The UAlbany Great Danes Football team defeated their bitter rivals, the Stony Brook Seawolves, 13-6 to win the Golden Apple Trophy in the fourth annual Empire Clash on Saturday.
Tom & Mary Casey Stadium was full of UAlbany and Stony Brook fans alike. A sea of purple and gold with a hint of red was seen throughout the stadium. A cloud of purple smoke rose in the air as the stadium speakers pounded with music. You could hear the fans roaring with excitement as they greeted the football team into the stadium.
The coin toss was won by the Great Danes and the game was under way. It was a very hard fought first quarter for both teams as they were both forced to a fourth down punt, time and time again.
UAlbany’s running back Elijah Ibitokun-Hanks was removed from the game towards the end of the first quarter after he got injured during a play where he was the ball carrier. He stayed on the floor holding what appeared to be his right knee, staff eventually helped him off the field. No further information was given on his status.
A scoreless first quarter was followed by a field goal giving Stony Brook the lead with five minutes left in the second quarter. However, UAlbany tied up the game right before the half with a 50-yard field goal attempt by Stark. The halftime score was 3-3.
In the third quarter, UAlbany took the lead with Stark’s 21-yard field goal and continued to dominate the rest of the game. With around five minutes left in the third quarter, UAlbany picked up a fumbled ball and returned it for a touchdown. Their lead was now 13-3.
The two teams continued to aggressively attack the offense with defensive plays leading the next score to come late in the fourth quarter.
Three minutes remained in the game when Stony Brook was able to score off a field goal and cut the lead down to seven, but in the end UAlbany was able to defend their lead and win the game.
The final whistle echoed around the stadium and the players celebrated and rose the Golden Apple high. The Great Danes finished the regular season with a 7-4 record.
“It’s about pride,” said Andrew Cutrone a UAlbany student. “They think they’re the better SUNY school but we know we are.” He explained how UAlbany also faces them in soccer, basketball, and track.
