Manchester, N.H. (September 15) -- Led by a
five-touchdown afternoon by freshman running back Herbert
Woodard (Salem, N.J.), Assumption pulled away for a 71-21
victory over Saint Anselm on Saturday afternoon at Grappone
Stadium. Woodard finished the afternoon with 277 yards rushing on
21 attempts, the third-highest single-game rushing total in
Assumption history. In addition, his five-touchdown effort ties a
single-game school record.
Assumption got off to a quick start as Woodard scored on the
first play from scrimmage with a 70-yard TD run. Woodard added
three more first-quarter scores before Ryan Drago
(Plymouth,
Mass.) got the Hawks on the board
with a six-yard TD reception from quarterback Nick Barese
(Braintree,Mass.)
with 16 seconds left in the quarter. Assumption closed out the
scoring as the first quarter expired as David Canney
(Templeton,
Mass.) ran back the kickoff 90
yards for a 43-7 lead. The Greyhounds added a pair of
second-quarter scoring drives and took a 57-7 lead into the
halftime break.
The Greyhounds pushed the lead to 64-7 in the opening minutes of
the third quarter before Barese answered for Saint Anselm with a
21-yard touchdown run with 3:05 remaining in the quarter. The TD
was set up by an outstanding block from senior wide receiver
Mike Wotjas
(Dracut,
Mass.) that allowed Barese to
turn the corner and find the end zone. Barese scored on the next
possession as well with a one-yard quarterback keeper for a
touchdown as the Hawks cut the Greyhound lead to 64-21 with 14:55
remaining in the fourth quarter. Assumption answered midway through
the quarter with a 12-play, 54-yard TD drive for a 71-21 lead to
close out the scoring.
Junior Conor Cahill
(Salem,
Mass.) finished with 81 yards to
lead the Hawks rushing attack, followed closely by Barese with 57
yards and the pair of touchdown runs. In the air, Barese was
12-for-34 with 94 yards and a touchdown.
For Assumption, Lance Mitchell (Boynton
Beach,
Fla.) also added a pair of
touchdowns on 46 yards. In the air, Taylor Humphrey
(Lafayette,
Calif.) finished 5-for-7 for 91
yards.
With the loss, Saint Anselm drops to 0-2 overall and 0-1 in
Northeast-10 play. Assumption picks up its first win of the season
and is now 1-2 overall and 1-1 in league play. The Hawks are back
in action on Saturday, September 22 when they travel to Pace for a
Noon start in Pleasantville, N.Y.
