Harris has big day, Bulldogs fall

BULLDOGS FALL TO 0-5 DESPITE HARRIS'S BIG DAY

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – Junior wide receiver Jordan Harris (Lincoln University, Pa.) caught nine passes for 201 yards but the Bryant University football team couldn't catch Wagner in the second half, falling 31-21 on Saturday afternoon at Hameline Field at Wagner College Stadium.

The Bulldogs (0-5, 0-3 NEC) have dropped five-straight games in a season for just the second time in program history and fall to 3-2 all-time against the Seahawk (2-3, 2-1 NEC).

Tied 7-7 at the half, the Seahawks outscored the Bulldogs 24-14 in the second half. Trailing 14-10, Wagner turned an interception into seven points to take the lead and after forcing a three-and-out, made it a 10-point game with a 70-yard touchdown reception.

Bryant rallied to within three on its very next drive, going 69 yards in nine plays. Westerhaus completed a pair of passes to Harris and senior running back Jordan Brown (Glastonbury, Conn.) capped the drive with a one-yard touchdown run with 11:33 left in the fourth quarter. The rushing touchdown was the 37th of his career, pushing him past Lorenzo Perry for first all-time.

The Bulldogs then had a chance to retake the lead thanks to a great play from their special teams unit. The Black and Gold defense held on Wagner's next possession, forcing a 52-yard field goal attempt with just over six minutes to play. Rushing in from the outside, junior cornerback Jeremy Woodson (Houston, Texas) dove and blocked the attempt to give Bryant the ball at its own 39. Wagner, however, held the Bulldogs to a three-and-out, sacking Mike Westerhaus (Farmingville, N.Y.) on a third-and-two. The Seahawks scored five plays later to put the game away, 31-21.

Harris's first touchdown reception, a 38-yard strike from Westerhaus, gave the Black and Gold a 7-0 lead in the second quarter. The Bulldogs were able to get the ball thanks to a big tackle from Karl Sery (Waltham, Mass.) and Dujuan Heath (Brooklyn, N.Y.) on third-and-six. Nick Doscher scampered but the two Bulldogs stopped him a yard short of a first down. Bryant kept the drive moving twice on third down as Ricardo McCray (Middletown, R.I.) picked up a hard-fought yard and Westerhaus hit Matt Roncaioli (Southington, Conn.) for 18 yards on third-and-seven. The Bulldogs didn't convert on their third attempt but they went for it on fourth-and-six and Westerhaus lofted a perfect pass down the sideline that Harris ran onto for the touchdown.

His second touchdown reception, a 54-yard reception, put the Bulldogs up 14-10 in the third quarter just moments after Wagner had taken the lead. Brown returned the kickoff 45 yards to the Wagner 46 and Westerhaus hit Harris in stride on the very next play and Harris exploded down the sideline for six. Harris becomes just the second play in program history to record a 200-yard receiving game, the other person being himself last season against Albany when he caught 10 passes for 224 yards. He now has five touchdown receptions on the season and 16 in his career, good enough for second all-time.

After the Harris score, it appeared the Bulldogs had grabbed all the momentum as Connor McNamara (Sandy Hook, Conn.) and Aaron Dixon (Danbury, Conn.) sacked Doscher and forced the Seahawks to punt. Bryant's ensuing drive looked promising as Westerhaus tucked the ball and gained seven yards to convert on third down and put the ball in Wagner territory. Two players later, though, Westerhaus's pass to the sideline was intercepted and returned to the 50. 

The turnover gave the Seahawks new life as they drove the 50 yards in six plays to retake the lead. The biggest play on the drive was a Doscher pass to Bryant Watts on third-and-nine that covered 30 yards and put the Seahawks inside the Bryant 20. Three plays later, Doscher hit Watts in the corner of the endzone to make it 17-14. 

Wagner kept the momentum going as it forced a three-and-out and scored again in just three plays. Facing a third-and-five Doscher lofted a pass down the sideline to a wide open Anthony Carrington that resulted in a 70-yard touchdown and a 24-14 lead. 

Brown added 119 yards on 24 carries and Westerhaus finished with 240 yards through the air. Senior Colin Sullivan (Swansea, Mass.) led the defense with 11 tackles and sophomore Jeff Covitz (Reading, Mass.) added a pair of sacks.

The Bulldogs return to Bulldog Stadium next Saturday, Oct. 6, when they face Albany. The game will be broadcast live on Fox College Sports, ESPN3, Cox (RI) and Time Warner (Albany). Kickoff is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.