The Game: Saint Anselm returns to action on Saturday with the Hawks traveling to Loudonville, N.Y. for a non-conference football game against the Division I-AA Siena College Saints. Kickoff is slated for 1:00 PM at Christian Brothers Academy Field.
Saint Anselm comes into the game at 0-7, marking the first time in program history that the Hawks have lost seven straight to start a season. This season will also mark the first time in modern history that the Hawks will lose more than six games.
The team�s most recent setback came at C.W. Post on Saturday, 56-7, matching the worst point deficit in school history. The previous record was a 63-14 loss, also at C.W. Post on the road in 2001. On Saturday, the Hawks marched 52 yards on their opening possession but managed just 66 yards the rest of the game. The Hawks did manage to run for 50 yards, marking the first time ever that the Hawks have gained positive yardage on the ground against the Pioneers.
In a matchup of winless teams, Siena fell to 0-8 overall with a 20-16 loss to visiting Saint Peter�s last Saturday. The Saints literally fumbled the game away by putting the ball on the ground seven times. The loss moved Siena�s losing streak to 10 games dating back to last season.
Series History: This year�s meeting will be just the second meeting between the two programs. Saint Anselm won the only previous meeting, 20-16, in a game played in Manchester, N.H. in October, 2000. Saint Anselm came from behind, scoring 13 points in the fourth quarter on a cold, windy day. Siena jumped on top with 14 first quarter points but would not find the end zone again as the Hawk defense stopped the Saints on all seven fourth-down conversions.
Current Hawk running back Kevin Ridgley ran for 47 yards and a touchdown in the game and the Hawks scored the winning touchdown with 6:13 to play in the game, marching just nine yards after a Siena fumble to win the game.
Inside The Numbers: Both teams have struggled this season with Saint Anselm allowing 271 points and Siena allowing 237. The Hawks have scored 92 points while Siena has logged 91. The number of points allowed is rather deceiving for Saint Anselm however, as the Hawks have allowed 11 touchdowns to opposing team defense and special teams units, accounting for 76 total points.
Miscues and big plays have continued to be a main factor in the Hawks� winless start to the 2003 season. The Hawks have also allowed 14 scoring plays of 35 yards or more, and have allowed a punt return for a touchdown in three consecutive weeks.
The Saint Anselm special teams units will have to better this week with Siena boasting two big playmakers in Brandon Matano and Mike Smeja. Matano is averaging 19.2 yards per kick return and 9.9 yards per punt return with a 90-yard touchdown to his credit. Smeja is averaging 8.5 yards pre punt return and 29.0 yards per kickoff return.
Northeast-Nine: Times have changed in the Northeast-10 Conference as they are with one less team at the start of the 2003 season after the University of Massachusetts-Lowell dropped its football program at the conclusion of last season.
As a result, Saint Anselm will play a non-conference game for the first time since the 2000 season in which the Hawks had a pair of non-league games. The Hawks will travel to Division I-AA member Siena College in November. The two last met in that same 2000 season, with the Hawks taking a 20-16 win.
Siena: Siena, a member of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, will be looking for its first win this Saturday. The Saints have a weapon in kicker Charlie Conklin, who is 5-of-6 on field goal attempts and banged home a career-best 47 yarder last week, as well as a 45-yarder.
The Saints are allowing over 400 yard of offense per game... Sal Jeraci is the team�s top runner with three scores and 521 yards on the ground. Joe Piascki has big-play capability, and is averaging 29.3 yards per reception and 7.2 yards per carry... DE Ed Pietrowski has had a big season in the trenches for Siena with 6.0 sacks and 16.0 tackles for a loss.
Saint Anselm: On Saturday, the Hawks marched 52 yards on their opening possession but managed just 66 yards the rest of the game. CWP scored on its first six possessions of the game, and the Hawks were undone by five interceptions in the game with four of them resulting in touchdowns. CWP returned one interception and one punt for touchdowns.
Defense: The Hawks� defense recorded the team�s only score Saturday when a James Ward sack and forced fumble was scooped up by David Heiner and returned 32 yards for a score.
Tag Team: Ward and Heiner have led the defensive unit this season. Ward leads the team with 58 tackles (28 solo), 9.0 tackles for a loss, is tied for the team lead with three interceptions and is second with 4.0 sacks and two forced fumbles. Heiner leads the team with 4.5 sacks, has 7.0 TFLs, two fumble recoveries, one interception, three forced fumbles and five quarterback hurries.
Career Mark: Junior DB Michael DeMasi tied the school record with his ninth career interception on Saturday. The pick was his third of the season following a school-best six-pick year in 2002.
Sore Score: Although hampered by a hamstring injury all season long, running back Derek DiMartino has found the end zone six times (five rush, one pass) to rank ninth in the NE-10 in scoring.
Cashing In: Although the red zone stats have not translated into wins, the Hawks have been solid on both sides of the ball there this season. On offense, the team is 10-for-11 (six TDs, four FGs, 1 INT). On defense, the Hawks have also played well, allowing 20 scores on 32 possessions with five takeaways and four four-down stops.
Show Me Some Leg: Freshman kicker Mike Garcarz is second in the NE-10 with five field goals, and is second in percentage at 5-for-7. His two misses have come from distances of 47 and 52 yards.
