MANCHESTER, N.H. – The Saint Anselm College football team won its second consecutive game on Saturday, taking down visiting American International College by a 21-16 score at Grappone Stadium on Senior Day.
The Hawks improve to 3-5 overall on the season while moving to 3-4 against Northeast-10 Conference opponents. American International dips to 3-6 overall and to 1-6 versus league foes. Saint Anselm wraps up NE10 play next week at Assumption before traveling to Bluefield State on Saturday, Nov. 13.
Saint Anselm concludes the 2021 season with a 3-1 record at home, its best winning percentage (.750) since logging a 4-1 record at Grappone Stadium in 2001. The team's only loss on the Hilltop came to nationally-ranked Bentley, who has since risen to No. 11 in the AFCA Division II National Coaches' Poll.
The Saint Anselm defense allowed just 38 yards to the AIC offensive unit in the second half, who got on the board with a defensive touchdown following a Saint Anselm fumble. The Hawks defense also logged two interceptions as senior Liam Flynn (Hanover, Mass.) returned his first career pick 27 yards. Junior Devin Williams (Cliffwood, N.J.) also had an interception, bringing it back 16 yards.
Junior Vincent Wagner (Staten Island, N.Y.) led his team with 35 carries, reaching triple-digit rushing yards for the second consecutive game with a career-high 153 on the ground. The 35 rushing attempts for Wagner are tied for the third-most in any game by a Saint Anselm student-athlete. In his last two games, he has totaled 286 rushing yards on 56 carries to average just shy of seven yards per attempt.
The Hawks fell behind by a 3-0 score in the first quarter, but racked up three of the next four touchdowns to take a 21-10 lead late in the third quarter. American International tacked on a fourth quarter fumble return touchdown, but the Hawks were still able to secure the five-point victory at home.
Electing to receive the opening kick-off, the Yellow Jackets completed a six-play, 45-yard drive with a field goal to create a 3-0 advantage. The visitors logged two plays of 18 yards or greater in that span, chewing up yardage prior to a 36-yard field goal with 11:27 to go in the opening stanza.
The Hawks responded on their first offensive possession as sophomore quarterback Drew Willoughby (Austin, Texas) found freshman Carson Goda (Bradenton, Fla.) for a 31-yard touchdown reception. Wagner picked up 19 yards on the ground and the Hawks took advantage of a pass interference penalty to gain 15 yards en route to the score.
After the next three drives for both teams ended in three-and-outs, American International took a 10-7 lead following a Willoughby interception. With great field position, the Yellow Jackets began play at the Saint Anselm 22-yard line and needed just four plays to score an eight-yard rushing touchdown, taking a three-point lead with 2:28 to go in the first.
The Yellow Jackets would not score another offensive touchdown the rest of the game, punting five more times while throwing two interceptions and fumbling the ball once. AIC gained just 38 yards on offense in the game's second half.
Meanwhile, Saint Anselm took the lead for good with 8:32 to go in the second quarter as senior Bobby Long (Bridgewater, Mass.) hauled in a 33-yard pass from Willoughby to give his team a 14-10 lead.
The Hawks defense set up the Hawks third touchdown of the day as Devin Williams picked off the American International quarterback with 5:56 to go in the third quarter. Willoughby needed just three plays to connect with freshman Joseph Hoyler (Ashburn, Va.) for a 12-yard touchdown reception, moving the Hawks ahead by a 21-10 score.
The final score of the day was a 95-yard score by American International's Isiah Tolbert, who forced a fumble on the Saint Anselm five-yard line and carried it down the field for a defensive touchdown. The Yellow Jackets failed on the two-point conversion and later could not collect the onside kick, sending Saint Anselm to victory with 2:30 to go in regulation time.
Senior Ryan Sullivan (Stoughton, Mass.) led the Hawks with nine tackles while classmate Aidan Gillis (Marblehead, Mass.) had seven takedowns along with two tackles for a combined loss of eight yards – he also got to the AIC quarterback, recording a seven-yard sack. Junior Taylor Pawelkoski (Bradenton, Fla.) had six tackles and a fumble recovery for the Hawks.
