FDU-Florham Ends Season with Heartbreaking Loss at Misericordia, 40-36

(Photo via FDUDevils.com)

With just over five minutes remaining in their season finale, the Devils of FDU-Florham appeared poised to end their 2016 campaign on a high note.  The Misericordia Cougars had other ideas.

Senior QB Jeff Krisiak engineered a 12 play, 77-yard drive in the game’s final minutes, culminating in a 12-yard game winning touchdown pass to sophomore WR Sam Gillison to give the Cougars their first win of the season.  Krisiak set a school record by throwing for 284 yards.  He ended the game 26 of 36 with two touchdown passes, while also rushing for 91 yards.  Gillison caught 12 balls for 107 yards and the aforementioned game winning touchdown, while senior WR Colton Pyne caught a dozen passes for 153 yards and a score.

FDU struck first as QB Jagger Green found freshman TE John Pellegrini in the end zone for the game’s opening score with 2:08 to play in the first quarter.  A trick play two-point conversion resulted in a Mike Panzarino pass to RB Steve Iannone to give the Devils an 8-0 lead.  The teams traded scores throughout the first half, with Misericordia scoring late to take a 20-15 lead into the intermission.

When the Cougars scored late in the third quarter to take a 27-15 lead, the Devils found themselves in the all-too-familiar position of seeing their opponent build an insurmountable second half advantage.  Momentum shifted to FDU on the game’s next play, however, as Iannone returned the kickoff 74 yards to set-up a first and goal from the Misericordia 6-yard line.  Green hit Panzarino for a touchdown, and although the extra point was blocked, the Cougar lead was cut to 27-21.

Misericordia responded, as sophomore QB Clayton Vleck, a change-of-pace weapon who scored three times on the day, broke a 22-yard run for a touchdown to extend the lead to 33-21.  FDU fired right back, as Green ran in from 9 yards out early in the fourth quarter.  The extra point trimmed the Cougar lead to 33-28.

A fourth down stop got the Devils the ball back with 6:41 remaining in the game.  Green moved his offense quickly through Cougar territory, enabling him to punch in his second rushing touchdown of the afternoon.  A two-point conversation pass to Panzarino gave the Devils the lead, 36-33, with just over five minutes remaining in the game.

That’s when Krisiak, playing the final game of his career, led his team on the long, time-consuming drive, ending with his pass to Gillison in what would stand as the game’s winning score.

Green ended the day 26 of 40 for 285 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT, and 2 rushing TD.  Pellegrini caught nine passes for 109 yards and a TD while Panzarino hauled in ten catches for 103 yards and a score.  Senior wideout Esaun Mobley ended his final game with five catches for 71 yards.  Sophomore DB Liam Casey and fellow sophomore LB Isaiah Turner each had 11 total tackles, while senior DB Troy Scales tallied ten tackles.

FDU ends their season 2-8 overall, 2-7 in the MAC.