MANCHESTER, NH (Oct. 2) -- The Saint Anselm College football team managed to survive a 526 yard offensive assault from Assumption College, taking advantage of five Greyhound turnovers on the way to a 37-29 shootout victory this afternoon in an Eastern Football Conference game.
The Hawks improved to 2-2 overall in their first varsity season in 58 years. They moved back above .500 in EFC play at 2-1. Assumption tumbled to their third straight loss in falling to 1-3 overall and remained searching for their first EFC win at 0-3.
Saint Anselm built a 21-8 half-time lead but were forced to survive an aerial barrage from Greyhounds junior quarterback Chad CARGES (North Attleboro, MA), who finished the day 27 of 47 for 370 yards with three touchdowns, but as intercepted three times including an interception for touchdown that put Saint Anselm ahead 28-8 early in the third quarter.
Saint Anselm quarterback Kyle Van De GIESEN, also of North Attleboro, Mass., hit on 14 of 32 for 180 yards with one interception and one touchdown.
Assumption owned an advantage in almost every category on the day. The Greyhounds notched 27 first downs to Saint Anselm's 14, and owned striking advantages in net rushing (156-107), net passing (370-180) total offense (526-287) and even time of possession (31:16 - 28:44).
Those five Assumption turnovers came back to bite the Hounds in the end, to the chagrin of Head Coach Sean Mahoney.
"We started well," said Mahoney. "But in the end we just made too many mistakes that cost us. We had too many penalties which also hurt us at the wrong time. But I give (Saint Anselm) credit. They responded and their defense responded when they had to."
"I was pleased with the intensity and emotion we showed this afternoon," commented Hawks Head Coach Geoff Harlan. "We were much more intense than last week (a road loss to CW Post). The guys showed the most excitement to take the field thus far, even more so than that first game (three weeks ago.) Our defense did a good job, although Assumption started to wear us down a bit in the fourth quarter. But it was good to see the team rise to the occasion when it mattered most."
Mahoney and Harlan were both referring to the Greyhounds final drive of the game that saw the team almost tie the score in the final seconds, only to have Saint Anselm's pass defense hold its ground. The drive almost completed a miracle comeback after the Greyhounds rallied from an early 28-8 second half deficit.
The game saw numerous standouts. Assumption's Jason Call (Winthrop, MA) grabbed six receptions for 118 yards and three touchdowns, while Eric Mauer (Putnam, CT) added six catches for 90 yards. Kevin Clive (Clarence Ctr., NY) was a workhorse, gaining 67 yards on 21 carries.
Kevin L'Ecuyer (Fitchburg, MA) made three catches for 47 yards to lead Saint Anselm, while freshman Travis Pelletier (Deerfield, NH) added three catches. Jon Turner (Foxboro, MA) gained 67 yards on 21 carries. Jeremy Forest (New Boston, NH) had 22 yards on the ground and another 14 receiving.
Justin Peledge (Malden, MA) enjoyed a strong afternoon in special teams, returning four kicks for 93 yards including a 38 yard punt return for a touchdown in the first quarter.
Defensively, Assumption's Robb McCoy (North Attleboro, MA) notched 16 tackles while Pete Leonard (Worcester, MA) added 13. Ryan Gazzola (North Attleboro, MA) led the Hawks defense with 12 tackled while Brian McInerny (Dracut, MA) and Geoff Raby (Attleboro, MA) added 10 each.
Turnovers began to take their effect early on Assumption.
The Greyhounds jumped ahead 6-0 just 3:10 into the game on a 28 yard pass play from CARGES to Calla that consumed 61 yards on five plays.
Saint Anselm had gone three and out on their first possession but regained the ball at the Assumption 27 two plays later when Lance Flagg (Simsbury, CT) forced a Clive fumble. Four plays later, Turner banged in from a yard out for a 7-6 lead.
Another mistake cost the Hounds more dearly later in the quarter. Assumption had a chance to take advantage of a Saint Anselm roughing the kicker penalty in the closing minutes of the first, but Assumption was whistled for a costly face mask penalty at the end of the play, offsetting the penalties and bringing a rekick. Peledge made the most of second chances, taking the rekick 38 yards for a score and a sudden 14-6 Hawks lead.
"That was a key for us," noted Harlan. "The offsetting penalties gave us a chance to rest for that punt and Justin did a great job on the return. You have to be able to take advantage of an opportunity like that if it happens."
Assumption cut the lead to 14-8 with a safety, tackling Turner in the end zone with 9:32 to go in the half. But another turnover led to more Hawks points when Flagg recovered a CARGES fumble at the Assumption 37. Six plays later, Van De Giesen found Jeff Farragher (Clinton, MA) from 12 yards out and Saint Anselm had a 21-8 half-time lead.
"That play was also big," added Harlan. "We were able to turn two turnovers into 14 points and we had to pleased with that. That play helped us carry some momentum into the break."
That momentum continued courtesy of the third big Assumption turnover of the day. On their second series of the second half, and on second and five from Assumption's own 48, CARGES was flushed from the pocket by Flagg and Geoff Raby. Raby hit CARGES from the side while in a forward motion. The ball squirted into the air, and into the waiting hands of Savino who rumbled 45 yards for a 28-8 lead.
CARGES and Assumption didn't get rattled however, and started to right itself quickly.
Starting on their own 32 on the next series, CARGES marched Assumption, 68 yards on six plays that ended with Calla grabbing a 15 yard strike and a 28-15 game.
Things got interesting in the fourth when Assumption cut the lead to 28-22 on a five play, 41 yard drive that ended with Clive rushing in from two yards out with 10:33 left.
Two drives later, Saint Anselm seemed to have things in hand.
Taking over at their own 29, Van De Giesen drove the Hawks 71 yards in six plays keyed by a huge 41 yard pass play to tight end Kevin L'Ecuyer on third and nine at the Hawks 29. The drive ended with a Turner four yard scoot for a 34-22 lead with 6:29 left.
A gutsy Assumption refused to quit, taking the following drive 70 yards in seven plays as Calla scored his third of the day, a 35 yard bomb from Charges with 4:56 left.
The Hawks got some insurance on their next series, eating up 3 full minutes and driving 43 yards on eight plays that ended with a Erol Senel 23 yard field goal with 1:56 left.
Charges took over at his own 31 and moved the Greyhounds all the way to the Hawks 17 and had a first down with 30 seconds left. Needing eight points, Charges put the Hawks pass defense to a final test and Saint Anselm passed in the end, forcing four straight incompletions, the last coming when Charges over threw Justin Prophet in the back of the end zone as time expired.
The Hawks will look to carry its momentum into next weekend when they tavel to Pace University for a 1:00 p.m. game.
