NEW BRITAIN, Connecticut — Brandon Basil hit Alex Hulme with a 10-yard touchdown pass with 58 seconds left in the game to lift the Salve Regina University Seahawks by the Husson University football team 42-39 in the ECAC Clayton Bowl Championship Friday at Central Connecticut University’s Arute Field.
The touchdown pass capped a 46-yard drive over 1 minute, 43 seconds for the Seahawks’ third touchdown of the second half when they outscored the Eagles 21-6 after Husson had taken a 33-21 halftime lead.
The game kicked off the six-game series of the Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III Championships being held Friday through Sunday at Central Connecticut.
Salve Regina finished with an 8-2 record, and Husson ended at 7-3.
The game featured two strong offenses of Husson’s rushing game against Salve Regina’s passing attack. The Seahawks rolled up 505 total yards, and Husson compiled 503 with 421 of the Seahawks’ yards through the air and 336 of Husson’s on the ground.
Sophomore running back John Smith sparked Husson with four touchdowns while totaling 276 rushing yards on 34 carries. He had a 65-yard touchdown run to open the first quarter, a seven-yard touchdown jaunt with 3:06 left in the first, a three-yard touchdown with 13:43 left in the first half and a 23-yard touchdown catch with 40 seconds left in the half.
Husson backup quarterback Cory Brandon, a freshman who stepped in when starter Joe Seccareccia suffered a broken foot in a game two weeks ago, turned in a solid game as he completed nine of 19 passes for 167 yards with three touchdowns. Brandon connected on a nine-yard touchdown toss to junior running back Logan Steward with 8:12 left in the first half, the 23-yarder to Smith and a 64-yarder to junior wide receiver Kadeem Edge with 12:16 left in the third quarter, Husson’s only second-half touchdown.
Salve Regina answered the Husson offense behind junior quarterback Basil who connected on 25 of 49 passes for five touchdowns, including two in the second half.
Senior wide receiver Hulme was Basil’s favorite target as he caught 11 passes for 155 yards with three touchdowns, and senior wide receiver Derrick Sarfo-Darko caught seven passes for 188 yards and a touchdown.
Junior linebacker Ellis Throckmorton paced the Husson defense with 10 tackles, and freshman cornerback Quan Soyini, senior linebacker Bryant Wade and senior defensive lineman Ian Palmer had nine each.
Junior linebacker Ethan Gambale led the Seahawks with 16 tackles and senior linebacker Danny Ives had 13.