A week after picking up its first win of the season, Robert Morris (2-2, 1-0) won their first Northeast Conference game since the 2019 season. The Colonials survived a fourth quarter comeback attempt to defeat the Wagner Seahawks (2-2, 0-1), 21-14, on the road at Hameline Field.
The game started with each team going three-and-out on offense. On the Seahawks second offensive drive of the game, Ricky Spruill got things started when he took a carry 45 yards into Colonials territory. A few plays later, quarterback Jake Cady found Jaylen Bonelli for a long touchdown but Bonelli was flagged for taunting before he crossed the goal line which resulted in the play being called back.
The Seahawks scored anyways as on the next play, Cady found Mark Didio for a 22-yard touchdown.
The Colonials matched that score with a touchdown of their own. Tyvon Edmonds began the drive with a long, explosive run that put the team into plus-territory. On the next play, quarterback Anthony Chiccitt hit Carl Smith Jr. for another chunk gain that put the Colonials on the Seahawks 1-yard line. Edmonds later punched in the game-tying touchdown.
That was about it for offense in the first half as the teams traded nine punts and a turnover on downs over the course of the first half.
After the halftime intermission, the Colonials looked like a completely different team. On their opening drive, Chiccitt found Noah Robinson crossing to the sideline but after catching it, Robinson turned upfield and rumbled 59 yards down to the Seahawks 1-yard line. Edmonds punched in his second touchdown of the game two plays later.
Robinson finished the game with a game-high 90 receiving yards on four catches. Edmonds recorded 100 rushing yards on 16 carries and scored two touchdowns.
Then the Colonials forced another three-and-out which resulted in Tahseen Howard 43-yard punt return that placed his team on the Seahawks 14-yard line. Chiccitt scrambled down to the three on the next play and then kept it for the 3-yard touchdown run, extending the Colonials lead to two touchdowns.
Chiccitt ended his day completing 17 of his 27 passes for a game-high 219 yards.
On the ensuing drive, the Colonials defense almost got into the second-half scoring party as Tyris Harvey dropped a sure-fire pick-six. Nonetheless, the defense forced a turnover on downs later in the drive.
The Seahawks looked to claw back into the game as late in the third quarter, they converted a fourth-and-one to extend their drive. That was until a sack by Jamar Shegog a few plays later pushed the Seahawks back and forced them to punt once again.
The Colonials were looking to ice the game and were in position to do so, at the Seahawks 6-yard line, when Chiccitt tried to throw a fade into the end zone. Chiccitt’s pass was a bit short and was intercepted by Jouvenson Romulus.
With under seven minutes remaining and down by two touchdowns, Cady scrambled for 45 yards which put the Seahawks in position to cut into the Colonials lead. Four plays later, on fourth-and-long, Cady scrambled and connected with a wide open Teree McDonald in the end zone. This score cut the Colonials lead to just one touchdown.
Cady finished the game completing half of his passes (13 of 26) for 120 yards and two touchdowns.
The Colonials needed to maintain a drive on the ensuing drive to burn some time and help ensure the victory but the Seahawks defense forced a quick three-and-out, giving the Seahawks a chance to tie the game or take the lead.
Needing a stop to preserve the lead, Turner Schmidt recorded a sack that essentially ended the Seahawks drive on second down. The Seahawks would later punt and hoped that their defense would step up one more time.
The Seahawks defense got the Colonials into a third down and it was a long eight yards to the sticks. The Colonials put the game into Chiccitt’s hands as he used play action buy time and find Smith Jr. open 38 yards down the field for the first down and the win.
Next week, the Colonials stay on the road to take on Eastern Kentucky while the Seahawks will travel to Florida to take on FBS-opponent Florida Atlantic.
