Box Score | Photo Gallery | Video Highlights

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Cornell Scores in Final Seconds to Rally for a 26-24 Win Over Mansfield

MANSFIELD – Déjà vu all over again.

That's what it seemed like for the Mountaineer football team when the final horn sounded as darkness crept across Karl Van Norman Field.

Michael Crawford caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from Brendan Miller with nine seconds remaining to rally Cornell to a 26-24 win over Mansfield in the CSFL season finale for both teams Saturday afternoon.

Cornell was facing a fourth-and-five from the nine yard line when Miller lofted a ball that Crawford caught over a Mountaineer defender as he was falling out of the end zone.

It was the second straight last play loss in a row for the Mountaineers who dropped a 27-24 decision in overtime at Franklin Pierce last week.

The teams combined for 34 points in the fourth quarter, a remarkable change of pace from the first half which featured just a 33-yard field goal from Cornell's John Rodriguez and a 19-yard field goal from Mansfield's Kirk Haskill.

The game was tied 3-3 at halftime before Cornell took a 6-3 lead on a 32-yard field goal by Rodriguez early in the third quarter.

Mansfield answered right back, taking a 10-6 lead on a 25-yard touchdown pass to freshman wideout Kurt Logan from junior quarterback Mike Maniscalco later in the quarter.

Cornell retook the lead early in the fourth quarter on a 1-yard run by Miller to go up 13-10. Mansfield countering scoring with a 59-yard touchdown pass from Logan to Edward Larcom on an option giving the Mountaineers a 17-13 advantage with just over eight minutes go play.

Cornell quickly went 77 yards on five plays on their next passion, taking a 20-17 lead with Miller scored on a 10-yard run.

Mansfield took the kickoff and drove 70-yards in six plays on its next passion. Maniscalco hit Levi Eck for a 28-yard pass in the first play of the drive and later ran for 19-yards – carrying a host of Cornell defenders – to the 1-yard line. David Wallace scored on the next play to give the Mountaineers a 24-20 lead with 3:40 remaining.

But the game was far from done as Cornell drove 62-yards on 12 plays in three and a half minutes on what proved to be the winning drive.
Mansfield's Max Couloute returned the ensuing kickoff to midfield but time ran out as he stepped out of bounds.

Maniscalco had an outstanding game for the Mountaineers, hitting 14-of-22 passes for 161 yards and a touchdown. The junior signal caller also rushed for a team-best 75 yards on 13 carries.

Freshman Kurt Logan caught four passes for 41 yards while Larcom, a fellow freshman, had three receptions for 101 yards.

Jason Winters led the defense with 14 tackles while Jarell Gibbs and Evan Ruggles had 11 stops each.

Seniors Brandon Ammon, Trace Dickinson, Jason Easter, Jonathan Keller, Anthony Mazzone, Jake Myers, Josh Stone, Kevin Valentine, David Wallace, Blaine Wainwright and Jason Winters were honored during pregame ceremonies.

Mansfield, which lost three games in the final minute of the game, finished with a 1-6 mark while Cornell improved to 2-5.