Wilson running the ball

Turnovers Cost Pioneers

Six turnovers slowed down Alfred State as they lost their ECFC opener 44-26 at Dean College on Saturday afternoon.

Both teams turned the ball over early in the game but the Pioneers grabbed an early lead when Dashown Wilson (Bronx/DeWitt Clinton) capped a 11-play, 97-yard drive with a one-yard run to give Alfred State a 6-0 lead with 7:22 remaining in the opening quarter. The Bulldogs tied the contest up on their next drive when Terrell Watts connected with Quintus Reid on a 30-yard pass play with 2:49 remaining.

With 12:57 left in 2nd quarter, Ronnie Clark (Philadelphia/Indian River) scored from 39-yards out to give the Pioneers back the lead. Watts answered right back when he threw a 61-yard TD pass to Errol Breaux to tie it back up at 12-12.

Gene Baisden gave Dean their first lead of the game with 9:50 remaining in the half when he returned an interception 30-yards to make it 19-12. Late in the half, DeAndrew Grange scored from eight-yards out to cap a 77-yard drive after another Alfred State turnover.

KiSean Bullard scored the lone points of the 3rd quarter when he rushed in from 12-yards.

Both teams traded scoring drives in the 4th quarter. Wilson scored from three-yards out to cap an 80-yard drive, Grange rushed in from four-yards out for Dean, Wilson connected with Jalen Long (Rochester/Bishop Kearney) on a 10-yard scoring play, and Breaux sealed the victory with a 10-yard touchdown catch from Watts with 1:58 remaining.

Wilson finished with 97 yards and two scores rushing and was 17 for 33 for 193 yards passing. Clark had 81 yards on the ground on 10 carries and Long recorded his 3rd 100-yard game finishing with seven catches for 119 yards and a score.

Watts finished 19 for 26 for 264 yards and three scores. He also had 45 yards rushing on three carries. Grange carried the ball 20 times for 111 and two scores and Breaux had five catches for 111 yards and two scores.

Kyle Backert (Staten Island/Petrides) and Michael Zimmerman (Canandaigua) both had seven tackles for the Pioneers. Backert was also credited with a fumble recovery.

David Marino-Silver and Nichoaus Grimaldi led the Bulldogs with eight tackles each. Four different Dean defensive players intercepted passes while Dean also recovered a pair fumbles on special teams.

Dean out-gained Alfred State 454 to 398 and was a +5 in the turnover battle.

The Pioneers return home next Saturday to host Maritime in their Homecoming 2018 contest. Opening kickoff is slated for Noon.