MANCHESTER, NH (Nov. 11) -- The Saint Anselm College football team, in just it's second season since rejoining the ranks of varsity competition after 58 years, clinched a winning season for the first time since 1940 and clinched a second place finish in the Eastern Football Confernece Atlantic Division with a wild 39-33 victory over Southern Connecticut State University this afternoon.

The Hawks finished the year as one of the hottest teams in the league, winning five straight and taking six of the their final seven games after a 0-3 start. The Hawks finished the 2000 campaign 6-4 overall and 5-3 in EFC play, earning second place over Southern Connecticut (5-5, 5-3 EFC) by virtue of the head to head victory.

The game lived up to its billing as an offensive showcase as the Owls came in as the top ranked offense in the league, while Saint Anselm was fourth.

The game was also somewhat reminiscent of last season's meeting, when the two schools combined for 108 points.

This time, however, it was the Hawks who came out soaring and held on in the closing moments.

Junior quarterback Keith Comeau (Marblehead, Mass.) completed 20 of 37 passes for four touchdowns but was picked off four times. Junior running back Jon Turner (Foxboro, Mass.) finished with 119 yards on 19 carries on the ground, while junior tight end Kevin L'Ecuyer (Fitchburg, Mass.) pulled in a game and season high seven catches for 142 yards and two touchdowns.

The Hawks finished with 449 yards of total offense to 258 for the Owls. It was the third straight game Saint Anselm hit for more than 440 yards.

The Hawks secondary was able to hold Owls quarterback Kevin Dickinson (Schenectady, NY), the top passer in the EFC this season, to just 11 of 33 overall for 159 yards with two touchdowns, and picked him off twice.

The Hawks also held the Owls running game to just 70 net yards on 31 carries. Tom Dyer (Belleville, NJ) led the Owls with four catches for 49 yards.
Special teams play kept the Owls in the game as they returned two kickoffs for touchdowns.

The Hawks looked to pull away early, scoring two touchdowns in the first quarter. Comeau connected with L'Ecuyer for a 25 yard pass play midway through the quarter and then found Jeff Farragher (Clinton, Mass.) from 21 yards out in the back of the end zone with 3:38 to play in the first.

SCSU pulled even with two quick scores in the second with a 16 yard pass play from Dickinson to Errol Maurice (Old Saybrook, Conn.) and a 29 yard pass play to Jim White (Hazlet, NJ).

But the Hawks answered with a slick eight play, 78 yard drive ending with 10 yard pass from Comeau to Jason Case (Attleboro, Mass.) and Turner later banged in from five yards out for a 26-14 halftime lead.

Turner busted away for a big 46 yard score early in the third for a 33-14 game. Derrick Guest (Roselle, NJ) followed with a 90 yard kickoff return on the next play for a 33-20 game after three.

L'Ecuyer notched his second of the game with a 12 yard pass from Comeau with 9:22 left, but Southern stormed back to cut the lead as Darrin Davis (Irvington, NJ) followed with an 88 yard kickoff return and Guest hauled in a 30 yard pass from Dickinson with 3:25 to play for a 39-33 game.

After regaining the ball, the Owls advanced to the Saint Anselm 28 with 48 seconds left, but Geoff Raby (Attleboro, Mass.) sacked Dickinson (his third of the game), forcing a fumble that was recovered by Will St. Jean (Londonderry, NH), saving the win for the Hawks.

The Owls received an outstanding game from Jacques Cesaire (Westminster, Mass.) who finished with a game high 16 tackles (nine solo). Matt Savino (Midlothian, Penn.) notched 10 for Saint Anselm.