Marist Red Foxes Bounce Back, Top Jacksonville

By Mike Ferraro

JACKSONVILLE, FL – The Marist football team erased a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to record its first victory at Jacksonville in its history. The Red Foxes prevailed by a score of 20-17 in a Pioneer Football League contest on Saturday at D.B. Milne Field.

Jacksonville opened the scoring just 1:47 into the contest on a 58-yard touchdown run by quarterback Calvin Turner, Jr.

Garnett Nicolas’ 12-yard touchdown run expanded the Dolphins’ lead to 14-0. That remained the score going into halftime.

Red-shirt freshman quarterback Austin Day saw his first collegiate action on the first drive in the second half. Day directed an eight-play, 75-yard drive to start the third quarter that was punctuated by a four-yard touchdown from red-shirt sophomore running back Darryn Jordan. Earlier on the drive, Jordan had a 46-yard run.

On Jacksonville’s next drive, a 48-yard field goal from Javier Arce-Ramirez extended the Dolphins’ lead to 17-7.

On the Red Foxes’ next drive, Day completed a 53-yard to senior wide receiver Juston Christian on third-and-36 to move the ball into Jacksonville story. The Red Foxes then converted two fourth downs as they moved the ball to the Jacksonville 15. On third-and-eight, Day completed a pass to sophomore wide receiver David Shannon III, who fumbled at the Jacksonville 1. The ball was recovered by red-shirt sophomore wide receiver Ethan Carpenter in the end zone for a touchdown. That cut Jacksonville’s lead to 17-13 with 11:55 remaining.

On Jacksonville’s next series, the Dolphins faced a fourth-and-four from the Marist 30. Red-shirt senior linebacker Willie Barrett tackles Nicolas one yard short of a first down, and the Red Foxes took over on downs with 8:36 remaining.

With 4:22 remaining, Day found red-shirt junior tight end Jon Kanda over the middle for a 13-yard touchdown to give Marist its first lead of the game at 20-17.

Red-shirt senior cornerback Brandon Miller intercepted a pass at the Marist 28 to end Jacksonville’s ensuing drive.

The Red Foxes went three-and-out on their next drive, and the Dolphins took over at their own 39 with 1:15 remaining. Jacksonville was unable to convert a first down, as red-shirt sophomore linebacker John Pierce recorded a sack on first down, and red-shirt sophomore safety Justice Seales broke up a pass on fourth down. Marist then proceeded to run out the clock.

Marist returns home to face Davidson in PFL action this Saturday, Oct. 20. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. on Homecoming & Reunion weekend at Marist.