NCAA Div. I: Marist third-quarter surge sinks Stetson

The Stetson University Hatters (1-4, 0-1) battled back to tie the Marist Red Foxes (3-2, 2-0) midway through the third quarter Saturday, but Marist responded with two touchdowns in less than nine minutes to pull away for a 28-14 Pioneer Football League victory at Spec Martin Memorial Stadium in DeLand, Florida.

The Red Foxes broke open a 14-14 game with a pair of third-quarter scores while their defense kept Stetson off the board the rest of the way.

Hatters strike first

Neither offense could get much going in the opening quarter, although Stetson thought it had broken the deadlock when Thomas von Grote connected with Landon Farco for a 52-yard touchdown. A holding penalty wiped out the score.

The Hatters got another opportunity late in the quarter when Jaxon Holloway forced a fumble and Kah’mari Hill recovered at the Marist 17.

Von Grote cashed in early in the second, finding Shawne Jones for a 10-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead.

The Red Foxes answered quickly. Sonny Mannino hit Lance Martinez for a 30-yard touchdown before Isaiah Simmons broke loose for a 44-yard scoring run, putting Marist ahead 14-7 with 9:31 remaining in the half.

Marist answers the challenge

Stetson came out firing after halftime.

Von Grote directed a 10-play, 75-yard drive and found Jones for an 11-yard touchdown on third-and-five, pulling the Hatters even at 14-14 with 9:32 left in the third quarter.

The tie lasted less than a minute.

Mannino connected with Reece Beauchamp for a 29-yard touchdown to restore the Marist lead. The Red Foxes then took advantage of a short field, with Simmons scoring his second touchdown on a one-yard run with 56 seconds remaining in the quarter.

Suddenly, a tie game had become a 28-14 Marist advantage.

Stetson’s passing game produces

The Hatters still had opportunities. Von Grote hit Wyatt Rogers for 36 yards to reach the Marist 16 early in the fourth quarter, but a 33-yard field-goal attempt missed.

Von Grote finished 32 of 49 for 273 yards and two touchdowns, while Stetson totaled 335 passing yards. Rogers caught nine passes for 103 yards, Farco had a season-high 10 receptions for 71 yards and Jones caught four passes for 32 yards and both touchdowns.

Brett Gonda also gave the Hatters a lift on special teams, averaging 46.7 yards on seven punts with three downed inside the 20.

But after Stetson had fought its way back into the game, Marist’s quick third-quarter response proved decisive.

The Hatters travel to St. Paul, Minnesota, Saturday to face the St. Thomas Tommies. Marist will return home for a non-league game against Columbia on Friday, Oct. 9.