On this day 55 years ago…

The ’55 football season arrived and great expectations surrounded the Blue and White gridders. However, Stony Brook hopes for a great season were soon dashed as the boys lost their first four games to open the season by a margin of 108-20. Not much was expected of the boys when favored Trinity arrived on campus, but the fans were treated to a thriller as the Brookers doubled their point total on the season and won a back-and-forth battle, 20-18. The most crucial part of the victory; however, may not have occurred on the field.  In the days preceding the game the boys had a team meeting as described in Res Gestae 1956:

Tired of the lack of spirit, the team met to ask God's help, not for victories but for the courage to give their all.

The boys responded with a resounding triumph, but it did not look optimistic from the outset as the Blue and White trailed 12-0 in the second quarter. Touchdowns by Danny Fiedler and Frank Visted vaulted Stony Brook into the lead, 13-12, but Trinity reclaimed the lead, 18-12, in the fourth quarter. With yet another crushing defeat looming, it was Dave Lehnartz who delivered the Blue and White with the game-winning score.

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