Last Second Field-Goal Lifts Crusaders to 20-18 Win
(Selinsgrove, Pa.) – The Dickinson College football team suffered a heartbreaking loss at Susquehanna on Saturday, falling 20-18 on a field-goal with no time remaining on the clock. Spenser Hotaling played the hero's role for the second straight week, this time converting a 19 yard field-goal as time expired to give the Crusaders a homecoming victory.
The Devils held Susquehanna on its first two drives before the Crusaders capitalized on an interception for the first score of the game. Following an interception return to their own 39 yard line, the Crusaders used a nine play, 61 yard drive to take a 7-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Senior David London (Chevy Chase, Md./Maret School) answered with a 26 yard field-goal to make the score, 7-3, with 13:35 remaining in the first quarter. London sent the kick-off into the end zone for a touchback, but the Crusaders marched 80 yards on 13 plays to stretch the lead to 14-3 on a nine yard touchdown run by Greg Tellish.
The Devils wasted little time on their next possession as a big kick-off return from sophomore Mike Capone (Dupont, Pa./Pittston Area) led to a 45 yard touchdown pass from Todd Smolinsky (Lansdale, Pa./North Penn) to Tyler Rosa' (Carmel, Calif./Stevenson School) with 4:22 remaining in the first half. The point after failed to make the score, 14-9, at halftime.
Smolinsky connected with senior Cam Di Fede (Miami, Fla./Palmer Trinity ) for a seven yard touchdown pass to put the Devils in front, 15-14, with 8:01 remaining in the third quarter. The Devils went for two but were stopped to keep Susquehanna within a point.
The teams traded 33 yard field-goals as Hotaling gave the hosts a 17-15 lead with 14:05 remaining in the game. The Devils used almost seven minutes of clock before London split the uprights from 33 yards to put Dickinson back in front, 18-17, with 7:26 left to play.
Susquehanna would end up with the last possession, and made the most of it, running the clock all the way down to four seconds after they drove to the Dickinson two yard line. Hotaling would put the finishing touches on homecoming with a 19 yard field-goal as time expired to give Susquehanna the win, 20-18.
Smolinsky finished the day passing for 126 yards and two touchdowns, completing 8-of-12 attempts. Rosa' led the receiving corps with his 45 yard touchdown catch.
Senior Mike Shimkin (Solebury, Pa./Princeton Day School) rushed for 68 yards while Capone finished with 35 yards on eight carries.
Senior Julian Rosen (Breckville, Ohio/University School) led the defense with a game-high 12 tackles, including 2.5-for-losses. Scott Sullivan (Coatesville, Pa./Bishop Shanahan) and Robert Spriggs (Lanham, Md./Bullis) each recorded eight stops on the afternoon.
The Red Devils slip to 1-2 overall and 1-1 in the Centennial Conference. They return to Carlisle for homecoming weekend, hosting Moravian College at 1:00 pm next Saturday.
