Marist defeated Division II Franklin Pierce in their home opener on Friday night, 27-18. Graduate student and captain quarterback Sonny Mannino led the way for the Red Foxes, throwing for 203 yards and a touchdown in the victory with an additional 110 yards on the ground and two rushing touchdowns.
Franklin Pierce churned down the field on the very first drive of the game, but as the Ravens lined up for third and short from said 10-yard line, a botched handoff led to a fumble. Marist’s defense swarmed the ball, and senior linebacker Kade Werner came out of the pile with the pigskin in his hands.
Marist took over on downs deep in their own territory, and the Red Foxes’ run game clicked from the get-go, highlighted by Mannino. The quarterback took a shotgun snap, waiting for his guard to pull and burst through a lane. He took the carry 45 yards into the end zone for Marist’s first score of the night.
Glorious field position only resulted in a field goal due to the Red Foxes’ red zone defense that stopped the Ravens thrice in six tries.
Mannino came out firing on the next drive, capping it off on fourth and goal. He faked a handoff and sold it beautifully, leaving the Ravens’ defensive line committed to the run; senior quarterback Marco Lainez III snuck out of the backfield and found himself in the back of the end zone. Mannino fired it there quickly and gave Marist a 13-3 lead with 4:50 remaining in the first half.
“[Lainez III] is someone who can contribute as a receiver and a ball-carrier,” said head coach Mike Willis. “He had shown in camp that he has some of the best hands on the team. He stays composed at all times, and he is a ferocious, violent blocker.”
Lainez III, a new addition to the Red Foxes roster, previously played quarterback at Iowa and Elon but is playing tight end in Poughkeepsie.
With under two minutes left in the second quarter and no timeouts, the Red Foxes needed to move the ball quickly and get out of bounds. They started off doing exactly that, but as Mannino was pressured by an incoming defensive back, he heaved a ball towards the sideline that junior defensive back Damir Stone snagged for the interception.
After senior quarterback Kevin Leal entered the game for a stint, junior quarterback Shawn Brown came back and helped Franklin Pierce net a field goal with time expiring in the first half to cut the deficit to 13-6 heading into the break.
Mannino and the Red Foxes came out firing in the third quarter. Senior running back Lincoln Cardillo capped off the impressive, quick-paced drive with a touchdown run to put Marist up by 14.
“I thought Sonny did a really good job coming out of the half,” said Willis. “A lot of good things started to happen because our entire team cleaned up our fundamentals. The resurgence was really impressive to me.”
On the ensuing drive, Mannino threw his second interception of the night. He attempted to fire across his body for Lainez III, resulting in a tipped pass that was bobbled and ultimately intercepted by sophomore cornerback Damon Smith.
The ensuing Marist drive ended with a punt, but not an ordinary one. A high snap soared over junior punter Ethan Yuska’s head. He then kicked the ball out of the back of the end zone, which initially resulted in a safety. However, kicking a ball on purpose, if it is not a field goal or punt, is a penalty; therefore, Franklin Pierce opted to decline the penalty, wiping the safety off the board and setting the Ravens offense up inside the 10-yard line.
The Marist defense stood tall, though, forcing a turnover on downs after four straight incompletions in another pivotal red zone stop. The score remained 20-6 with 12 minutes remaining in the game.
Franklin Pierce dialed up a deep route on their next drive, and it succeeded. The Marist pass-rush struggled to get pressure all night, evident on the 28-yard touchdown to junior wide receiver Raj Hillhouse. A blocked extra point kept the score at 20-12.
Mannino continued to make his mark on the next possession, completing three straight eight-plus-yard passes to start the drive. He then broke four tackles on his way to a 26-yard touchdown run. Marist led 27-12 with six minutes left.
A defensive pass interference penalty on sophomore safety Jace Williamson led to the Ravens setting up shop at the Marist four-yard line, where Hillhouse snagged his second touchdown of the game and kept Franklin Pierce in reach barring the two-point conversion.
The two-point attempt failed; Marist recovered an onside kick and then began their chew-clock game plan. Chewing the clock relies on running the ball, specifically in between the numbers, as stepping out of bounds stops the clock.
Cardillo took two straight runs to set up a third-and-short, where Mannino found Lainez III on a play-action fake. The two-minute warning hit, and Marist ran out the rest of the clock, solidifying their 27-18 win.
Franklin Pierce starts its season with a loss, but they have plenty to look forward to, especially if the QB tandem of Leal and Brown can continue their positive play. The Ravens will face Saint Anselm College in two weeks.
Marist’s second-straight home-opening win brings their record to 1-1 on the season. The Red Foxes will travel next Saturday to face the Lafayette Leopards in Pennsylvania. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:30 p.m.
Edited by Mike Duda
Graphic and photo by Jaylen Rizzo
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