with both teams trading punts until McDaniel was able to cut the lead to 6–3 with a 37-yard field goal in the beginning of the second quarter.
Crusco was able to lead Susquehanna back until stopped at the 27-yard line, where head coach Tom Perkovich called for a pooch punt from his senior quarterback. Crusco’s punt was downed at the McDaniel two-yard line. Susquehanna’s defense was then able to force a three-and-out.
After the three-and-out from McDaniel, Susquehanna got the ball back with great field position and they would not let it go to waste. Junior running back Luke Robertson brought Crusco within striking distance with three strong runs, and the senior did not waste the opportunity as he found sophomore tight end Anthony McCoy for a 15-yard touchdown pass.
The score remained 13 – 3 for the rest of the first half. McDaniel started off the second half quickly with a 21- yard touchdown pressuring Susquehanna with a 13–10
score 1:37 into the second half. The River Hawks then regained power with Crusco’s five-play scoring drive which included a 33-yard run from Ott and passes to sophomore wide receiver Mitch Carsley. Bringing the lead 20–10, Crusco carried in the ball from the three-yard line stop. Sophomore defensive lineman Devon Lindeman stopped McDaniel’s attempt to cut the lead with an interception at the goal line on a third-and- goal from the three yard line.
Ending the third quarter, McDaniel punted to midfield and freshman wide receiver Terrell Brown was pushed out of bounds at the nine-yard line after breaking off a 43-yard punt return and nearly scoring.
Ott then extended the lead to 26–10 on a three-yard touchdown run at the beginning of the fourth quarter. The touchdown was his second one of the day.
River Hawk defense kept McDaniel in their place with a sack from junior inside linebacker Connor Thompson and sophomore inside linebacker David Simpson to force another punt to give Susquehanna good field position once again.
The final scoring stretch of the game began when Crusco found Brown to earn 39-yards and then senior wide receiver Tommy Bluj for another 11 yards. Ott eventually closed out the drive with a one-yard touchdown run to extend the score to 33–10, which ended up being the final score.
Defense for the River Hawks finished out the game strong with senior defensive lineman Kyle Micik’s forced fumble which was recovered by freshman defensive lineman Mark Ferris to stop McDaniel from any attempt to score.
Susquehanna now has an overall record of 6–3 and a 5–3 record in the Centennial Conference.
The River Hawks play their last game of the season against Juniata at Knox Stadium on Saturday Nov. 11 at 1 p.m. for the annual battle of the Goal Post Trophy. A win against Juniata would give Susquehanna a position to play in one of the Centennial MAC Challenge games.
