POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. (Interstat) — In a dominant display at Tenney Stadium at Leonidoff Field on Saturday, the Marist Red Foxes erupted for 28 points in the second quarter to blow open a close game and cruise to a 41-13 victory over the Stetson Hatters.

The game was a tale of two halves, with the first quarter ending in a surprising 10-0 lead for the home team. The Red Foxes opened the scoring with a 23-yard field goal from Samer Layous, then extended their lead just over a minute later when safety Jace Williamson intercepted a Stetson pass and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown.

Any momentum Stetson hoped to build was swiftly extinguished in the second period. Marist quarterback Sonny Mannino, a 6-foot-4, 235-pound junior from Leesburg, Virginia, took over the game. He first connected with tight end Connor Hulstein on a 78-yard touchdown strike. Minutes later, Mannino showcased his dual-threat ability, breaking free for a 49-yard rushing touchdown. Before the half, he added another passing score, a 36-yard connection with Lance Martinez, and capped the explosive quarter with a 3-yard rushing touchdown.

Mannino finished an efficient 8 of 15 for 187 yards and two touchdowns through the air, while adding 57 yards and two more scores on the ground.

Stetson, which managed only a single touchdown in the first half, found a small measure of success just before the break. Quarterback Kael Alexander hit Beau Bankston on a 7-yard pass as time expired in the second quarter, with Daniel Holbrook adding the extra point. The Hatters’ offense, however, was plagued by inconsistency and turnovers throughout the contest. Alexander completed 7 of 19 passes for 59 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions.

The second half saw Marist content to protect its substantial lead. The Red Foxes added a 46-yard field goal from Layous in the third quarter for their only points of the half. Stetson’s lone second-half score came on a 2-yard run by Cayden Betts with 48 seconds remaining in the game; the ensuing extra point attempt failed.

Stetson’s ground game showed flashes, led by Michael Dempsey’s 81 yards on 13 carries and Betts’ 63 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts. Will Secker provided a bright spot in the return game, accumulating 119 yards on six kickoff returns.

Defensively, Marist was led by Chase Hatton, who snagged two of the team’s three interceptions, stifling multiple Stetson drives.

With the loss, Stetson falls to 3-7 on the season. Marist improves to 4-6. The Red Foxes will look to build on this performance when they host Davidson next Saturday. Stetson will travel to face Valparaiso. The final score of 54 total points fell under the pregame over/under line of 47.5. Marist covered the spread after being installed as a 13.5-point favorite. The result was largely in line with projections from Interstat, whose game simulator had predicted a Marist victory with a final score of 42-27 and gave the Red Foxes an 80.6 percent probability to win.