Oct. 7, 2000

Box Score

STATEN ISLAND, NY -- - Wagner's Aaron Smith connected on 20-of-26 passes for 282 yards and three touchdowns in leading Wagner (3-2, 3-0 NEC) to a 35-9 victory over Stony Brook (2-3, 1-3 NEC) Saturday afternoon at Wagner. The Seahawks have now won all seven meetings between the two teams.

Stony Brook's Michael Soto hit a 32-yard field goal in the first quarter, capping off an 11-play, 53-yard drive and more importantly closed the Seahawks lead to 6-3. The Seawolves defense kept the Seahawks off the board through most of the second quarter until the Seawolves suffered a special teams lapse. Soto punted to Wagner's Ryan Castellani with 3:41 to go in the half. Castellani took the punt 72 yards for a touchdown to give the Seahawks a 13-3 lead at the half.

Stony Brook's defense - which came up big on several occasions - stopped the Seawhawks on a fourth-and-goal from the Stony Brook one-yard line and the Seawolves offense took over on downs. On the Seawolves very first play, freshman quarterback David Rodriguez was sacked in his own endzone for a safety, giving the Seahawks a 15-3 lead and the ball with 7:09 remaining in the third quarter.

Wagner capitalized as Chris Davis capped off a three-play, 42-yard drive with an eight-yard rushing score, highlighted by a long return of the kickoff. Steve Cross' extra-point failed for the second time in the game and Wagner led, 21-3.

On their next possession, Wagner was at it again, getting a huge play from its junior quarterback, who hit Jason Bain on a 33-yard scoring strike that put the game out of reach for Stony Brook at 28-3 with :21 remaining in the third quarter. Bain caught nine passes for 142 yards on the day. Chuck Kinsley caught three passes for 91 yards for the Seahawks and also had a touchdown.

Rodriguez gave the Seawolves their first touchdown of the day with 13:38 remaining in the game - hitting Chris McGovern from 33 yards out. The score closed the gap to 28-9 as the two-point conversion failed. McGovern collected 54 yards on four receptions to lead the Seawolves.

Wagner's Daryn Plummer finished the scoring with a one-yard reception from Smith, highlighting an eight-play, 65-yard drive that chewed up 5:02 on the clock.

The Seawolves outgained the Seahawks, 219-103, on the ground but fumbled three times, losing two of them. Wagner also picked off two Stony Brook passes and did not commit a turnover on the afternoon.

Rodriguez led the Seawolves on offense with 86 yards through the air on 7-of-13 passing and also had 55 yards on 17 carries. Defensively, John Phelan had nine tackles and Eric Martinez had six tackles and two sacks.

The Seawolves host Sacred Heart next Saturday at 12:30 as part of Homecoming Weekend.