BROOKVILLE, N.Y. – Redshirt junior quarterback Luca Stanzani rushed for four touchdowns and threw for another to lead the Long Island University football team (3-5, 1-2 NEC) past future NEC member the University of New Haven (4-4), 38-16, on Saturday afternoon at Shark Stadium.
All told, Stanzani gained 98 yards and scored four touchdowns on 20 attempts on the ground while completing 15 of 26 passes for 152 yards with a touchdown and an interception through the air. His four rushing touchdowns equals the most in an FCS game by a quarterback this season.
Redshirt junior running back O'Shawn Ross, Jr. also had a strong game, rushing for a game-high 172 yards on 17 attempts. It was Ross, Jr.'s second consecutive 100-yard rushing outing and third of the season.
LIU scored first in the opening quarter as Ross, Jr. broke a 69-yard run to set the Sharks up with a first and goal at the New Haven two-yard line. Two plays later, Stanzani hit pay dirt with a seven-yard scoring run, his fourth rushing touchdown of the season to give LIU a 7-0 lead at the 4:29 mark.
Just under four minutes later, Stanzani punched in his second rushing touchdown and fifth of the year as he capped a seven-play, 39-yard drive with a four-yard run to put LIU up 14-0 with 31 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
New Haven got on board early in the second quarter when an errant snap sailed over Stanzani's head into the end zone for a safety to make the score 14-2.
On the ensuing drive, New Haven quarterback AJ Duffy connected with Logan Schmidt on a 28-yard scoring pass to cut the Chargers deficit to 14-9 with 10:58 remaining in the second quarter.
New Haven took the lead 1:24 later as defensive back Brodie Williams picked off a deflected Stanzani pass and returned it 34 yards for a touchdown to put the Chargers up 16-14.
However, LIU regained the lead with two scores right before halftime. Redshirt junior defensive back Trey Watkins set up the Sharks first score as his team-leading third interception gave LIU the ball at New Haven 48-yard line. Six plays later, Stanzani scored his third rushing touchdown of the opening half and sixth of the season to give the Sharks a 21-16 lead.
On the following kickoff, junior kicker Will Johnson forced a New Haven fumble recovered by redshirt senior defensive back Dylan Merrell, setting up LIU at its own 41-yard line. Two plays later, Stanzani hit freshman receiver Jayden Simpson with a 33-yard touchdown pass, to give LIU a 28-16 lead at intermission. Simpson's first collegiate touchdown reception gave LIU its highest point total in a half this season.
In the second half, Stanzani's fourth rushing touchdown, a 22-yard scamper in the third quarter, and Johnson's 27-yard field goal in the fourth quarter accounted for all the scoring in the game's final 30 minutes. LIU scored the game's final 24 points.
Defensively, redshirt sophomore linebacker Keith Bourque led the way for LIU with seven tackles (3 solo, 4 assisted). Borque also added a tackle for loss.
Redshirt junior defensive back Trey Watkins followed with five tackles (3 solo, 2 assisted) and an interception. Watkins also had a tackle for loss.
Junior linebacker Elijah Casey (4 solo tackles), junior linebacker Jeremie McGurn (3 solo tackles, 1 assisted), sophomore defensive back Marshall Washington, Jr., (4 solo tackles, 2 tackles for loss), graduate defensive end DQ Watkins (2 sacks), and redshirt freshman defensive back Braylon Vincent (1 interception) also posted strong showings for LIU's defense.
LIU outgained New Haven in total yards 424-201, including a 272-61 rushing yards advantage.
Up next, LIU will travel to New Britian, Connecticut on Saturday, Nov. 1, for an NEC matchup with Central Connecticut State University. Kickoff at Arute Field is slated for 12 p.m. The game can be seen digitally on NEC Front Row and heard on the LIU Sharks Audio Network via the Varsity Network App beginning at 11:30 a.m.
