Football trounces Husson in season opener

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. -- For the first time since 2009, the Union College football team opened its season with a win, as the Dutchmen defeated Husson University, 30-7, on Saturday afternoon at Frank Bailey Field. Union's last season-opening win was on Sept. 12, 2009, when the Dutchmen defeated Ithaca, 24-21, at Frank Bailey Field. Ending the eight-year drought looked to be a daunting task, as the Husson Eagles entered Frank Bailey Field as a national-heavyweight team, having qualified for the NCAA tournament the previous two seasons. The Dutchmen also opened the 2017 season against Husson in Bangor, Maine and suffered a 20-7 loss to the Eagles. However, head coach Jeff Behrman and the 2018 Union College Dutchmen hit the field Saturday determined to start a new streak, and that's just what they did. On the very first drive of the game, Union drove down the field and capped off a 71-yard drive with a 21-yard touchdown pass into the corner of the endzone to Griffin Beal to get on the scoreboard early. During the drive, sophomore quarterback Will Bellamy completed his first two passes, one for 10 yards to Beal, and one for 40 yards to Chris Nicholas, setting the tone early. Husson's first, and only, touchdown came during its first possession, thanks largely due to a 78-yard kickoff return. The Eagles parlayed that into an easy 12-yard drive for a short-lived, 7-6, lead in the first quarter. After conceding the lead, the Dutchmen got right back to it on offense, driving 58 yards on the ensuing possession to take back the lead. In an almost mirror-image of the first Union touchdown, Bellamy hit Beal in the same corner of the endzone for a second 21-yard touchdown pass. The Eagles had no more luck on special teams, and the Union defense never gave Husson offense another sniff of hope. Minus the first Husson possession, the Eagles only had two possessions for the rest of the contest that crossed the 50-yard line. In the third quarter, Union added to its lead with a 64-yard reception by first year Andre Ross Jr., putting Union up 20-7, the same score Union lost to Husson in 2017, with more than 12 minutes left to play in the quarter. Marcos Rodriguez later capped off a 47-yard drive with a 28-yard field goal to give Union a 23-7 lead. The final score of the contest would come off a 1-yard rush by Travis Demby, as he punched his way into the endzone to cap off a 65-yard drive by the Dutchmen midway through the fourth quarter. Union kept the pressure on the Eagles for the remained of the game, intercepting a pass to end final Husson possession of the contest. The Dutchmen hit the road next weekend to take on Coast Guard in New London, Conn., next Saturday, Sept. 8, for a 1:30 p.m. (ET) kickoff.