4th Quarter Scores Lift Rochester Past Alfred St.

Rasheed Williams (Swedesboro, NJ) started the 4th quarter off with a 80-yard touchdown run to give Alfred State a 21-20 lead but the University of Rochester put together two scoring drives in the final quarter that lifted them to a 35-21 victory.

After Williams gave the Pioneers the 21-20 lead, Rochester marched down the field on a nine-play, 82-yard drive capped by a Farid Adenuga 28-yard touchdown catch from Jordan Golinowski to give the Yellowjackets back the lead with 11:00 minutes remaining in the game. A two-point conversion pass from Golinowski to Kyle Allegrini made it 28-21.

After a Yellowjacket defensive stop and a poor punt, Myles Allen dove in from two-yards out to add an insurance score and cap a seven-play 46-yard drive.

Both teams put together scoring drives in the 1st half. Rochester took the early lead when they took their opening possession 80 yards for a score. Shane Saucier capped the drive with a 16-yard run. The Pioneers tied the game with 12:14 remaining in the 2nd when they took advantage of the Yellowjakets second fumbled punt return. Williams ran around corner from 10-yards out to cap a short 20-yard drive.

The game went into half knotted at 7-7 but Rochester took back the lead with two scoring drives in their first two possessions of the 3rd quarter. Daniel Bronson threw a 11-yard touchdown pass to Allegrini at 9:24 and Nick Perpignan dove in from one-yard out to make it 20-7 (PAT was missed).

Ben Wilkerson (Buffalo/Fayette-Ware) connected with Erik Simmons (Elmira Free) on a 21-yard scoring strike with 1:14 remaining to make it 20-14. 

After a defensive stand, Williams busted through the Rochester defense on the drives first play and went 80-yards to give the Pioneers their only lead of the game.

Williams finished the day with his second straight 100-yard rushing performance. He rushed for 130 yards and two scores on 20 carries. He also caught six passes for 42 yards. Wilkerson finished 19 for 34 for 204 yards and a score. Simmons and Jason Gordon (Uniondale) each had 40 yards receiving on the day.

Golinowski was 18 for 25 for 188 yards and a score on the day while Perpignan rushed for 91 yards on 20 carries. Adenuga led the receivers with three catches for 53 yards.

Justin Rose (Ellenville) led the defense with 12 tackles and a sack. Marlon Hernandez (Evander Childs) added 11 tackles, Nick DePofi (Union Endicott) had 10 tackles, and Keegan Phalen (East Aurora) finished with eight. Danny Napolionello (Valley Stream) intercepted a pass to go along with five taclkes.

RJ Borgolini led Rochester with 10 tackles. Colin Woods, Isaiah Smith, and Matthew Pisano all recoreded sacks on the day.

Rochester was 8 for 14 on 3rd down conversions and held a 28 to 15 advantage on first downs. The Pioneers were slowed down by ten penalties (95 yards).

Alfred State (0-2) heads to Husson University (Bangor, ME) for a Noon kickoff.