MORRISVILLE, N.Y. – The Morrisville State College football program opened the 2014 season with a dominating 69-17 victory over visiting Alfred State College Saturday afternoon on Drake Field.

The win is the first for the Mustangs on opening day in nine seasons, last occurring when Morrisville State took to the field in 2005 against Utica College junior varsity.

Morrisville State more than doubled Alfred State in total offense, notching a total 672-yards to the visitors 292. More than 330 of that came in passing yards, as quarterback Lemar Johnson (Ossining, N.Y.) threw for 286 behind 15-of-21 completions and six touchdown scores, while freshman Phillip Tack (Newark, N.Y.) added a completion for 48 yards and a score.

Senior Josh Powell (Yonkers, N.Y.) led the receiving unit with five receptions for 143 yards and four touchdown scores, while junior Jordan Charbonneau (Corinth, N.Y.) registered 73 yards on five catches for one score.

Morrisville State outgained the Pioneers 338-yards to Alfred's 150 on the day, 102 coming from newcomer Darrel West (Syracuse, N.Y.) who busted through the offensive line for 102 yards and two touchdown scores. Kayzon Stovall (Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.) added 71 and a score, while Javon Moore (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Johnson combined for 107 from the quarterback positions.

Linebacker Colton Evans (West Winfield, N.Y.) led the Mustang defensive unit with a collegiate best 12 tackles, seven of them coming on solo stops, and adding a sack for a loss of eight yards. Caleb Wright (Cortland, N.Y.) added nine stops.

Ben Wilkerson (Buffalo, N.Y.) compiled 142 yards passing for the Pioneers, completing 12-of-23 attempts for a score, while suffering three sacks on the day, two at the hands of Mustang lineman Javion Bobb (Brooklyn, N.Y.).

Rasheed Williams (Swedesboro, N.J.) led all ball carriers with 155 yards on the ground, posting one touchdown tally on 30 attempts.

Erick Simmons (Elmira, N.Y.) registered three receptions for 44 yards and a score.

Cornerback Edward Harrell (Syracuse, N.Y.) led the defensive efforts for the Pioneers, posting nine total stops behind seven solo and two assisted tackles.

Early in the first quarter, Morrisville State took advantage of a botched snap on an Alfred State punt attempt and took over on downs on the Pioneer 10 yard line where three plays later Johnson found Anthony Gray (Smallwood, N.Y.) in the right corner for the score. Senior Zach Drake (Canastota, N.Y.) converted the point after for the early 7-0 Mustang lead. Drake completed 9-of-10 PAT's on the day.

Alfred State responded on the ensuing possession, capping off the nine play, 59 yard drive with a five yard run around the left corner to even the contest at seven after one quarter.

For the next three quarters, Morrisville State exploded offensively, posting 20+ points each quarter. Early in the second Stovall put the Mustangs ahead with three straight runs up the center of the field, including a five yard scoring dash for the 14-7 lead.

On the ensuing Mustang possession, Johnson hit Powell on a short screen before he juked the defense on the left side of the field and outran the secondary to the right side pylon in the endzone for the 48-yard passing score midway through the quarter, capping off the drive that began on the Morrisville State eight yard line.

Alfred was able to put points on the board with 1:23 to go before the halftime period, as Keegan Phalen (East Aurora, N.Y.) nailed a 39 yard field goal just inside the left upright.

With time running out, the Mustangs marched down the field, Powell had two steps on the safety and Johnson hit him for the 18-yard passing score and convincing 28-10 lead at the break.

The flood gates opened in the third quarter, as Morrisville State picked up where they left off, adding another scoring drive, seven plays later. Johnson found an open Charbonneau in the corner of the endzone to cap of the 79-yard drive minutes into the third quarter.

Wilkerson hit Simmons on a 15-yard scoring pass play to stop the Pioneer scoring drought, but the Mustangs struck quickly again, this time a 12 yard pass from Johnson to Powell to cap off the six play, 80-yard drive, with 5:52 to go in the third.

Morrisville State's defensive unit forced a quick three-and-out on the ensuing Alfred possession, in part due to a quarterback hurry by Evans, and set up the Mustang offensive unit at midfield where it took one play for them to strike again, a 51-yard passing score from Johnson to Powell, his fourth of the day.

The fourth quarter belonged to freshman running back, West, who scored two straight touchdowns, registering 72 of his total 102 net yards in the final quarter alone. One of his carries was a 67-yard run where he broke three tackles up the center of the field for the score, and 62-17 Mustang lead.

Morrisville State capped off the day's scoring midway through the quarter as Tack found a wide open Marcus Jackson-Conner (Sodus, N.Y.) for a 48-yard scoring screen down the right sideline.

The Mustangs return to the field next Saturday, traveling to Hartwick College for a 1p.m. start in Oneonta.

Morrisville State sets the world in motion for students. Curricula are enriched with applied learning and pave the way for opportunity at both the Morrisville and Norwich campuses. An action-oriented, interactive learning lab, the college is a national leader in technology. Lauded for its exemplary, innovative and effective community service programs, the college was named to the 2012 President's Higher Community Education Service Honor Roll. The college was recognized, by U.S. News and World Report, in its top tier Best Regional Colleges list and ranked second among regional colleges nationwide for outperforming its anticipated graduation rate. Visit www.morrisville.edu to experience, Morrisville in motion. 

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