Roland Dempster had an outstanding performance for Stony Brook, rushing for 160 yards and scoring three touchdowns in their 37-10 victory over Stonehill during their home opener. Stony Brook took control of the game early, building a 23-0 lead by halftime. This win came as a rebound after a tough 45-3 loss to Marshall in the previous week.

Freshman quarterback Malachi Marshall, who was named the starter for the game, showed composure by completing 9 of 16 passes for 161 yards and a touchdown without any interceptions. Dempster, who struggled in the previous game, had a remarkable improvement averaging 8.4 yards per carry against Stonehill. He scored on runs of 17 and 15 yards in the first quarter and added a 3-yard run in the third.

The Seawolves’ defense also made a significant impact on the game, with Sebastian Regis scoring a touchdown after recovering an Ashur Carraha fumble and returning it 69 yards. Carraha, Stonehill’s quarterback, completed 18 of his 36 pass attempts for a touchdown but also threw two interceptions in addition to the fumble.

This game marked the third meeting between the two schools and the first since 1990. Stony Brook’s strong performance reflects a promising start to their season, demonstrating resilience after the initial defeat to Marshall.