Nassau Rallies Past Hudson Valley with Dominant Second Half, Wins 22-14 on the Road

TROY, N.Y. — In a tale of two halves, Nassau Community College overcame a sluggish start and a 14-point deficit to defeat Hudson Valley Community College 22-14 on Saturday afternoon at the HVCC Outdoor Athletic Complex.

The Lions (3-1) were down 14-0 after the first quarter, but their defense sparked a remarkable turnaround, pitching a shutout the rest of the way while the offense slowly chipped away and eventually surged ahead.

First Quarter Belonged to Hudson Valley

Hudson Valley (2-3) came out firing behind quarterback Nathan Stone, who capped a 66-yard drive with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Micah Gates midway through the opening quarter. Just minutes later, Chanse Bonner extended the lead with an 8-yard touchdown run after a four-play, 64-yard drive. Jared Navidad nailed both PATs to give the Vikings a commanding 14-0 lead.

Momentum Swing: Nassau Defense Strikes

Late in the second quarter, Nassau's defense made the play that changed the trajectory of the game. Defensive back Vincent Spina returned an interception 62 yards for a touchdown, cutting the deficit to 14-6 after a missed extra point. It was one of three interceptions thrown by Hudson Valley on the day — a critical factor in the Lions' comeback.

Second Half: Lions Take Control

Nassau's offense, which had been bottled up early, found its rhythm in the third quarter. Quarterback Elijah Outlaw orchestrated a 14-play, 64-yard drive that chewed up nearly seven minutes of clock, culminating in a 1-yard plunge by Caleib Corbett. A failed two-point conversion left the Lions trailing 14-12.

The Lions took their first lead early in the fourth quarter when kicker Matias Perez Herrera drilled a 47-yard field goal, putting Nassau ahead 15-14.

Just minutes later, Nassau capitalized on a short field following a defensive stop. A 30-yard drive ended with a 1-yard touchdown run from Outlaw, extending the lead to 22-14 with 10:41 remaining. That score held as the defense continued to apply pressure and force mistakes.

Defensive Dominance

Nassau's defense was relentless in the second half. They limited Hudson Valley to zero points over the final three quarters, sacked the quarterback twice, and recorded three takeaways — including interceptions by Spina, Dwayne Schulters, and Cedric Jean-Pierre.

Enoch Thomas led the defense with 9 total tackles, while Edward Ababio and Luke Shank each recorded key sacks.

By the Numbers

Despite being outgained 295-120 in total offense and registering fewer first downs (13 to HVCC's 18), Nassau made the most of their opportunities. They capitalized on turnovers, scored a defensive touchdown, and were perfect on fourth down. Meanwhile, Hudson Valley failed to convert any of their three fourth-down attempts and lost three fumbles.

What's Next

Nassau improves to 3-1 and will look to build on this gritty win as they return home next week. Hudson Valley drops to 2-3 and will try to regroup after letting a promising start slip away.

Scoring Summary:

• 1Q 8:27 – HVCC: Gates 16 yd pass from Stone (Navidad kick)

• 1Q 1:03 – HVCC: Bonner 8 yd run (Navidad kick)

• 2Q 1:29 – NCC: Spina 62 yd INT return (kick failed)

• 3Q 3:11 – NCC: Corbett 1 yd run (2-pt failed)

• 4Q 14:45 – NCC: Perez Herrera 47 yd FG

• 4Q 10:41 – NCC: Outlaw 1 yd run (Perez Herrera kick)

Player of the Game:
Vincent Spina, Nassau – 62-yard pick-six, 5 total tackles, and a momentum-changing play that sparked the comeback.