MANCHESTER, NH (Nov. 6) -- The Saint Anselm football team almost let the game slip away, but delivered the big plays when they mattered most, holding on for a thrilling 33-27 victory over Stonehill College in an Eastern Football Confernece game this afternoon before 2,733 at Grappone Stadium.

Sophomore Jon Turner's (Foxboro, MA) one yard touchdown run with 2:28 left in the fourth quarter capped a game saving six play 57 yard drive that came after Stonehill, driving for their own game winning score, coughed up the ball at the Saint Anselm 43 yard line with just 4:34 to play.

The Saint Anselm defense was forced to rise to the occasion as well as Stonehill drove 55 yards to the Saint Anselm 20, but sophomore linebacker Geoff Raby (Attleboro, MA), the top defensive player of the game, sacked Stonehill quarterback John Darak (Londonderry, NH) on fourth and four from the Hawks 20 with 45 seconds left to seal the victory.

The Hawks, playing their first varsity season in 58 years (since 1941), won their second straight in improving to 4-4 overall and went above .500 in Eastern Football Conference play at 4-3. Stonehill remained winless at 0-9 overall, 0-9 EFC.

Sophomore quarterback Kyle Van De Giesen (North Attleboro, MA) was 13-20 for 144 yards and two touchdowns and backup quarterback Keith Comeau (Marblehead, MA) came on in the third quarter when van De Giesen went down with an injured foot to complete 4 of 10 passes for a touchdown to lead Saint Anselm.

Turner ran for 118 yards on 22 carries, while sophomore tight end Kevin L'Ecuyer (Fitchburg, MA), caught eight passes for 91 yards including a 15 yard touchdown pass from Van De Giesen in the second quarter.

Stonehill was led by running back Tyrone Jefferson , who ran for 121 yards on 22 carries, while Darak was 8-16 for 91 yards and added a 61 yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

Defensively, Saint Anselm's Raby had a monster game, registering a game high 15 tackles (11 solo) with four for losses of 14 yards as well as the game saving sack. Mark Qualter (Methuen, MA) and Lance Flagg (Simsbury, CT) added 11 tackles each (six solo each). while Brandon Murphy added 10. Qualter and Murphy also added a sack.

Darren Shaughnessy led Stonehill with 11 tackles (seven solo), while Luke Petrzoba added five tackles and two sacks.

Jeremy Forest (New Boston, NH) added a one yard touchdown run for Saint Anselm, while Jason Case (10 yards) and Travis Pelletier (four yards) added touchdown catches.

Stonehiill's Billy Harrison (three yard run), Dexter Perry (four yards run) and Chad Dwyer (18 yard catch) added touchdowns.

STONEHILL took it right to Saint Anselm in the first quarter, taking their second drive of the game 61 yards on five plays in just 2:14, keyed by a 34 yard run from Jefferson that brought the ball from the Stonehill 39 to the Hawks 27. Billy Harrison capped the drive with a three yard run and a 7-0 lead.

Saint Anselm has made it a habit this season of scoring off turnovers and followed that same script early in the second quarter. After Pay McGuiness blocked a Ryan McLane punt at the Stonehill 16 and recovered at the 15, the Hawks moved to the one and Forest banged in for a 7-7 game.

Stonehill answered right away with an 11 play 51 yard drive that ended with Perry's four yard rush, but the Hawks again took advantage of gift turnovers.

After stalling on fourth and 14 at the Saint Anselm 20, the Hawks punted by Stonehill's Ed Marshall couldn't handle the kick and fumbled with Ryan Sullivan coming up with the loose ball at the Hawks 41. Seven plays and 59 yards later, Van De Giesen found L'Ecuyer right on the goal line for a 15 yard strike and a 14-13 lead. Van De Giesen keyed the drive with a three yard rush on fourth and one at the Stonehill 18.

Stonehill stayed pesky, retaking the lead when Darak took the first play from scrimmage at his own 39 and rumbled 61 yards for a 19-14 Chieftain lead with 11:23 to go in the third.

The Hawks later took the lead after taking over when Stonehill went for it at on fourth and five from their own 39 and fell short. Van De Giesen came out to complete three passes including a 10 yarder to Case for a 20-19 lead with 3:59 to go in the third.

Then things got hairy in the fourth.

A Van De Giesen went down late in the third with a foot injury and Comeau came on to guide the Hawks in a seven play 41 yard drive with a four yard TD pass to Pelletier and the Hawks lead seemed secure.

But the roof almost caved in on the next two series. Stonehill's initial drive stalled at the Hawks 49 and the Hawks took over after a punt at their own 13. But on the first play from scrimmage, Paul O'Keefe jostled Turner's carry loose and the Chieftains recovered on the Saint Anselm 18. One play later, Darak found Chad Dwyer for 18 yards and then kept the rush for the two point conversion for a 27-27 game with 12:01 to go.

The Hawks got the gamer after recovering a Jefferson fumble on the Hawks 43 and Comeau helped eat up 2:06 with a six play, 57 yard drive ending in Turner's rush. A 21 yard pass to L'Ecuyer was a key to the drive.

Stonehill geared up for their final push. Starting on their own 35 after the Hawks kickoff went out of bounds, Darak ran 11 yards and Dexter Perry followed with a 24 yard gain.

Jefferson brought the ball to the 20 with 51 seconds left, but Flagg caught Jefferson on third and four, setting up Raby's game saving sack with 45 seconds left.

The Hawks close out the season next weekend with a tall task at Southern Connecticut State at 1:00 p.m.