Late field goal knocks off Bulldogs on Halloween

WORCESTER, Mass. – Connor Fitzgerald hit a 31-yard field goal with just 13 seconds left to lift Holy Cross to a 34-33 victory over the Bryant University football team on Saturday afternoon at Fitton Field.

Saturday's Halloween game featured a ghastly start and an exciting finish for the two local rivals that are separated by 30 miles on Route 146. In the end, the Crusaders (4-4) were able to even the all-time series with the Bulldogs (4-4) at a game apiece.

Trailing by two, Holy Cross got the ball at its own 47 with 1:07 to go. Two completions and a six-yard run by HC QB Peter Pujals put the ball to the Bryant 37. The Crusaders then completed a pass to the Bryant 29 but the Bulldogs were whistled for a personal foul, moving the ball to the 14. Two plays later, Fitzgerald sent home his game-winning field goal.

The way the game started, it appeared Bryant would run away with a victory in its final non-conference game. Holy Cross's Kalif Raymond fumbled the opening kickoff and Bryant recovered the Holy Cross 14. The Black and Gold, however, threw an interception on the second play to give the ball back.

Bryant then forced a quick three-and-out and blocked the Crusader punt to get the ball back at the 19. Four plays later, the Crusaders picked off the Bulldogs again. Another three-and-out followed for Holy Cross but the Bulldogs turned the ball over again, fumbling at their own 36.

Holy Cross took advantage of the turnover, scoring in just three plays on a three-yard TD run by Brendan Flaherty.

The Bulldogs were able to respond on their next possession, driving 79 yards in 12 plays. A two-yard run by Patrick Kenney (Camarillo, Calif.) on a fake punt kept the drive alive and a personal foul on the Crusaders pushed the ball to the HC 23. Bryant picked up a first down to the 13 and Dalton Easton (Miami, Fla.) capped the drive with a 13-yard strike to John Lavin (Falmouth, Mass.). The extra point attempt was blocked, however, and would come back to haunt the Black and Gold.

The Crusaders then scored the next 14 points as Raymond returned the ensuing kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown. Then, after Bryant failed on a field goal attempt, the Crusaders drove 65 yards in 10 plays to make it 21-6. Pujals connected with Flaherty in the back right of the endzone for a 15-yard TD to cap the drive.

Bryant then drove 82 yards in 10 plays to get back into the game. A personal foul on Holy Cross kick started the drive before Easton connected with Chad Ward (Delray Beach, Fla.) for gains of 28 and 25 on back-to-back plays. Then, on 4th-and-4 from the HC 5, Easton fired a bullet into the diving arms of Taylor Barthelette (East Longmeadow, Mass.) for a touchdown.

A 41-yard field goal from Fitzgerald made it 24-13 Holy Cross but Bryant was able to score before the half was over. Easton hit Barthelette for 21 yards on third down and Ricardo McCray (Middletown, R.I.) gained 29 yards to move the ball to the HC 21. On the very next play, Easton hit Matt Sewall (Portsmouth, R.I.) over the middle and the sophomore wideout raced into the left corner of the endzone to make it 24-20.

With momentum on its side, Bryant came flying out of the gates in the second half. After forcing a three-and-out, Bryant used big plays from McCray and Ward to take its first lead. McCray rushed for 25 yards to the HC 36 and then Easton hit a wide-open Ward for a 36-yard TD to make it 26-24. Bryant missed the PAT again, however, to leave the game at two.

Bryant's defense then extended the lead on the next Holy Cross possession. Four plays into the drive, junior Charles Wingate (Englewood, N.J.) jumped a screen pass and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown to make it 33-24.

Four plays after that, senior Brandon Dagnesses (Miami, Fla.) picked off his third pass of the year to give Bryant the ball at the HC 44. A 13-yard completion to Sewall put the ball at the Holy Cross 4 but on second-and-goal, the Bulldogs were called for a personal foul. Two plays after that, Ricky Perez (Miami, Fla.) missed a 35-yard field goal attempt.

Bryant's defense was able to force another turnover in the fourth quarter but the Holy Cross defense stood tall. The Crusaders then drove 91 yards in 10 plays to pull within two points. The drive was extended due to three penalties against the Bulldogs' secondary and Pujals finished the drive with an 11-yard completion to Raymond.

The Bulldogs finished the game 437 yards of offense, while the Crusaders posted 399 yards. McCray matched his season high with 175 yards on a career-high 29 carries and Easton completed 21-of-39 passes for 270 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. Ward finished with six catches for 125 yards.

Defensively, Kenney posted 10 tackles and Marquise Watson (Hillside, N.J.) added nine more. As a team the Bulldogs were able to force four Holy Cross turnovers on the day.

Bryant returns to Northeast Conference play next weekend when it visits Wagner. The game will air on ESPN3 and kickoff is scheduled for 12:04 p.m.