The Game:
Saturday's game between the Saint Anselm Hawks and the Assumption Greyhounds will be a first for both teams, as the Hawks open up their Northeast-10 Conference schedule and the 'Hounds begin their 2004 home schedule.
Saint Anselm opened its season with a win for the first time since the 1999 campaign, with a 24-0 blanking of Division III Plymouth State University. Not only was it the first season opening win in five years, it was the first Hawks' win in the month of September dating back to Sept. 8, 2001 (31-30 win over UMass Lowell), a string off 11 games.
Assumption enters the game with an 0-1 mark both overall and in the Northeast-10 Conference after a season opening 23-6 setback at Stonehill College.
Series Notes:
Saint Anselm leads the all-time series by a count of 4-1. The Greyhounds ended a four-year losing streak last season with a 26-24 win as the Hawks missed a 51-yard field goal attempt as time expired.
With constant rescheduling of the Northeast-10 Conference schedule over the past few seasons, the Hawks will actually be making their third straight trip to Worcester, Mass. in 2004. The Hawks are 2-1 on the road against Assumption heading into the game.
About Saint Anselm:
Saint Anselm showed off its no huddle offense last Saturday and ran away with a 24-0 blanking of Plymouth State. The Hawks only kept possession of the ball longer than two minutes on one first half drive. Their three offensive scoring possessions averaged out to 1:04, which included an 80-yard drive in the second quarter.
Although the offense looked drastically different from previous years, with four wide receivers, it was the Hawks' defense that made its presence felt with a commanding style of play.
The Hawks recorded 14 tackles for a loss in the game with three of them coming as quarterback sacks. When the Hawks did not break through for a sack, they did manage to harass PSU quarterback Tye Seastredt to the tune of 16 quarterback hurries. Additionally, the Hawks forced five PSU turnovers, with one of them being returned for a touchdown to seal the victory.
De-More:
Senior running back Derek DiMartino (Amherst, N.H./ UMass Amherst) topped all Northeast-10 Conference backs with 24 carries for 158 yards and a score on Saturday. His best run came on a 77-yard scoring run in which he ad-libbed an inside draw and bounced to the outside and down the sideline for the score. He also caught three passes out of the backfield for 22 yards. His 6.6 yards per carry averaged leads all backs with at least 15 attempts through the first week of play.
Say My Name:
Sophomore Michael Garcarz ((New Britain, Conn./ New Britain) pronounced GAR-ces) was a Freshman All-America selection as a place kicker last season after setting a Northeast-10 Conference record with 10 field goals. He made a new name for himself in this year's opener as he made his collegiate debut at wide receiver, catching six passes for 58 yards. He also ran for a touchdown to become the first Saint Anselm player to score a touchdown, kick an extra point, and kick a field goal in the same game.
Sunny Day:
Junior safety Brian Sundell (N. Easton, Mass./ Oliver Ames) has proved himself to be one of the league's top hitters over the past season. He continued to live up to that billing with a 13-tackle effort against PSU on Saturday. 11 of his tackles came before halftime.
Under Pressure:
Senior defensive end David Heiner (Farmington, Conn./ Farmington) spent most of his day harassing PSU quarterbacks and runners. He recorded a game-high four solo tackles (five in all), had 1.5 sacks for seven yards, and recorded five quarterback hurries.
Strike a Pose:
Senior defensive back Jim Malone (Leominster, Mass./ Leominster) recorded his first career interception and made it count, returning the ball 41-yards for a touchdown.
Other Firsts:
Sophomore defensive back Mark Wysocki (New Britain, Conn./ New Britain) made his first career start at cornerback and responded with his first career interception, coming in the Hawks' end zone to avert a PSU scoring drive.
Sophomore linebacker Thomas Kelleher (Wakefield, Mass./ Wakefield) also recorded his first career interception (returned for 17 yards), first career sack (assisted), and had a career-high eight total tackles in the game.
Defensive linemen Jason Landri (New Canaan, Conn./ New Canaan) and Casey Larson (Pascoag, R.I./ UMaine) also recorded their first career fumble recoveries in the game.
About Assumption:
Assumption enters the game at 0-1 after a 23-6 loss to Stonehill. The Greyhounds ran for just 24 yards on 28 carries in the game. Freshman running back Michael Moyer (Plymouth, Mass.) finished his day with 49 yards on 15 carries (3.3 ypc) to lead the offense.
Sophomore quarterback Joe Correia (Melrose, Mass.) completed just 8-of-24 passes for 92 yards before giving way to a backup.
Senior Brian Gordon (Quaker Hill, Conn.) had a good day on defense for the 'Hounds, with 11 total tackles (six solo), including 3.5 tackles for a loss.
Saint Anselm Injury Report:
K/WR Mike Garcarz-Leg-Probable
WR Matt Raymond-Shoulder-Probable
P Artie Kurshumi-Thigh-Gametime Decision
WR Pat Turner-Hamstring-Gametime Decision
RB Ernie Ardolino-Shoulder-Out
DB Michael DeMasi-Hamstring-Out
OL Andy Pierce-Head-Out
DL Josh Ahlquist-Knee-Out for Season
DB James DesRocher-Shoulder-Out for Season
Memorabilia Collectors:
This season, the Office of Sports Information will be producing four different editions of the "Saint Anselm Gameday" magazine. Each home game will feature a different member of the 2004 team. Pick up a copy at each game, along with the 92-page 2004 Football Media Guide.
