Sept. 27, 2009
PHOTO GALLERY
Bronx, N.Y. - The Fordham junior varsity football team battled both the Wagner Seahawks and the elements on Sunday afternoon. On a rain-soaked Murphy Field, scoring was at a premium as the Rams scored the game's only touchdown en route to a 6-0 win over Wagner.
After each team's first possession, Wagner took over on its own 29 and drove to the 18 where they appeared to have scored on an 18-yard rush but the play was called back for a holding penalty on the four. On second down from the 14, the Wagner quarterback was flushed out of the pocket by Paul Barchitta, Carmine Galati and Daniel Avedesian and was flagged for intentional grounding, causing the Seahawks to move back to the Fordham 30 where third and fourth down passes fell incomplete.
The Fordham offense then moved the ball from its own 30 to the Wagner eight but three straight Ryan Higgins passes were incomplete and the Rams turned the ball back over to Wagner. The drive started with consecutive Higgins to Namdi Onyeabor passes that picked up a combined 19 yards, moving the ball to the Wagner 49. Two Jamir Livingston rushes netted 14 yards and then Higgins and Onyeabor hooked up again for a 21-yard gain to move the ball to the Wagner 14.
The Seahawks couldn't move the ball past their own 19 and punted it back to the Rams who took over on the Wagner 37 following a short punt. But Fordham couldn't take advantage of the good field position as three Mark Harvey rushes only gained three yards and a fourth down Higgins pass was incomplete.
Wagner then moved the ball out to midfield but that was as far as the Seahawks could get before the clock ran out on the half.
The Rams had the ball to begin the second half and moved from their own 34 to the Wagner six on the legs of Livingston. He started the drive with three straight carries, picking up 19 yards, and then had consecutive nine-yard gains later in the series, the last one giving the Rams a first down on the Wagner six. After James Avedesian fumbled and recovered the first down play, Livingston gained three and then two yards to place the ball on the one where Fordham faced a fourth down. On the fourth down call, James Avedesian faked a handoff to Livingston and then ran around the right side and into the end zone for the score.
The Seahawks responded by driving out to midfield but back-to-back sacks from Zachery Crosby and Chris Coratti backed Wagner up to its own 43 where they were forced to punt the ball back to Fordham.
The Rams moved out to midfield where their drive stalled and the Seahawks took over on their own 21 following a punt. Wagner moved the ball out to 47 but on fourth down, Dozie Onyeabor tackled the Wagner quarterback as he ran out of the pocket, stopping the drive on the Fordham 46.
The Fordham offense proceeded to move the ball with Livingston gaining eleven on the first play and Benjamin Heiser hooking up with Namdi Onyeabor for a nine-yard pick-up on the second play top put the ball on the Wagner 34. After a six-yard rush from Livingston, Heiser again found Namdi Onyeabor with a short pass but Onyeabor fumbled on the Wagner 20 and the ball was recovered by the Seahawks.
On second down of the next Wagner possession, the Seahawk quarterback scrambled down field and was nailed by Benjamin Daley, who knocked the Wagner signal-caller out of the game but not before he picked up the first down. The Wagner back-up quarterback completed his first pass to gain eleven yards and place the ball at the Wagner 46 but that was as close as the Seahawks would get as a John LaSure sack would end the contest.
Livingston gained 95 yards on 14 carries while Higgins completed four passes for 63 yards. Namdi Onyeabor led all receivers with five catches for 53 yards while Gerard Rizzo had two receptions for 40 yards.
Defensively, Chris Coratti recorded six total tackles, five solo, including two for loss, while Paul Barchitta also had six tackles, three solo, including one for a loss and he added a quarterback hurry.
Wagner University JV at Fordham University JV
September 27, 2009 - Murphy Field
Rushing (Att.-Yds) : Fordham: Jamir Livingston 14-95, Mark Harvey 4-7, Ryan Higgins 3-3, James Avedesian 1-1.
Passing (Att.-Comp.-Yds.-Int.-TD): Fordham: Ryan Higgins 13-4-0-63, Benjamin Heiser 1-1-0-17, James Avedesian 2-2-0-13.
Receiving (Recpt.-Yds): Fordham: Namdi Onyeabor 5-53, Gerard Rizzo 2-40.
Tackles (Solo-Asst.-TFL-Sacks-PBU-QB Hurries): Fordham: Chris Coratti 5-1-1-2-0-1, Paul Barchitta 3-3-1-0-0-1, Zachery Crosby 3-0-0-1-0-0, Anthony Lubischer 2-3-0-0-0-0, John LaSure 2-1-0-1-1-0, Benjamin Daley 2-0-0-0-0-0, Gaetano Geminario 2-0-0-1-0-0, Daniel Avedesian 1-2-2-0-0-0, Dozie Onyeabor 1-0-0-0-1-0, Robert Palmer 1-0-0-0-0-0, Alex Locker 0-0-0-0-0-1.
