BUFFALO, N.Y. -- All three phases of the game into (big) play for Caldwell University sprint football in a 29-19 Collegiate Sprint Football League (CSFL) victory at D'Youville on Saturday at Clint Small Stadium. Junior receiver/quarterback/punter
Josh Smith (Parsippany, N.J.) passed for the go-ahead touchdown and scored another, and freshman defensive lineman
Christian Brewton (Dumont, N.J.) took an interception 51 yards for a fourth-quarter clinching score, highlighting the day for the Cougars (1-1).
Things looked promising for Caldwell early, as the visitors parlayed TD passes from sophomore QB
Cael Zebrowski (Verona, N.J.) of two yards to sophomore receiver
Joey Ciccotelli (Denville, N.J.) and six yards to Smith for a 14-0 lead.
But the Saints (0-2), competing in their first CSFL season, proved feisty. A two-yard scamper by Christopher Young with four seconds left in the half pulled DYU to within 14-6, and a third quarter TD made it 14-12 before the Caldwell special teams made its impact. Sophomore linebacker
Hector Lopez III (East Hanover, N.J.) intercepted the ensuing two-point conversion pass, returning it 97 yards for the rare defensive PAT and a 16-12 Caldwell edge.
Undeterred, the Saints took the lead for the first time at 22-19 early in the fourth. But CU responded right away with an eight-play, 68 yard drive over the next 4:13, with Smith behind center, capped by Smith's pass to senior receiver
Emanuel Laluz (Lyndhurst, N.J.) for a 25-22 lead.
After an exchange of punts, DYU took over at its own 23 with 7:14 left trying to regain the lead. But its bid was snuffed when on 2nd and 10 from its own 47, Brewton stepped in front of a Cooper Bange pass and brought it back 51 yards for what would prove to be the clincher as the CU defense kept DYU from another first down on its final two possessions.
Zebrowski completed 13 of 24 passes for 128 yards, the two TDs and one interception. Smith went 5-for-9 for 63 yards and a TD and soph
Anthony Torres (Belleville, N.J.) also had success on a few snaps at QB, connecting on 3 of 5 passes for 36 yards.
Ciccotelli grabbed six throws for 78 yards, Smith collected seven catches for 57, senior WR
Arjun Petgrave (Cranford, N.J.) accumulated 57 yards on two receptions, and senior WR
Darius Harrison (Plainfield, N.J.) pulled in five for 30 yards.
Defensively, Lopez had nine tackles, including 2 1/2 for loss and a sack, while freshman DL
Sebastian Reyes (Rutherford, N.J.) had eight stops and junior LB
Dean Fiore (Woodbridge, N.J.) made seven stops and a pass break up and returned an interception for 32 yards.
Caldwell makes its home season debut on Friday when it hosts Mansfield at James Caldwell H.S. at 7 p.m.
Â
