COMPLETE GAME NOTES
MANCHESTER, N.H. – The Saint Anselm College football team will hit the road again in search of its first victory of the season as it takes on eighth-ranked University of New Haven at Ralph F. DellaCamera Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 22 at a p.m. Links to live stats and live video are available on the football schedule page.
This will be just the fourth meeting between the two teams, with New Haven holding a 2-1 edge in the series. The Hawks won the only game played at New Haven - a 35-26 upset victory Nov. 6, 2010 that ruined New Haven's chances at an outright Northeast-10 title and ended its NCAA Tournament dreams. The Chargers havve won both meetings on the Hilltop, including last season's Nov. 12 tilt that resulted in a 59-17 victory for the visitors at Grappone Stadium.
Senior Marc Wilson caught 11 passes for 139 yards and a touchdown, but the Hawks fell to seventh-ranked New Haven on Senior Day.
The Hawks wrapped up their season at 1-9 overall, including 1-7 in Northeast-10 play, while the Chargers became champions of the Northeast-10 with a record of 10-1, 8-0.
The game was close early on as the Hawks responded to Chris Scifo's 25-yard field goal by driving 79 yards in 13 plays to tie the game on a 19-yard field goal by junior K Shea Cerio.
New Haven went back on top on its next possession on a 1-yard touchdown run by QB Ryan Osiecki that made it 10-3 after Scifo's extra point with 3:39 to play in the opening quarter. The Chargers then opened it up to 17-3 just 47 seconds into the second quarter when Osiecki hit Kameel Lashley for a 54-yard touchdown on the first play of the drive. Scifo's point-after was good.
The Hawks answered with a nine-play, 53-yard drive that culminated in a seven-yard touchdown stroll by sophomore RB Keith Charles. Cerio's extra point sliced it to 17-10 with 11:07 on the clock in the opening half.
On the ensuing drive, New Haven charged 57 yards in five plays with Jason Thompson reeling in a 27-yard strike from Osiecki that made it 24-10 after Scifo's extra point. Scifo missed a 19-yard field goal with 34 seconds left in the half and New Haven kept its 14-point lead heading into the break.
After Cerio's kickoff went into the end zone for a touchback to start the second half, Osiecki aired out a deep ball to Thompson, who made the catch and raced to the end zone to complete the one-play, 80-yard drive that ate up 11 seconds of clock.
New Haven took the ball right back as Desmond Anderson intercepted junior QB Mike Pierce at the Saint Anselm 16-yard line and returned it three yards to the 13, where Osiecki hooked up with Chris Higgins for a touchdown on the following play. The Chargers held the ball for 18 seconds and scored two touchdowns 42 seconds apart to take a 38-10 lead.
It was 45-10 3:35 into the final quarter when Mike DeCaro capped off an 11-play, 72-yard drive with a 12-yard run. Scifo followed with the extra point.
The Hawks came back an engineered a 10-play, 85-yard drive, with Pierce hitting Wilson just inside the left pylon for a touchdown that Serio followed with an extra point to make it 45-17 with 8:20 to go.
A 24-yard pass from Osiecki to Lashley with 6:10 left finished off a five-play, 52-yard drive that made it 52-17 before the Chargers closed the scoring with a seven-play, 44-yard drive that ended in a Brian Alston five-yard touchdown run with 1:39 on the clock.
Pierce finished 28 of 49 for 256 yards and a touchdown, but was also intercepted three times, including once on a ball he threw up for grabs on the final play of the game. Pierce also rushed six times for 35 yards.
New Haven racked up 587 yards of total offense, including 421 yards through the air. Osiecki was 21 of 30 for 391 yards, five touchdowns and one interception. Thompson caught five passes for 163 yards and two touchdowns, while Lashley made five catches for 128 yards and two scores. Ronnie Nelson rushed 10 times for 107 yards.
Defensively for the Hawks, senior LB Shane O'Donnell recorded nine tackles, including three for a loss of 18 yards, two sacks for 16 yards and an interception. Junior LB Chris Bent made 10 tackles, including 1.5 for a loss, while senior Kyle Hayes tallied nine tackles, including 1.5 for a loss.
O'Donnell's interception gave the Hawks 18 for the season, which was one shy of tying the school record.
This marked the final game for seniors Wilson, O'Donnell, Hayes, OL Jake Smith, LB Garrett Hubert, OL Sean Morris and DL Dustin Mone, who were all honored in a ceremony prior to the start of the game.
LAST TIME OUT
Sophomore WR Justin Bernard caught a 35-yard touchdown and tossed a 52-yard score, but the Hawks fell to Stonehill College, 35-20, in the Seventh Annual "Battle for the Ol' Bronze Hawk" on Sept. 14 in the first ever football game under the lights at Grappone Stadium.
The Hawks dropped to 0-3 on the season, including 0-2 in Northeast-10 play, while the Skyhawks improved to 2-1, 2-0.
Bernard hauled in seven passes for 113 yards and a touchdown, while also completing his only attempt for a 52-yard score. The 113 receiving yards were the second most of Bernard's career behind the 129 he put up at New Haven on Nov. 6, 2010.
Stonehill went ahead 7-0 with 7:49 left in the opening quarter when Logan Meyer completed a 23-yard touchdown pass to Nate Robitaille and Steve Grzywacz added the extra point.
The Hawks responded by moving the ball 76 yards in just six plays over a span of 1:56, with a 35-yard touchdown pass down the left sideline from sophomore QB Stephen Cuipa to Bernard capping it off. The extra point was no good and the Skyhawks clung to a one-point lead.
With under eight minutes to go in the second quarter, sophomore DB Mike Harper broke free and blocked Ryan Handy's punt attempt at the Stonehill 37-yard line. Freshman RB Greg Donahue eventually recovered the loose ball at the Saint Anselm 48-yard line.
Then, on the ensuing play, junior QB Ray Doucette threw the ball behind the line of scrimmage to Bernard, who cocked back and unleashed a throw downfield that was reeled in by sophomore WR Brandon Gomes at the Stonehill 20. Gomes easily raced into the end zone when his defender dove trying to get back into position and the Hawks held a 13-7 lead with 7:27 remaining in the half after freshman K Shane Grayson kicked the extra point.
Stonehill re-gained the lead with just 36 seconds to play before the half when it strung together an eight-play, 67-yard drive that was capped by a Jermetrius Troy 1-yard touchdown run that made it 14-13 after Grzywacz' point after.
The Hawks hit back on just the third play of the second half when junior LB Ethan Sylvain undercut the receiver's route, picked off Meyer's pass and ran it back 45 yards to put the Hawks on top, 20-14, after Grayson's extra point just 1:34 into the third quarter.
The Skyhawks answered by piecing together a 10-play, 73-yard drive that ate up 4:21 of clock and ended with Tyler Williams catching a three-yard touchdown pass from Meyer to make it 21-20 after Grzywacz' extra point with 8:57 on the clock in the third.
Stonehill stretched its lead to eight just 10 seconds into the fourth quarter when Jesse Hunt found Robitaille for a 37-yard catch-and-run that ended a nine-play, 63-yard, 3:27 drive, which made it 28-20 after the extra point by Grzywacz.
After forcing the Hawks to punt following the ensuing drive that lasted just 1:12, Stonehill grinded out a 16-play, 80-yard drive that ate up 8:12 of clock and made it 35-20 following Justin Willis' five-yard touchdown run and Grzywacz' point after.
Cuipa was 7 of 12 for 133 yards, a touchdown and an interception, while Doucette completed 14 of his 30 throws for 116 yards and a pick. Sophomore WR Ahkeen Williams pulled in five catches for 72 yards, while Gomes nabbed two passes for 56 yards and the score.
In addition to the pick-six, Sylvain recorded 13 tackles. Senior LB Chris Bent made a game- and career-high 16 stops and also recovered a fumble. Sophomore DL Josh Cheever was also in double-digits with 10 tackles. Junior DB Trevor Jessie posted seven tackles and his first interception of the season. Freshman DB Jack Hopkins, in addition to his six stops, recorded a 15-yard sack.
Stonehill put together 523 yards of total offense to the Hawks' 330, including 246 on the ground. Saint Anselm recorded its first 300-yard passing game with 301 yards through the air.
DOING IT ALL
Sophomore WR Justin Bernard had a game to remember in the Hawks' home opener against Stonehill on Sept. 14. Bernard caught seven passes for 113 yards (the second highest total of his career) and a touchdown. In addition, Bernard tossed a 52-yard touchdown pass to fellow sophomore WR Brandon Gomes that gave Saint Anselm a 13-7 lead midway through the second quarter. Bernard is the first non-QB ever to throw a touchdown pass of that length for the Hawks and the first to complete a TD since K/WR Michael Garcarz connected on a 19-yard score against Assumption on Sept. 11, 2004.
BENT, BUT DON'T BREAK
While the Hawks are giving up just a shade under 40 points per game through the first three contests this year, senior LB Chris Bent has been a bright spot, defensively, so far this season. Bent has registered a team-leading 35 tackles, including 20 solo stops, and ranks 13th in the nation in tackles per game (11.7), as well as second in the conference.
PICKING AND CHOOSING
The Hawks' two interception leaders from a year ago, sophomore LB Ethan Sylvain (5) and junior DB Trevor Jessie (4), each picked off a pass against Stonehill. It marked the first two INTs of the year for Saint Anselm. Sylvain ran his interception back 45 yards for a touchdown early in the third quarter that gave the Hawks a 20-14 advantage.
THREE FOR ME
The Hawks have found the end zone three times in their first two games, with junior running back Keith Charles scoring all three touchdowns – a receiving score at Kutztown and a pair of rushing TDs at Assumption.
CUIPA BREAKS RECORD
Sophomore QB Stephen Cuipa broke a nearly 12-year-old record when he completed 80 percent (16-20) of his passes at Assumption on Sept. 7. The previous record was held by Keith Comeau, who connected on 76.9 percent (20-26) of his throws at Stonehill on Nov. 4, 2000.
ALL-PURPOSE BACK
Junior running back Keith Charles amassed 194 all-purpose yards at Assumption on Sept. 7. Charles rushed 13 times for 76 yards and two touchdowns, made four catches for 37 yards and returned four kickoffs for 81 yards.
PERFECT 10
Junior wide WR Eric Feehan, who broke out a year ago as the team's second leading receiver, continued his solid play with a career-best 10 catches for 91 yards at Assumption on Sept. 7.
FIRST IN
For the second straight year, junior running back Keith Charles scored Saint Anselm's first touchdown of the season. Charles caught a 25-yard touchdown pass at Kutztown on Aug. 30, one year after scampering in from two yards out at home against Kutztown on Sept. 3, 2011.
PREDICTING THE FUTURE
The Hawks were picked to finish eighth in the Northeast-10 Preseason Coaches' Poll that was released Aug. 20. New Haven was chosen as the favorite to win the conference after collecting seven-first place votes and point total of 63 to beat out Southern Connecticut, which earned one first-place vote and 53 total points. AIC, which received the other first-place vote, came in third with 50 points. With 41 points apiece, Bentley and Merrimack tied for the fourth-place slot, as Assumption (29) edged out Stonehill (24) for sixth place. Saint Anselm (15) and Pace (8) rounded out the poll.
WGAM PARTNERSHIP
The Saint Anselm College Department of Athletics has partnered with WGAM 'The Game' Radio for the upcoming 2012-13 season. As part of the agreement, WGAM 'The Game' will feature the Saint Anselm Coaches' Show once per week. The Saint Anselm Coaches' Show will air every Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. as part of "The Nick Anastos Show," which runs from noon-2 p.m. Anastos, a Bedford, N.H., native, has served as the color analyst for the Hawks' Pack Network broadcasts of football, men's and women's basketball and men's and women's ice hockey since 2010. The show will highlight what is happening in the world of Saint Anselm athletics, as Anastos will chat with both a head coach and student-athlete during the 30-minute segment.
LIVE VIDEO STREAMING
Saint Anselm Athletics and Pack Network will once again team up for the 2012-13 season to offer an industry-leading streaming video solution. The service will feature live event productions that include multiple cameras, an on-screen scoreboard and graphics so that fans can still be part of the action even when they can't make it to the game. And starting this season, fans can stream games live on their ipad or iphone. This season, all football, men's and women's basketball, and men's and women's hockey games will be streamed live at SaintAnselmHawks.tv. The Hawks All-Access Pass, available for $69.95, gives fans the opportunity to watch not only all the live coverage of various Saint Anselm home athletic events, but also premium content not available to view without the All-Access Pass. The premium content includes an in-depth archive section of all video available. Single-event subscriptions for all live events will be available throughout the season for $6.95.
