COMPLETE GAME NOTES
MANCHESTER, N.H. – The Saint Anselm College football team will hit the road again as it takes on Southern Connecticut State University in a battle of two teams looking for their first wins of the season at Jess Dow Field on Saturday, Sept. 29 at 1 p.m. Links to live stats and live video are available on the football schedule page.
This will be the 14th meeting between the two teams, with Southern Connecticut owning an 11-2 advantage in the series. The Owls have won nine straight overall and are a perfect 7-0 at home. The last win for Saint Anselm came Nov. 16, 2002 when it captured a 36-18 victory on the Hilltop. In the most recent meeting Sept. 17 of last season, junior QB Mike Pierce threw for 315 yards and four touchdowns, but the Hawks dropped a 59-34 decision to Southern Connecticut in both teams' Northeast-10 opener at Grappone Stadium.
The Hawks, who were coming off their bye week, fell to 0-2, 0-1 NE-10, while the Owls improved to 2-1, 1-0.
Pierce completed 33 of his 57 passes and tossed an interception. Senior WR Marc Wilson caught 10 of Pierce's passes for 118 yards and a touchdown, while on the other side of the field, sophomore Justin Bernard continued his impressive play with 11 catches for 107 yards and a touchdown.
The Hawks started things off with a bang on the first play from scrimmage, as Pierce hooked up with Wilson deep over the middle for a 45-yard pass play that set up a first and 10 at the Southern Connecticut 15. Later in the nine-play, 60-yard drive on third and goal, Pierce found Bernard in the back of the end zone where he reeled in Pierce's pass with one hand to make it 7-0.
The Owls answered with an eight-play, 76-yard drive that was capped off on a Rashaad Slowley 11-yard run, and looked to score again after the Hawks were forced to punt. Redshirt-sophomore DB Ethan Sylvain thwarted those plans, however, coming up with an interception that gave his team good field position at the Southern Connecticut 45.
Saint Anselm then moved the ball those 45 yards in six plays, with a 20-yard strike from Pierce to Wilson putting the Hawks back on top, 14-7.
Slowley, who finished with 205 yards on 35 carries and six touchdowns, started the next drive with his longest run of the afternoon – a 34-yard dash, which set up his seven-yard score just two plays later to tie the game at 14.
On the ensuing kickoff, Wilson returned the ball 80 yards up the left sideline to quickly put the Hawks back on top, 21-14.
From there, however, the Owls would put up 24 unanswered points, including a 20-yard TD pass from Kevin Lynch to Andre Privott with three seconds remaining in the first quarter.
A Chris Hazelton 33-yard field goal gave Southern Connecticut its first lead of the day at 24-21, before Slowley's 4-yard stroll with 7:22 left in the half pushed the lead to 31-21.
The Owls opened the second half with a three-play, 73-yard drive that was capped on a 42-yard pass play from Lynch to Willie Epps, which opened up a 38-21 advantage just 1:20 in.
With Southern Connecticut looking to increase its lead, sophomore DB Trevor Jesse intercepted his second pass of the day at his team's 20-yard line and returned it into Southern Connecticut territory. Saint Anselm then cut its deficit to 11 when Pierce connected with freshman TE Brian DeAngelis on a six-yard pass under 2:30 later.
A 12-yard run by Slowley to cap the third-quarter scoring, followed by a five-yard Slowley jaunt to open the fourth, put Southern Connecticut in control at 52-27.
Junior WR Craig Dennis reeled in an 11-yard Pierce pass to make it 52-34 before Slowley added a three-yard score with 3:34 remaining to cap the scoring.
Sophomore RB Keith Charles caught five passes for 41 yards in the contest.
Lynch was 20-for-27 for 314 yards and two touchdowns, but was intercepted three times. Privott recorded nine receptions for 134 yards and a touchdown.
The Saint Anselm defense forced five turnovers, including a fumble recovery by senior LB Kyle Hayes after he put a crushing hit on Lynch that knocked the ball loose, and an interception by junior DB Tyler Crawford. The four interceptions are the most for the Hawks since they recorded four against Bentley University on Oct. 25, 2008, while the five turnovers are the most since forcing five last season against Stonehill College on Oct. 30. The team's seven interceptions through two games this season are just three shy of last season's entire total.
LAST TIME OUT
Sophomore WR Justin Bernard made 10 catches for 81 yards, but the Hawks fell to eighth-ranked New Haven, 45-0, Sept. 22 at Ralph F. DellaCamera Stadium.
The Hawks dropped to 0-4 on the season, including 0-3 in Northeast-10 play, while the Chargers remained perfect at 4-0, 3-0 NE-10.
New Haven wasted no time striking first, crafting a seven-play, 68-yard drive that culminated in an 11-yard touchdown pass from Ronnie Nelson to Jason Thompson. Chris Scifo's extra point made it 7-0 just 3:06 into the contest.
Scifo then made it 10-0 with 3:34 left in the first quarter with a 28-yard field goal after New Haven moved the ball 78 yards in 11 plays.
Nelson helped the Chargers expand their lead when he connected with Kameel Lashley on a 19-yard strike that made it 17-0 with 10:27 on the clock in the second quarter after Scifo's extra point.
Nelson then capped a seven-play, 73-yard drive with a 23-yard touchdown toss to Demetrius Washington-Ellison that widened the gap to 24-0 with just 27 seconds to go before halftime after Scifo's point after.
After the Hawks were driving – moving the ball 62 yards – a Charles fumble gave New Haven the ball at its own eight-yard line. The Chargers then went 92 yards in just two plays, with Victor Jones racing 87 yards down the left sideline to make it 31-0 with 8:20 remaining in the third quarter after another Scifo extra point.
The Hawks threatened on a third-quarter drive that began with 5:46 left when junior QB Ray Doucette completed five consecutive passes to Bernard, junior WR Eric Feehan and senior Craig Dennis, but the drive stalled out at the New Haven 38-yard line and the Hawks were forced to punt.
On the ensuing drive, the Chargers made it 38-0 with 1:56 left in the third when Nelson hooked up with Lashley for a 75-yard catch-and-run touchdown. Scifo added the point after.
The Chargers then capped the scoring with a seven-play, 81-yard drive that came to an end when Justen Wilson rumbled 31 yards down the right sideline to find the end zone. Scifo's extra point made it 45-0 with 11:09 remaining in the game.
In addition to his 10 catches for 81 yards, Bernard also added 15 yards on three rushes, while Dennis reeled in seven passes for 42 yards. Doucette was 23-for-37 for 152 yards.
YOU CAN'T BE CERIO!
With 35 punts through the first four games of the season, senior Shea Cerio is on pace to break the program's single-season record for punts, which is held by Mike Garcarz, who booted away 83 balls during the 2006 season. Cerio, who matched Saint Anselm's single-game record of 13 punts in the season opener at Kutzown on Sept. 3, also needs just 28 more punts to become the school's career leader in that category. Jeff Dandurand tallied 181 punts from 1999-02.
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.
