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MANSFIELD – Mansfield took a 23-20 lead into the fourth quarter but Cornell rallied, scoring 17 points over the final seven minutes of the game to pull out a 37-23 win in the Collegiate Sprint Football League (CSFL) opener for both teams in the 11th Annual Josh Palmer Pigskin Classic Saturday afternoon at Karl Van Norman Field.

“It's a disappointing loss for us,” said head coach Dan Davis. “We're a better team but we made too many mistakes out there today, especially when it really counted and Cornell made up pay for those mistakes.”

Cornell took the opening kickoff and marched 68-yards on nine plays scoring the game's first points on a 25-yard touchdown catch by Abe Mellinger from quarterback Brendan Miller. The extra point attempt by John Rodriguez was good for a 7-0 Cornell lead.

Mansfield freshman Chao took the ensuing kickoff and returned it 55-yards to the Cornell 30 where one play later freshman quarterback Mike Maniscalco broke through the middle of the line for a 29-yard touchdown run and the Mountaineers tied the score at 7-7 on Sixto Huincho's PAT 9:32 into the first quarter.

Both teams were forced to go three-and-out in their next possessions with Mansfield freshman punter Shawn Green hit a 39-yard punt to pin Cornell at their own one-yard line. Two plays later Cornell quarterback Brendan Miller was sacked in the end zone by senior defensive linemen Justin DiMatteo and Glen Jenkins for a safety giving the Mountaineers a 9-7 lead.

Mansfield got the ball on the free kick at the Cornell 35-yard line after a 39-yard return by Porch and three plays later Maniscalco found sophomore Pat Mackewicz on a diving catch in the left side of the end zone for a 23-yard touchdown passing giving Mansfield a 1-7 lead with just over three minutes remaining in the first quarter.

Cornell closed the gap to 16-10 on a 27-yard field goal by John Rodriguez and another Rodriguez field goal, this one form 29-yard out cut the score to a 16-13 Mansfield lead at halftime.

Cornell retook the lead early in the third quarterback when a Mansfield fumble gave the Big Red the ball on the Mountaineers 36-yard line. Miller found Sean Gruenenfelder in the end zone on a 13-yard pass on third-and-goal for a 20-16 lead.

But Mansfield was able to retake the lead late in the third quarter when freshman Josh Harrison capped of a 17-play, 75-yard drive with a 3-yard touchdown giving the Mountaineers a 27-23 advantage after the PAT.

The score remain that way until Miller, who was leveled after the throw, unloaded a 50-yard touchdown pass to Abe Mellinger in the back of the end zone give Cornell a 27-23 lead.

Rodriguez increased the lead to 30-23 with his third field goal of the day, this one from 31-yards before Michael Monahan stepped in front of a Maniscalco pass and returned it 45-yards for a touchdown with just under three minutes to play.

Mansfield got 191-yard in total offense with Maniscalco connecting on 7-of-19 passes for 80-yards and a touchdown but was intercepted three times in his first collegiate game. He also rushed for 59-yards and a score. Mansfield got 111-yards on the grounds with freshman Dylan Flynn and Josh Harrison combining for 47-yards. Sophomore Pat Mackewicz had three catches for 40 yards and a touchdown.

Freshman Chao Porch returned four kickoffs for 156 yards while rushing for 12 yards and returning a punt for 8 yards to rack up 176 all-purpose yards.

Cornell's Brendan Miller completed 17-35 passes for 288 yards and three touchdowns with one interception despite pressure most of the afternoon resulting in four sacks. Mellinger caught five passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns with Douglas Famularo rushed for 59-yards.

Troy Taylor topped the Mountaineer defense with nine tackles and an interception while the defensive line of Justin DiMatteo, Glen Jenkins, Cody Croasdale and Paul Houseknecht combined for 26 tackles and four sacks.

Mansfield host Princeton next Saturday.