Nov. 10, 2007
Final Stats
STONY BROOK, N.Y. (AP) -- Senior Josh Dudash (Beachwood, N.J.) threw for 233 yards and three scores and junior Brandon Mason (Phillipsburg, N.J.) ran for a career-high 138 yards and two more scores as Stony Brook took a 34-7 non-conference football win over Central Connecticut State in the final home game of the 2007 season for the Seawolves. The Stony Brook defense did its job as well, holding an offense that had averaged 288 yards rushing to just 82 in the victory.
"We had two weeks to prepare for this game," said head coach Chuck Priore. "Certainly the game plan put together by our coaching staff and our players execution reflected that. They made some costly turnovers early and we took advantage of them. We needed to stop their run and run it ourselves and we did both."
Stony Brook began quickly, taking the opening kickoff 68 yards in 12 plays, scoring on an eight-yard toss from Dudash to Mason. The extra point was missed, however, and on Central Connecticut's second possession of the game it took what turned out to be its only lead of the day when Jo Jo Freeman's one-yard plunge put the Blue Devils up 7-6.
Momentum swung back to Stony Brook in the second quarter when the Seawolves blocked a punt and recovered a fumble to set up a pair of scores in less than a minute. Midway through the second the SBU defense forced a three and out and on the ensuing punt the rush up the middle broke through and junior John Smith (Yonkers, N.Y.) blocked the kick, which he recovered on the CCSU 28. Three plays later Dudash hit senior Kevin Halonski (Budd Lake, N.J.) for a 25-yard gain before Mason finished off the drive with a two-yard run to put Stony Brook back on top.
On the kickoff Central Connecticut's Josue Paul fumbled and the Seawolves recovered at the 10-yard line. Mason then took care of the rest, covering the distance in two plays that put Stony Brook up 20-7.
In the second half the Stony Brook defense completely shutdown the CCSU attack, limiting the Blue Devils to 84 yards (31 on the ground) and four first downs. The Seawolves went to the passing game in the final 30 minutes to ice the game, getting scoring passes from Dudash in each quarter. In the third he hit junior Dwayne Eley (Bowie, Md.) with a 37-yard scoring toss and closed out the scoring early in the fourth when he found junior Lynell Suggs (Bronx, N.Y.) for a 24-yard scoring play.
Stony Brook finished with 398 yards of offense, including Eley's second 100-yard receiving game of the season, a six-catch, 111-yard outing. On defense seniors Adam Cooper (San Diego, Calif.) and Milo Otis (Los Angeles, Calif.) each made nine stops.
With the victory Stony Brook clinched its fourth winning season in the last six years. The win also gave the Seawolves and undefeated home season (5-0), its first since 2002.
