(box score)
Widener nearly overcame a 22-point deficit in the final 7 1/2 minutes, but was handed a 35-27 Middle Atlantic Conference loss by Albright at Leslie C. Quick Jr. Stadium.
The first 52 1/2 minutes belonged to Albright's Josan Holmes, who had four rushing touchdowns and threw for another. He ended with 25 carries for 149 yards to go with a 71-yard touchdown pass, posting 220 of the Lions' 419 yards of offense.
Down 35-13, Widener (3-4, 2-2 MAC) began its charge. A 10-play, 75-yard drive was capped when junior Brendan Curran (Sinking Spring, PA) bolted one yard for a touchdown with 5:53 left for a 35-20 contest.
Holmes' luster on his standout game started to wear down when he was stripped on the first play of the next drive. Widener freshman Darius Johnson (Baltimore, MD) recovered at the Lions 24.
Five plays later, Curran ran in from five yards for his third touchdown of the day and a 35-27 contest with 4:58 to go.
An on-side kick was recovered by Albright (4-3, 2-2), which went three-and-out and punted to the Widener six yard line with 2:16 to play. The Pride's first attempt to look for a tie was thwarted when Ryan McAdams intercepted sophomore Chris Haupt (Bloomsburg, PA) at the Widener 33 yard line.
Another three-and-out brought another punt, downed at the 24 yard line with 32 seconds remaining. Widener drove to the Albright 46, but Haupt's “Hail Mary” pass was intercepted by Keith Bruno in the end zone as time expired for Albright's third pick.
Haupt completed 28-of-53 passes for a career-best 323 yards and his second game over 300 for Widener, which closed with 458 yards of offense to go with 27 first downs. Junior Cedrick Clayton (Cinnaminson, NJ) had 10 catches for 119 yards and freshman Laquan Robinson (Chester, PA) notched 148 yards in returns.
Senior Jon Natter (North Hills, PA) had seven tackles to go with two sacks, one of six on the day for Widener among its 12 tackles for a loss.
Adam Galczynski completed 12-of-16 passes for 160 yards and Malik Compton had nine tackles for the Lions.
Holmes began things with his long touchdown pass to Sean Caldwell with 3:08 left in the first quarter and a 7-0 margin. His scoring runs were from 11, one, 19 and two yards with the latter giving Albright a 35-13 cushion with 7:33 left.
Freshman Kaiuway Boima (New Britain, CT) scored on a 13-yard touchdown pass from Haupt for the Pride. Curran's first touchdown was a seven-yard run with 4:37 left in the third quarter that brought Widener to a 14-7 deficit.
Widener next Saturday visits Lebanon Valley for a 1:00 pm start in Annville, PA.
