Box Score WATERBURY, Conn. – Sophomore
Bernard Peterson (Pasadena, Md.) intercepted Mansfield quarterback Mike Maniscalco in the end zone with 35 seconds left to secure a 21-18 victory for the Post sprint football team on a rainy Saturday afternoon at LaMoy Field. The Eagles improve to 1-1 on the year and have won the last three games against the Mountaineers.
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Post easily drove down the field to open the game, rushing eight times in a nine-play 75-yard drive to take and early 7-0 lead. Senior
Dashawn Wingate (Naugatuck, Conn.) ran in from a yard out for the score. Mansfield answered with a 45-yard rush out of the gate by Raymond Jackson, but wasn't able to do much else.
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The Eagles forced a Mountaineers punt early in the second quarter and junior
Jay'Len Mahan (Waterbury, Conn.) returned it 23 yard to setup Post on the Mansfield 22 yard line. Five plays later freshman
Joseph Lynch (Wolcott, Conn.) pounded it in from a yard out to put the Eagles in front 14-0.
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After turnovers by both teams, the Eagles drive stalled with under a minute left in the first half. Jared Green blocked a punt by freshman
Matthew Russo (Hicksville, N.Y.) and Kurt Logan picked it up and returned it to the house to give Mansfield its first points of the game. Post led 14-6 at the half.
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The two teams began the second half sloppy as there were five combined penalties on the first drive. Maniscalco led Mansfield down the field and found Eddie Larcom for a 14-yard touchdown to pull within two points. The Mountaineers would miss the two-point attempt.
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The Eagles running game, which amassed 213 yards on the day, answered right back with an eight-play drive capped by Wingate's second touchdown of the afternoon to build the Post lead back up to 21-12.
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The Mountaineers threatened early in the fourth after an Eagles' fumble gave them the ball on the Post 40 yard line. After reaching the 16 yard line, Mansfield was driven all the way back into its own 46 after two 15-yard penalties and a sack by freshman
Dawson Lindeman (Canyon Lake, Calif.).
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On the ensuing drive, Wingate fumbled and Mansfield recovered to take over in Post territory. Four plays later Maniscalco found Kurt Logan from 20 yards out to make the score 21-18 with just under eight minutes remaining.
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With 1:37 left, Post was forced to punt from its own 26 yard line, but the Mansfield special teams came up big again with another block and took over on the Eagles 19 yard line. Mansicalco completed one pass before the final interception.
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Post outgained the Mountaineers 248-204 on the afternoon. While the Eagles had most of their yardage on the ground, Mansfield had a more balanced attack with 122 passing and 82 rushing yards. Lynch led Post with 88 yards on 21 carries. Wingate finished with 50 yards. Sophomore
Greg Volpe (West Haven, Conn.) had just 35 yards through the air on 5-10 passing and two interceptions. He also ran for 31 yards.
Lindeman recorded a team-high 4.5 tackles and one sack. The teams combined for 250 penalty yards.
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The Eagles begin a three-game road trip on Friday, Oct. 10 against Navy. Kickoff in Annapolis, Md. is set for 7 p.m.
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