Manchester, N.H. (September 29, 2001)-The Saint Anselm football team used a stellar special teams and defensive effort from Justin Peledge (Wakefield, Mass./ Malden Catholic) to turn back Assumption College, 28-26 in front of 1,272 fans in a Northeast-10 Conference game at Grappone Stadium on Saturday. Saint Anselm improves to 2-3 overall, 2-3 in NE-10 play. Assumption remains winless at 0-5 overall, 0-5 in conference play.
Peledge was a one- man wrecking crew. The senior defensive back returned a kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown, recovered a fumble and returned it 85 yards for a touchdown, blocked one extra point and one field goal, forced one fumble, intercepted a pass at midfield with under four minutes remaining in the game, gained 127 total return yards (144 total yards), and contributed seven tackles. Peledge's contributions to the win cannot be overstated, especially on a day when the Saint Anselm offense managed just 156 total yards of offense.
The Hawk special teams unit blocked a total of three kicks (one punt, one extra point, one field goal), forced two fumbles, and amassed 254 return yards. The defense also forced one fumble to go along with two interceptions in the wild affair. While two Saint Anselm scores came via special teams and defensive touchdowns, a third was set up by a blocked punt, and another by a 31-yard kickoff return into Assumption territory.
Assumption started the scoring on their first play from scrimmage as Chad Carges (N. Attleboro, Mass./ Bishop Feehan) and R.J. Coleman (Elma, N.Y./ Iroqouis Cent.) hooked-up on a 67-yard touchdown pass. Peledge immediately took the next kickoff 93 yards to tie the score at 7-7 after just 42 seconds of action.
Carges put Assumption on top, 14-7, with a 34-yard TD pass midway through the opening quarter, this one to James Blanchard (Worcester, Mass./ Holy Name).
After a 31-yard kickoff return by Jeff Farragher (Clinton, Mass./ Clinton) to the Assumption 49 yard line, Saint Anselm put together its longest drive of the day with a six-play drive capped by a nine-yard TD run by Jon Turner (Foxboro, Mass./ Foxboro) to tie the game at 14-14.
Carges scored Assumption's third touchdown of the day with a one-yard plunge, capping a 10-play, 59- yard drive in the second quarter. Peledge blocked the extra point attempt, keeping the score at 20-14. Two drives later, the Saint Anselm defense turned the game's momentum fully by bringing a fumble all the way for a touchdown.
With Assumption driving on the Hawks' 15 yard line, James Ward (Westerly, R.I./ Westerly) sacked Carges and forced a fumble. Geoff Raby (Attleboro, Mass./ Attleboro) scooped up the ball, ran 80 yards and appeared headed for the end zone until Assumption running back James Bucci (Johnston, R.I./ Johnston) came from behind to force a fumble on the five-yard line. The ball popped right into Peledge's hands, hustling all the way down field, who scampered the rest of the way into the end zone to give Saint Anselm a 21-20 lead. Ward finished the day with seven total tackles, four coming for a loss.
The Saint Anselm special teams struck again in the third quarter as Sergio Bonavita (Westfield, Mass./ Westfield) blocked a punt on the Assumption 23- yard line, with the Hawks taking over possession on the four -yard line. Two plays later, Turner made the score 28-20 with a two-yard plunge.
Assumption capped another 10-play drive early in the fourth quarter with a two-yard run by Bucci to cut the Saint Anselm lead to 28-26. The two-point conversion was no good, setting up a furious finish.
The two teams traded possession several times before Peledge came up with perhaps his biggest play of the game. After an interception gave the Greyhounds the ball at their 35- yard line with four minutes remaining, Peledge picked off Carges' first pass attempt at midfield.
Turner then converted a six-yard run on third and five to seal the wild win. Turner finished a solid day with 81 yards on 22 carries (3.7 YPC). Farragher finished the day with 98 return yards and Jeff Dandurand (W. Hartford, Conn./ Kinswood-Oxford) averaged 39.9 yards per punt on seven attempts.
Carges who amassed 315 yards through the air (25-45-2) and 45 on the ground led the Hounds. Coleman finished the day with 10 receptions for 168 yards-more than the entire Saint Anselm offense.
Saint Anselm returns to action next Saturday when the Hawks travel to Pace University for a 1:00 PM kickoff.
