BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- Moravian College continues its look back at the 2015-16 athletic campaign with the No. 4 highlight in the Top 10 Exciting Games – the football team's win at Dickinson College as junior running back Chris Negron tied the school record with six touchdowns in the victory.
The Greyhounds, who are on the countdown for the second time after having the number seven game on the Top 10 list, jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead and would defeat the Red Devils, 55-38. The victory started a six-game winning streak as Moravian posted an 8-3 overall record and played in the inaugural Centennial Conference-Middle Atlantic Conference Bowl Series.
The Greyhounds' 55 points were the most scored by the program since a 59-7 win at Upsala College on November 9, 1985. Moravian also had 509 yards of offense on 78 plays in the game including 293 yards on the ground. The Hounds' offensive line included seniors Max Neis and Daniel Smith, junior Bradley Straight and freshmen Joseph Pellegrino and Shane Fisher, who was making his first career start.
Negron finished with 221 yards, the fourth 200-yard game of his career, on 34 carries, and his 36 points off of six rushing touchdowns tied for second most in a single game with James McConologue, who had six touchdowns at Hartwick College in 1939, the last player to score six times in a game, and Charles Mazza, who was the first to score six touchdowns in a single contest in 1936 at Juniata College. James Fritchman is the other player to score six times in a single game, and he added a two-point conversion for 38 points at CCNY in 1938.
"I personally recruited Chris out of high school," stated Head Coach Jeff Pukszyn. "Back at Freedom, you could tell this was a kid who wanted to win and had all the characteristics of being player who was flat out going to outwork his competition. Gaining 221 yards and scoring six touchdowns happens during the offseason. What I mean by that is, Chris's production is due to his work ethic in the weight room. Chris has built himself in to an every down back that can carry the ball 30 plus times a game. That being said, everyone on offense that day helped Chris get those stats, and I know he would be the first to say that too."
The Hounds needed just 14 seconds to get on the scoreboard in Carlisle as sophomore running back Eli Redmond took the opening kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown, his second career kickoff return for a score. Senior Jerome Wachter kicked the first of his school-record tying seven extra points for a 7-0 lead with 14:46 left in the first quarter.
"A quick score is always good, but to be able to do it on special teams can really make the difference in a game," explained Pukszyn. "Winning the hidden yards (field position off of special teams play) is critical in college football. Being able to win the field position battle is very important, and being able to score on special teams can also make the difference in back and forth game like we had."
The first 15 minutes of action ended with just seven points scored although Moravian was in the red zone a second time before a fumble by Negron ended the drive. The teams would combine for 30 points in the second quarter before putting 56 points on the scoreboard in the final 30 minutes of action.
Negron capped off Moravian's longest scoring drive of afternoon in number of plays and time as he finished the nine-play, 57-yard drive with a 23-yard touchdown run with 13:10 remaining in the second quarter. The total drive had taken just 3:15 off of the clock.
"On the first offensive series that we had against Dickinson, I fumbled the ball and cost our team a huge turnover inside of the red zone," Negron said. "My coaches and teammates just told me to put it behind me and after that moment I was determined to finish the game strong. The offensive line did a great job all game giving me holes to run through and once I was able to get in the secondary it was a matter of making one or two guys miss. This was one of those games where my vision and cuts got stronger as the game went on."
Dickinson answered in just two plays for its first points of the game with a 53-yard touchdown run. Moravian senior defensive lineman Ryan Pysher blocked the extra-point to keep the Hounds' advantage at 14-6.
The Greyhounds were forced to punt on their next possession but the offense would be set up at the Dickinson 34-yard line after senior defensive lineman Tim McCabe forced a fumble that senior defensive lineman Dan Bracken recovered for the Hounds.
After a pair of pass completions by junior quarterback Mike Hayes, who was 18-for-30 for 216 yards with one touchdown and one interception, Negron ran in the final eight yards for his second touchdown and a 21-6 lead with 9:04 before the intermission.
Late in the second quarter, Moravian senior defensive back Anthony Orlando intercepted a pass by the Red Devils at the Moravian 44-yard line. Hayes found Negron for 23 yards on a first down pass, and then Hayes completed two passes to sophomore wide receiver Justice Anderson, who had five catches for 70 yards, to move into the red zone where Negron raced in the end zone for the third time in the half with a 10-yard scamper to extend the lead to 28-6 with 29 seconds left before the teams headed to the locker rooms
Dickinson moved quickly down the field to get field goal and make the score 28-9 at halftime, and the Red Devils scored on their first two possessions of the second half to cut Moravian's lead to 28-23 with 9:47 left in the third quarter.
The Greyhounds moved into the red zone on their next possession before Negron was stopped on fourth down. Moravian's defense forced a punt to set the offense up near midfield. Negron capped the six-play, 54-yard drive with a 20-yard touchdown run to push the lead to 35-23.
"Scoring six touchdowns was a great feeling especially because we came out of there with a win," commented Negron. "Every season Coach Pukszyn emphasizes hard work and effort and if we take care of those two things on the field; the yards, catches, and touchdowns will follow. It's a rewarding feeling when your hard work pays off and you find out that you tied a school record that hadn't been done in over 50 years. It is a great honor anytime your name is put amongst those who set records years ago."
Moravian freshman defensive back E.J. Roeder forced a fumble on the ensuing kickoff and sophomore running back A.J. Adamczyk recovered the ball. After two runs by Negron, Hayes connected with Redmond on a 21-yard catch and run for the touchdown to push the lead to 42-23 with 2:09 left in the third quarter.
Early in the fourth quarter, Dickinson scored on a 41-yard rush. The Hounds answered right back with a six-play, 64-yard drive with Negron finishing the drive with a two-yard touchdown run, his fifth rush of the possession. Hayes had set up the offense in the red zone with a 41-yard draw two plays before Negron scored. Wachter's PAT was blocked so the lead was 48-30 with 11:16 remaining.
Orlando, who finished with a game-high 15 tackles, ended Dickinson's next drive in the red zone as he recovered a fumble forced by freshman linebacker Tre' Smith.
The Red Devils scored after a Moravian punt, and the two-point conversion pulled Dickinson within 48-38 with 4:09 remaining. The Red Devils attempted an onside kick but Orlando recovered the kick at the Dickinson 44-yard line.
"I can't say enough good things about Anthony. His football IQ is outstanding," noted Pukszyn. "He puts himself in great positions so he can make plays. His interception was unbelievable. If you watch that play, he baited that QB into that throw and game up with a great INT. We always talk about getting the ball back to our offense, and Anthony was able to come up big with two takeaways. Recovering an onside kick is not an easy thing to do but Anthony is always cool under pressure. He does an outstanding job in those types of situations too."
Moravian punted again as senior defensive back/punter Jimmy McCarthy placed the Red Devils inside their own 20-yard line. Bracken made a sack on fourth down to set Moravian's offense up at the Dickinson nine-yard line.
It would take Negron just two plays to scored for the sixth time in the game, this time on a six-yard run. Wachter's extra-point set the final score of 55-38 with 1:42 remaining.
"This win started a six game winning streak setting ourselves up for what would then be an 8-2 regular season record," Negron said. "Our coaches and the guys inside of the locker room always knew what we were capable of dating back to camp. It was very exciting to see us come together as a unit and have the kind of season that we did. We never gave up and always believed in each other, and to be rewarded at the end of the season with eight wins is something we are all very proud of."
You can read the original game story at http://moraviansports.com/sports/fball/2015-16/releases/20150926tfi0bz.
Game number three of the countdown will be released on Friday, July 15.
