The champions of the ECFC, the Husson Eagles, saw their seven game win streak and season both end on Saturday afternoon with a 38-14 loss to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute at East Campus Stadium in Troy, New York in the opening round of the NCAA Div III playoffs.
Trailing 7-0, Husson (8-3) had tied the game with eight minutes left in the second quarter when Cory Brandon hit Kyle Audet for a 35 yard touchdown to make it 7-7. The Eagles however would allow a 34 yard touchdown from George Marinopoulus to Nick Smith on the last play of the second quarter to make it 14-7 Engineers. RPI (9-1) got an early third quarter field goal and a late third quarter Marinopoulus to Connor Davies 16 yard touchdown to extend the lead to 24-7. Quan Soyini had a fourth quarter 82 yard punt return for a score for the Eagles, before the hosts added two more scores late to pull away.
Brandon finished 30-44 passing, 288 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. Keyshaun Robinson Robinson caught nine passes for 109 yards, while Gaudet also caught nine for 93 yards. Miece Loureiro led a slowed Eagles run game with 14 rushes for 49 yards. Elvin Suazo had 14 total tackles, and Zach Connolly had 10 for the Husson defense.
The Engineers, champions of the Liberty League, got 273 yards passing from Marinopoulus with three touchdowns. Nick Cella ran for 123 yards, and Keaton Ackermann made six catches for 150 yards. RPI will face the College of Brockport next Saturday in a second round game. The Husson Eagles will begin play in the Commonwealth Coast Conference beginning in the fall of 2019.
