At a glance
The Alfred State College football team struggled on offense and fell 31-7 to ASA Institute on Friday night. ASA, ranked #20 in the lastest NJCAA poll, improves to 4-1 (3-0 NFC) on the season while the Pioneers are 3-2 (0-2 NFC).
The Alfred State College football team struggled on offense and fell 31-7 to ASA Institute on Friday night. ASA, ranked #20 in the lastest NJCAA poll, improves to 4-1 (3-0 NFC) on the season while the Pioneers are 3-2 (0-2 NFC).
ASA got on the board first with 4:30 remaining in the 1st quarter on a 42-yard pass from Chris Johnson to Gerald Silvera.
The Pioneers scored their lone touchdown of the day with 4:39 remaining on a Dejon Young (Erie, PA/McDowell) two-run plunge to cap a 14-play 65-yard drive. Josh Franchina's (Cassadaga Valley) extra point tied the game up at 7-7.
The Avengers answered right back 1:09 later with the game winning touchdown, a 21-yard pass from Johnson to Malcolm Eugene.
The Pioneers had two scoring opportunities fueled by great kickoff returns by Josh Griffin (Englewood, NJ) end without points as field goal attempts sailed just wide (45 yards and 38 yards).
ASA put the game out of reach in the 3rd quarter when Moquan Dickens rushed in from 4-yards out to cap a drive fueled by a controversial roughing the punter call.
Fidel Cooper added another score three minutes later to make it 28-7 and Kevin Hartley connected on a 31-yard field goal with 7:55 remaining to cap the scoring.
ASC was held to 73 total yards by the ASA offense (28 rushing and 45 passing). ASC accumulated 416 yards (283 passing and 133 rushing).
Xavier Makell (Baltimore, MD/Forest Park) carried the ball 16 times for 40 yards while Devin Simmons (Elmira Free) caught two passes for 22 yards. Griffin finished the day with 190 yards on six kickoff returns including a 71 return in the 2nd quarter.
Johnson finished 22 for 38 for 283 and rushed for 42 yards on six carries. Eugene caught three passes for 68 yards while Brandon Brown caught six passes for 67 yards.
Brett Harrington (Rochester/Edison) led the Pioneer defense with 10 tackles and an interception. Maurice Gibbs (Buffalo/McKinley) chipped in eight tackles while Nick DePofi (Union Endicott), Chadd Parker (Erie, PA/Fort Leboeuf), and Damion King Jr. (Detroit, MI/Madison Heights) all finished with seven tackles. Markese Pullium (Erie, PA/Strong Vincent) picked off two passes and chipped in six tackles.
Gilbert Pena and Joseph Blanks led the Avengers with eight tackles each while Keith Watson had a monster game with seven tackles (six for a loss and two sacks) and an interception.
The Pioneers have 15 days off until they host Hudson Valley CC in another NFC contest. Kickoff at Pioneer Stadium is at Noon.