National News Archive

 December 1, 2012

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Snow (Utah) College took advantage of four turnovers and a blocked punt to score 40 unanswered points as the Badgers recorded a 47-21 win over ASA (N.Y.) College Saturday in the inaugural Carrier Dome Bowl, held at the Carrier Dome on the campus of Syracuse University. The game featured the third-  (ASA) and fourth-ranked (Snow) teams in the nation. Snow ends the season 11-1 and most likely will finish second in the nation. ASA is 9-1.

Snow quarterback Christian Stewart, who was named the game’s offensive most valuable player, threw for three touchdowns and 283 yards. The bowl appearance was Snow’s 20^th overall and 10^th consecutive while it was ASA’s initial postseason game.

Both teams exchanged punts before Stewart got the Badgers on the scoreboard when he rolled right and found Evan Moeai with a 21-yard touchdown.

ASA’s Hosey Williams, the Northeast Football Conference’s most valuable player, broke off a 37-yard run to set up the Avengers’ answering touchdown. Williams then dove in from a yard out to tie the score, 7-7.

ASA fumbled a Snow punt to set up the next Badgers’ scoring drive, a 43-yard field goal by Spencer Groner.

After an ASA punt, Stewart found Damond Powell open down the far sideline and the two connected on a 75-yard touchdown. Powell, who entered the game the nation’s leader in receiving yards per reception, tipped the pass to himself around the 30-yard line and then caught the ball on his way to the end zone. Powell set up the Badgers’ next score with a 41-yard reception to the ASA 13-yard line. Breon Allen scored on an eight-yard run for a 23-7 Snow lead. Groner added a 24-yard field goal to give Snow a 26-7 halftime lead.

Stewart and Powell connected on a 34-yard pass to put Snow in ASA territory on the Badgers’ first second-half drive. Kalami Molisi then did the rest, carrying the ball six times to cover the final 29 yards, capping the drive with a two-yard run.

“We just stepped up, especially Damon,” said Stewart, who completed 10 of 24 passes for 283 yards. “He just went down the field and got the ball.”

Stewart threw his third touchdown pass of the day, this one to Lowry Akers on a 15-yard play, to give Snow a 40-7 lead after three quarters.

“(Damon and Christian)’ve been doing that all year,” said Snow head coach Tyler Hughes. “Damon’s been making big plays all season. They certainly did that today and that’s always great for the offense when they can generate some big plays.”

Snow blocked an ASA punt to open the fourth quarter and Levi Thompson recovered the ball for a 47-7 advantage.

ASA’s Evan Pittman came off the bench to throw two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter for the Avengers.

Molisi led Snow with 67 rushing yards while Powell had three catches for 150 yards. Williams led ASA with 97 rushing yards. Pittman completed eight of 12 passes for 112 yards for the Avengers. Ouslet Volcy and Lovie Banks-Rose each had four receptions.

Garland Munns led Snow with nine tackles (3 solo/6 assists) while Jake Miller finished with six tackles (4 solo/2 assists) but also recorded a sack and a tackle for loss on his way to earn defensive MVP honors.

ASA’s Kadeem Willis made nine tackles (2 solo/7 assists) to lead the Avengers’ defense.