CARLISLE, Pa. - For the second consecutive game the Dickinson football team needed some late game heroics to pick up a win as a touchdown run by Diante Ball with 1:30 left tied the game, before a 14-yard TD reception by Bobby Markey in overtime gave the Red and White a thrilling 27-24 win over the Captains of Christopher Newport University.

The visitors seemed destined for the endzone on the opening drive of the game as eight consecutive rush plays moved the ball from the CNU37 all the way to the DC3 setting up fourth-and-one. That was when the defense dug in and told the Captain "NO" as Neville Krueger and Sam Orzolek met quarterback Connor Barry at the line to turn them over on downs. After Dickinson's opening drive did not amount to much CNU went back to work on their own 39 and following four runs had the ball on the DC46. That was when Barry found Colin Hart for 19, before an 11-yard rush for Trey Hayes set the stage for a 16-yard TD run by Gunner White (Ryan Castle kick) making it 7-0 through one. 

The first couple of drives in the second period did not lead to any points which put the visitors back to work on their own 42-yardline following just 26-yard punt for Matt Maiona with 7:12 left. Back-to-back 29-yard passes to Hart and White respectively sent CNU back into endzone for the 14-0 advantage (Ryan Castle kick). Then with just over six minutes remaining and facing a 14-0 hole the Red and White knew that points were a must have. A one-yard carry by Ball and an incompletion for Presley Egbers left the drive at third-and-nine on the DC31.That was was when Egbers found Princeton Douglass for 26 yards, before three plays later Devlin McCool took a quick pass from Egbers down to the CNU19. Rushes by both Ball and Egbers got the drive down to the CNU4. The next play saw DC find the house as McCool hauled in his second catch of the possession for the touchdown (Justin Worobel kick) trimming it down to 14-7 at the break.

The Devils got the ball back to begin the third period and went to work trying to tie the game up. A two-yard rush for Ball was followed two plays later by Egbers finding Markey for 57-yards down the right sideline where a diving effort from Kindrick Braxton was the only reason that the receiver did not find himself in the endzone. Ball continued to chip away on the ground with back-to-back carries of two yards making it third-and-goal on the CNU6. Dickinson then would pull even as Egbers hit Markey in the painted area to knot the score at 14-14 (Justin Worobel kick) with 15-minutes to play.

With 13:25 left in the game the Captains began a drive at the CNU20 trying break the deadlock. Carries by Hart and White setup third-and-short on the 27. Then, despite being flushed out by Bram Leys Barry hung tough and hit Hayes for 39 yards to the DC34. From that moment on it was "ground and pound" for the visitors as they ran seven straight times eventually ending with Barry sneaking home from a yard away to make it 21-14 (Ryan Castle kick). The ensuing drive for Dickinson would begin at their own 35 after the kick went out of bounds. Two passes and a run made it fourth-and-five on the DC40. The Red and White appeared to send out the punt unit, but instead of the snap going to Maiona Juan Pablo Garcia took it and broke off the left-side of the defense for six yards and a first down. Two passes to Douglass and a pair of carries for Ball took the rock to the CNU10. Ball picked up four yards on first down, prior to going in from six out on second down to lock it up again 21-21 (Justin Worobel kick). After the DC defense stood tall on the following drive the offense got the ball back with just 19-ticks left on the DC31. However, Dickinson would take no chances as Egbers would take a knee to send the game to overtime.

The Captains had the first possession of the extra session and thanks to two runs and a pass found themselves on the DC10 facing second down. After an incompletion, Barry found Hayes for four yards which then led to the 23-yard kick from Ryan Castle for the 24-21 edge. Dickinson started the march towards a potential victory with a nine-yard pass to McCool. Egbers missed Douglass on the next play, before a two-yard carry by Ball gave the Red and White a fresh set of downs on the CNU14. That was when the Devils would say "enough is enough" as Egbers stood in the pocket and delivered a strike to Markey for the walkoff touchdown and the 27-24 win.



Defensively, the Devils were led by James Basilii who recorded a game-high 15 tackles, including eight solo stops as well as forcing a fumble and picking off a pass. Alex Sulin was also in double-digits posting 11 hits. Krueger added eight, while the trio of Lewis Baer, Leys and Orzolek each notched six tackles.

Next on the Field
Dickinson (4-1, 1-0 Centennial) heads out on the road next Saturday to Westminster, Maryland for a conference clash against McDaniel College. Read Full Article