The Pioneers ended their season on a high note, beating Slippery Rock University 42-38 and also giving head coach Brian Collins his 100th victory with the C.W. Post Pioneers.
Senior Erik Anderwkavich, playing in his final game, started off the scoring for Post connecting with Grayson Laurino for a 46-yard pass. The Rock would come right back two minutes later scoring when Akeem Satterfield took a 30-yard rush into the end zone. Satterfield had a big day, rushing for 271 yards and scoring four touchdowns.
The Pioneers answered back when Anthony Brunetti took a 2-yard hand off into the end zone to take the lead by seven. But The Rock answered right back to tie the game after Satterfield’s second touchdown of the day.
Brunetti would break the tie, rushing for his second touchdown of the day on a 1-yard run into the end zone. On the next drive Slippery Rock quarterback Ryan Sabo was intercepted by Post defensive back Ciwan McCoy. However, Sabo would redeem himself later in the quarter, when he rushed into the end zone himself to tie the game at 21. The Pioneers responded right before half time when Anderwkavich connected with Laurino once again to make the score 28- 21 going into the half.
When the third quarter of play began the Pioneers looked like they were going to turn a close game into a blow out. Anderwkavich completed his third touchdown pass of the day to senior wide out Darnell Williams. Yet The Rock stormed back and made it a one score game after Satterfield scored in the red zone, although the extra point was blocked leaving the score 35-27.
The Pioneers defense had a tremendously tough time containing Slippery Rock’s running back Akeem Satterfield. Satterfield scored another touchdown and would tie the game again after the successful two-point conversion. Slippery Rock then took the lead five minutes later when kicker C.J. Bahr hit a 37-yard field goal to make the score 38-35.
With just a little over two minutes remaining in the game it looked bleak for the Pioneers. Anderwkavich started the final drive of his Post career at his own 20-yard line. After a 9-yard pass to Sean Persch, Anderwkavich found freshman Joe Botti who took it to the house for 63-yard game winning touchdown catch.
The Rock still had one chance to score, but Ronnie Modik would seal the Pioneer victory with an interception to ice the game.
The Pioneers finished the season at 7-4, the same record Newsday had predicted them to finish. The Pioneers may have had high expectations for themselves, but this season could still be considered a success. Anderwkavich had a great season and finished the game passing for 314 yards with four touchdowns and zero turnovers. Ronnie Modik and Billy O’Connor were forces all season and combined for 37 tackles (Modik, 20; O’Connor, 17) in the final game of the season.
Although the Pioneers will lose many key players including Anderwkavich, wide out Darnell Williams, defensive back Juma McKenley, defensive lineman Xavier Brown, offensive linemen Kenny Reid and Will Strano, The Pioneers can look towards rebuilding and having a successful season next year.
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