MANCHESTER, N.H. – Sophomore QB Yianni Gavalas (Manhasset, N.Y.) went 26-for-42 for 175 yards and used a rushing touchdown to pull the Hawks within one score with just over five minutes to play in the contest, but the Saint Anselm College football team fell to Stonehill College, 23-16, in the ninth annual "Battle for the Ol' Bronze Hawk" on a wet Saturday afternoon at Grappone Stadium on Senior Day.
The Hawks dip to 5-4 on the season, including 4-4 in Northeast-10 play, while the Skyhawks improve to 4-5, 4-4 NE-10.
With his 16th completion of the afternoon, Gavalas set a new single-season school mark for completions as he moved past Michael Pierce, who connected on 237 passes in 2009.
On a day in which offense was at a premium on the rain-soaked turf, Saint Anselm grabbed an early 3-0 lead after a 12-play, 51-yard drive produced a 33-yard field goal of the foot of junior K/P Shane Grayson (Ormond Beach, Fla.) with 4:21 left in the opening stanza. Grayson's field goal broke Erol Senel's school record for points scored by kicking in a single season (54 in 2001).
Stonehill answered on the ensuing drive, grinding out 57 yards on 11 plays before Steve Grzywack booted a 25-yard field goal to knot the game at 3-3 just 2:15 into the second quarter.
The Skyhawks then went on top, 9-3, with 4:54 left in the first half when Matt Foltz found Nate Robitaille from 28-yards out to cap a seven-play, 79-yard drive. Grzywack's extra point was blocked by senior DL Justin Waltzer (Danbury, Conn.).
Saint Anselm followed by going three-and-out and Stonehill took advantage with a quick-strike, five-play, 66-yard drive that ended with Zaire Reiph's 30-yard touchdown catch from Foltz to make it 16-3 after Grzywack's kick with just 1:07 remaining before the halftime break.
The Hawks tried to gather some momentum before the half, but were forced to punt and Stonehill was content taking a knee and the 13-point lead into the locker room.
The first three drives of the second half produced three punts before Foltz' 1-yard rush polished off a six-play, 72-yard drive that stretched the Stonehill lead to 23-3 after the Grzywack PAT with 3:48 left in the third.
After two more Saint Anselm series' left it with nothing to show, the defense came alive and forced a three-and-out that led to a blocked punt from sophomore LB Kyrel Jaundoo (Mattapan, Mass.), which sophomore DB Shane Jackson (Monticello, N.Y.) recovered at the Stonehill 20-yard line.
The offense turned that into points as senior WR Ahkeen Williams (DeWitt, N.Y.) handed in a four-yard rushing score that trimmed the deficit to 23-9 with 8:27 to go in regulation after Grayson's kick was blocked by Taylor Russell.
The Saint Anselm defense did it again, however, making Stonehill punt it away without picking up a first down and the offense took over at the Stonehill 40. After taking a sack, Gavalas hit senior WR Brandon Gomes (Providence, R.I.) down the left sideline for 25 yards to set up his own 23-yard scoring rush that pulled the Hawks within 23-16 after Grayson's point-after with 5:27 remaining.
The defense continued to reel in the momentum with another three-and-out, but the offense came up empty with a three-and-out of its own on the ensuing drive. Stonehill looked like it might go three-and-out again and give Saint Anselm the ball back with over two minutes on the clock, but the Skyhawks converted a big third-and-6 to move the chains and eventually run out the clock.
Williams caught six passes for 58 yards, while fellow senior WR Justin Bernard (Cambridge, Mass.) made seven catches for 42 yards.
The Saint Anselm offense was held to just 205 yards – easily its lowest output of the season – and only mustered 30 yards on the ground. Stonehill tallied 366 yards of total offense on 191 rushing yards and 175 more through the air.
Defensively, senior DL Andrew Lebowitz (Andover, Mass.) racked up 11 tackles, including 0.5 sacks, while Waltzer and senior LB Zach Hayes (Chelmsford, Mass.) each registered 10 stops.
Grayson had a 63-yard punt in the second quarter that stands as the third longest in program history. He now owns the three longest kicks in the Saint Anselm record book.
The Hawks honored their 21-member senior class in a ceremony before the game. Bernard was also presented with the ball he caught against Merrimack College on Oct. 4 to become the NCAA Division II's all-time receptions leader.
The Hawks return to action Saturday, Nov. 8 at noon when they travel to take on the University of New Haven in their regular-season finale. Stay up-to-date with the latest news, including game previews and recaps, directly from the Saint Anselm College athletic department by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter @STAHawks.
