One huge play goes Stony Brook's way

The result was destined to leave an indelible impression, be it heartbreak or resounding joy. There were no other emotions available. One play would make or break a season as the FCS playoff game between Stony Brook and Albany headed toward its final minute.

Stony Brook had trailed for so much of the way, but its potent offense erased an 18-point deficit and grabbed a 31-28 lead with 12:40 remaining in the game. The score remained that way as Albany moved steadily toward the Stony Brook end zone, all the way to the 3-yard line with 54 seconds remaining.

It had been a trying afternoon before a crowd of 8,286. Stony Brook wants a boisterous NCAA post-season atmosphere and the fans obliged -- maybe a bit more than anticipated.

"It was mentally taxing,'' said defensive back Dominick Reyes, who would have so much to do with the winning result. "People in the stands were yelling, 'You guys giving up?' They were heckling us. You've got to block those things out and keep playing, trust the guys around you. You don't want to let the offense down. Once they've come back, you're going to give everything you have on every play.''

With Albany poised to take the lead, Reyes readied for the fateful play that would ensue. "Every time they line up, I hope they're going to throw to the guy I'm covering,'' he said.

Albany opted for play action and Dan Di Lella's pass spiraled toward the right side of the end zone, intended for Brian Parker. "We have a big guy [Parker], [Stony Brook] has a small corner [Donald Porter],'' Di Lella said. "Just figured I'd take a shot, put it up there where I thought only [Parker] could get it.''

But Porter and Reyes were prepared for the pass. Porter tipped the ball and Reyes grabbed it, managing to keep his feet in the end zone as he landed. Stony Brook was 47 seconds away from its first playoff win.

Di Lella was exasperated, saying, "I should have just thrown it 50 feet in the stands and let [running back] Drew Smith run it in the next play, but that's what happens.'' Then his voice broke. "It leaves a huge bitter taste in your mouth . . . For it to end on a play like that, driving with seconds left in the fourth quarter when you're on the [3] and just basically giving it away. This one goes right on my shoulder. I gave the game away . . . It's something that I'm going to have to live with.''

For Porter and Reyes, the memory will be cherished. "It's something I will never, ever forget in my life,'' Reyes said. "It was just great. Defensive backs visualize winning games. Pick-six, game-winning interceptions, game-winning tackles, things like that. Today it materialized.''

It also provided a lift to the secondary, not often considered an SBU strong point. "We do take a lot of heat,'' Reyes said. "Teams get a lot of passing yards on us. It's not because we're not good. It's little tweaks here and there.''

Stony Brook's football evolution demanded beating a team that offers about 20 fewer scholarships and plays in a conference (Northeast) that Stony Brook left on the way to a fully funded program in the Big South. "Our kids really would have taken a long time to recover from this one,'' coach Chuck Priore said. "That's not how you want to end your season.''