Photo and Written by Marquis Frias, Sports Editor
Senior running back Matt Surtz’s five rushing touchdown performance helped No. 19 ranked Susquehanna clinch the Landmark Conference Championship Saturday afternoon with a 55-12 win over Western Connecticut State at Doug Arthur Stadium.
The win crowned Susquehanna as Landmark Conference Champions for the fourth straight year. Since joining the Landmark back in 2023, the River Hawks have won the conference championship all four years while remaining undefeated in conference play with a 23-0 record.
Western Connecticut was given possession first, to which the River Hawks defense were able to force a three and out. On Susquehanna’s opening drive, Surtz would make his first house call on just the second play of the drive with a 50-yard rushing touchdown.
After another stop from their defense, Susquehanna marched down the field and got the ball down to the Wolves’ 4-yard line. Surtz was able to finish the job with his second rushing touchdown of the day to extend Susquehanna’s lead 13-0.
“I was happy with the way we came out, certainly happy with all three phases,” Susquehanna Head Coach Chris Pincince said.
The Wolves would answer back however, with a scoring drive of their own that saw them travel 75 yards in eight plays after senior quarterback Dylan Jackson found junior wide receiver Jayden Leroy for a 9-yard receiving touchdown.
The River Hawks didn’t let the Wolves’ touchdown slow them down, as on their ensuing possession, Surtz capped off another scoring drive with another 4-yard touchdown, completing a hat trick in just the first quarter.
Both teams would then trade drives that led to nowhere to start the second quarter. With 5:36 left in the period, Surtz punched in another touchdown, his fourth in the first half, to make the score 27-6.
Only a couple plays later, Jackson would fumble the ball after an attempted lateral and Susquehanna’s Brayden Nolan would scoop the loose ball and take it back for six. The exciting play was the first of three turnovers for Susquehanna and only the second defensive touchdown of the year.
The half would close with the River Hawks up 34-6 over the Wolves. Susquehanna gained 308 total yards of offense in the first 30 minutes of play, which included 161 rushing yards. The defense also held Western Connecticut to only 91 total yards in the first half.
After both teams emerged from the locker rooms for the second half, the River Hawks would keep the high intensity on the ground game which Western Connecticut couldn’t seem to stop. Surtz ended the drive off with a 3-yard scamper, giving him a grand total of five on the day.
“[Surtz] is a good football player. We got a lot of good players on that offensive side that help us in the run game, but Matt does a great job of finishing and getting the extra yard. He’s a tough kid,” Pincince said.
The Wolves responded back with another passing touchdown, with Jackson finding sophomore wide receiver Camrin Jean-Pierre for a 17-yard touchdown. The score helped stop the bleeding for the Wolves, as they allowed 28 unanswered points.
The fourth quarter would see the River Hawks tack on two more touchdowns to increase their lead and keep the game out of reach. Senior quarterback Tommy Wright found junior wide receiver Frankie Mroz for a 30-yard receiving touchdown, which was the first touchdown in the air for Susquehanna.
Junior running back Sam McCracken would follow that up with a 3-yard touchdown of his own for Susquehanna, which was his first of the season. The score gave the River Hawks a late 55-12 lead, which they were able to hold on to as the quarter closed.
Surtz finished his day with 21 rushes for 130 yards and five rushing touchdowns. Wright recorded 13 completions on 21 attempts for 211 yards and a lone passing touchdown, while his leading receiver was junior tight end Noah Confer who finished with four receptions for 69 yards.
With one game left on the schedule, the four-time defending conference champion River Hawks will look to enjoy their final guaranteed game at home next Saturday in preparation for the DIII football playoffs. .
“It’s incredibly important to honor these 28 seniors that we have and to send them out the right way. I’m really excited to watch them run around on the field next week,” Pincince said.
The River Hawks will be back in action next Saturday, Nov 14 when they host Juniata College at noon at Doug Arthur Stadium.