Mounties Pick Off a School-Record Five Passes but Penn Scores Late to Pull Out a 16-13 Win

PHILADELPHIA – Mansfield picked off four passes, two of them by junior Kyle Post, in the first half to build a 13-10 lead, but Penn scored what proved to be the winning touchdown after a Mansfield fumble on its own 1-yard line in the fourth quarter to rally for a 16-13 win in a CSFL contest at historic Franklin Field Friday night.

The fumble was the Mountaineers only turnover of the night and came one play after Mansfield had stopped Penn on a fourth and goal from the 1-yard to seemly preserve its 13-10 lead.

Mansfield had one last shot late in the game when Ricky Robinson returned a punt to the Penn 43 but a sack and three incomplete passes turned the ball back over to Penn which ran the clock out.
Mansfield scored first when the Mountaineers got a 37-yard field goal from freshman Drew Beckerink

Penn answered back on the next drive going 44 yards on seven plays with Henry Mason pulling in a 7-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Mike McCurdy and a 7-3 after the extra-point kick was good.
Mansfield closed the gap to 7-6 early in the second quarter when Beckerink hit his second field goal of the game, this one from 34-yard out.

Penn, behind the passing of CSFL leading quarterback Mike McCurdy had a first-and-goal from the nine yard line and it looked as if the Quakers would score again before Post picked off his first pass of the game, this one in the endzone and returned it 15 yards.

McCurdy was intercepted twice more before the half ended including a pick by Brandon Pace late in the second quarter that was returned 56 yards to inside the Penn 10-yard line. Two plays later, Joe Bucek caught a 6-yard touchdown pass from freshman quarterback Anthony O'Connell rolling to his right. Mansfield took a 13-7 lead after the extra-point was good.

Penn used the final minute to work in close enough for a field goal ending the first half with a 13-10 lead for Mansfield.

A scoreless third quarter lead to the dramatic sequence of events and the heart-breaking stop on the goal line and ensuring fumble.

Freshman Aren Harris carried the ball 28 times for 92 yards to lead the Mansfield offense. O'Connell completed his first eight passes ending the night 9-for-13 for 62 yards while Bucek had three catches for 27 yards and touchdown. Sean Green also had three catches for 16 yards.

The Mansfield defense picked off a school-record five passes in the game, two each by Post and Damarkus Jones. John Capwell had a game-high 11 tackles including 10 solo and forced a fumble. Ricky Robinson had six solo tackles and 116 yards in return yardage while Brandon Pace and Dylan Flexer were also credited with six stops.

McCurdy, who had thrown just four interception on the season coming into the game, completed 24-37 passes for 260 yards and a touchdown along with the five interceptions. Henry Mason had nine catches for 113 yards and a touchdown while Max Jones rushed for 81 yards.

Mansfield blocked two punts, including one of the opening series of the game leading to a Mountaineer field goal.

Mansfield returns home to Karl Van Norman Field to host Post next Saturday for Senior Day.