CJ Hester rushes for 4 TDs, Jeremiah Coney 3 and Stony Brook beats Rhode Island 56-24

STONY BROOK, N.Y. -- — CJ Hester rushed for four touchdowns, Jeremiah Coney added three more and Stony Brook defeated Rhode Island 56-24 in the Seawolves' Coastal Athletic Association opener on Saturday. Hester scored three first-half touchdowns, including a pair from 1 yard out in the final minute of the first half for a 28-17 lead, the last coming after Kareem Hector's interception that he returned 32 yards to the Rams 19. Hester's fourth TD tied a program for rushing TDs set four times previously and came in the final minute of the third quarter to lead 42-24. Coney scored two of his three in the fourth quarter. Though Hester and Coney combined for seven rushing touchdowns it was Quinn Boyd who was the Seawolves' leading ballcarrier with 153 yards on 14 carries. He added 198 yards passing and another score. Coney had 90 yards rushing and Hester 77. James Dely had 89 yards receiving including a 69-yard score for Stony Brook (2-2, 1-0). Tyler Budge threw for 209 yards including a touchdown to Marquis Buchanan who had 124 yards receiving for the Rams (2-2, 1-1), who entered as the No. 8 team in the Stats Perform poll. Rhode Island had won the four previous meetings after losing the first seven. Up next Rhode Island: At North Carolina A&T next Saturday. Stony Brook: At Fordham next week. ------ Sign up for Top 25 poll alerts here, visit the Top 25 here and see AP’s full college football coverage here