Neck and neck in the first quarter, Marist football failed to keep pace with the Presbyterian Blue Hose, losing in their senior game season finale at Tenney Stadium 42-23.
“We, as coaches and players, weren’t able to be consistent enough in four-quarter football games,” said new Marist head coach Mike Willis. “I’m disappointed for our seniors about honoring them today, and then tomorrow morning, I’ll wake up and we’ll turn the page to make this place as great as it can be.”
With the loss, Willis ends his inaugural season with a 1-10 record overall and a 1-6 record in the Pioneer League, second to last in the division and one spot ahead of Stetson, who they beat the week prior.
This is the first one-win season for the Marist football program since 1978.
“[I’m] just grateful for the way the seniors worked to build the foundation on concrete,” said Willis. “In my own football career, I experienced a few similar seasons to this early on, and the contributions guys make during that time really does echo through.”
Presbyterian’s passing game marched up and down the field today. Standout redshirt freshman Collin Hurst–a member of the 2024 watchlist for the Jerry Rice award–slung 269 passing yards with three touchdowns on 21-for-27 completions. The Marist defensive backs could only watch as Hurst brought his receivers to life, including senior receiver Cincere Gill, who had four catches for 161 yards and two touchdown receptions.
Willis complemented Hurst’s performance after starting the year as a backup for the Blue Hose.
“He’s well coached. He plays well, he’s confident, he’s decisive,” said Willis. “He’s really fast, he has terrific speed when he breaks contain, and that made us pay on the field a few times.”
After a flag on Presbyterian’s first offensive play, the Blue Hose opted for trickery to kickstart their offense. Lead receiver, junior Dominic Kibby, launched a ball as part of a double pass to the defense’s surprise to Gill for a 79-yard touchdown, making a statement and alluding to the powerful offense yet to come.
Marist’s regular weekly standout–redshirt sophomore quarterback Sonny Mannino–started his campaign with a long touchdown of his own. He threw a ball to redshirt freshman tight end Jackson Connors-McCarthy, who snagged the ball with his left hand and chugged down the middle of the field, breaking a tackle for a 62-yard score and the equalizer.
After completing his first five passes and leading two touchdown drives in the first quarter, the Red Fox offense fell apart. Failing to establish a rushing game past Mannino (running backs combined for 40 yards before a late 60-yard touchdown in garbage time), Marist couldn’t match the receiving game of the Blue Hose.
In an attempt to spark the offense in the second quarter, Willis as today’s offensive coordinator dialed up a flea-flicker for runningback redshirt junior Carter James. Despite two men on intended receiver Will Downs, James threw the ball for an easy interception for senior defensive back Brooks Russ-Martin.
Three plays later, Hurst found Gill again, for the score as the wide receiver used his shifty legs for a 51-yard touchdown giving the Blue Hose a 21-13 lead.
Only scoring a field goal in the second quarter–a 43-yard career-high kick for freshman Connor Mendini; the only field goal he’s made in conference play–Hurst continued to punish the Red Fox defense. He found junior tight end Nathan Levecki late in the quarter for a 17-yard score, then again in the third for a 36-yard score for the Blue Hose’s third-straight touchdown drive.
After four straight drives without a score (three punts and a turnover on downs), Mannino threw an interception to senior defensive back Bradley Russ-Martin. As the Russ-Martin twin brothers halted the Red Fox offense, the Blue Hose offense only punted twice in the second half and took complete control.
Substitutions for the Red Foxes came within the two-minute warning, including redshirt junior quarterback Logan Brabham. Despite a 26-point deficit, graduate student running back Triston Shannon rushed for a 60-yard touchdown at the end of the game, leaving his Marist football career on a house call.
The touchdown was the longest run of the year for any Red Fox, and put Shannon over the 1,000-yard mark for all-purpose yards on the season.
“I’ve been growing my relationship with God. I’ve been growing as a person,” said Shannon. “[I] feel like that just encapsulates everything I’ve been working for.”
The loss marks the fourth straight season the Red Foxes have lost on their season finale, their last win in 2019. They have not won a senior game since 2017.
The last time the Red Foxes had a winning record was in 2013, the year former head coach Jim Parady led the Red Foxes to a PFL championship.
Willis believes he’s set up a good foundation for his follow-up season.
“We have to continue to fine-tune our processes to create better outcomes, because over time, we, of course, want to win football games,” said Willis. “I’m grateful for the cultural foundation that was laid and it’s time to build.”
Edited by: Aidan Lavin
Graphic: Jaylen Rizzo
Photo Credit: Kira Crutcher