Buffalo State claims third-straight I-90 Bowl win, tops Brockport, 35-28

Sophomore running back Dale Stewart toted the ball 28 times for 155 yards and two touchdowns in Saturdays I-90 Bowl victory over Brockport. He added 28 yards on three receptions.

Dave DeLuca/The Record

Sophomore running back Dale Stewart toted the ball 28 times for 155 yards and two touchdowns in Saturday’s I-90 Bowl victory over Brockport. He added 28 yards on three receptions.

Tony Callens, Staff Writer

The Buffalo State Bengals outlasted Brockport, 35-28, to win the I-90 Bowl for the third straight year.

On Senior Day, senior quarterback Dan Serginese was given the start and had a solid outing for the Bengals, completing 18 of 25 passes for 266 yards and a touchdown. He added a rushing touchdown.

As has been the case all year long, Buffalo State leaned on its strong rushing attack. Sophomore running back Dale Stewart toted the ball 28 times for 155 yards and two touchdowns. Junior Tre Jones added 22 carries for 68 yards and a touchdown.

The first quarter was not a clean one, for both teams.

The first play of the game resulted in an interception by Buffalo State safety Mitch Thomas.

Brockport struck first after taking advantage of a botched snap on a punt from the Bengals.

The Eagles started their drive on the Buffalo State 22-yard line. Running back Dan Andrews capped off the drive with a 9-yard run.

Andrews led Brockport with 22 carries for 80 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. He also threw a 50-yard touchdown pass on a successful trick play.

The Bengals answered in the second quarter with a 14-play, 57-yard drive that was capped off by a 1-yard Stewart run.

On the ensuing drive, Brockport delved deep into their playbook and scored on a 50-yard halfback option pass from Andrews to receiver Ian Gilhousen.

Buffalo State responded with an 11-play, 73-yard touchown drive. A 34-yard run Stewart run and a 24-yard completion on a fourth-and-18 from Serginese to receiver Isiah Clarke set up a 1-yard Stewart touchdown run.

The game was busted open in the second half when receiver Stephen Johnson returned a kickoff to the Brockport 35-yard line. Jones finished the 10-play drive off with a 4-yard touchdown run.

After stalled drives from both teams, Buffalo State scored on a 66-yard connection from Serignese to Johnson to push the lead to 28-14.

Brockport responded with a long drive of their own. The 14-play, 77 yard drive was capped off by a 3-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Wayne Bonsell to tight end Brenden Fesinger.

The Bengals responded yet again with a 65-yard completion from Serignese to receiver Trent White. That play led to a 3-yard Serginese touchdown run.

The score read 35-21 midway through the fourth quarter.

The Eagles refused to lay down and put together another scoring drive, capped off by a 5-yard Andrews touchdown run.

The Bengals had the ball and a chance to run the clock. They marched down the field and set up for a 22-yard field goal attempt.

With starting kicker Marc Montana out with an injury, Robbie Kuhnle of Buffalo State’s soccer team was given an opportunity to kick for the football team. His inexperience showed as he was unable to convert on the 22-yard try.

Brockport had one final opportunity to tie the game with a drive that started on their own 10-yard line with 1:37 to play. The Eagles converted on a fourth down and had a 36-yard catch by receiver Jerry Thompson which bounced off a Bengal defender and into his hands to set up for one last play on the Buffalo State 20-yard line.

On the last play of the game, Bonsell tossed the ball into the end zone. Buffalo State defensive back Nick Anderson came up with the interception to seal the victory.

The Bengals finished the regular season with a 7-3 overall record and a 5-3 record in Empire 8 play. They will await their postseason fate as the possibility of a bowl game appearance is still in the cards.

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