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Football vs. FPU Senior Day
17
Franklin Pierce FPU 3-6 , 2-4
24
Winner Saint Anselm STA 6-4 , 5-2
Franklin Pierce FPU
3-6 , 2-4
17
Final
24
Saint Anselm STA
6-4 , 5-2
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
FPU Franklin Pierce 0 3 7 7 17
STA Saint Anselm 0 17 7 0 24

Game Recap: Football |

Football Defeats Franklin Pierce, Earns Second Straight Winning Season

MANCHESTER, N.H. - Junior tight end Carson Goda (Bradenton, Fla.) caught eight passes for 109 yards and a touchdown to lead the Saint Anselm College football team to a 24-17 victory of in-state rival Franklin Pierce University on Saturday afternoon.

The victory is the sixth this season for the Hawks, tied for the most wins in a single season in program history. It is also the first time in modern-day program history (since 1999) since Saint Anselm has posted back-to-back winning campaigns.

UP NEXT:

  • Saint Anselm has concluded the 2023 regular season with a 6-4 overall record. The Hawks also finish their conference schedule at 5-2, which is their best ever record in NE10 play since joining the league in 2001.
  • The Hawks currently sit behind Bentley University and the University of New Haven in the Northeast-10 Conference standings. Both of those teams have two games left, and if each lose one game, Saint Anselm will clinch their first ever NE10 title in program history.

Score: Saint Anselm 24, Franklin Pierce 17
Records: Saint Anselm (6-4, 5-2 Northeast-10); Franklin Pierce (3-6, 2-4 Northeast-10)
Location: Manchester, N.H. (Grappone Stadium)
Date: Saturday, November 4, 2023
Attendance: 737

HOW IT HAPPENED:

  • The first quarter was a defensive battle, with multiple stops made by both teams. After Franklin Pierce punted to Saint Anselm on their opening drive, the Hawks were stopped on fourth down from the Ravens 41 yard line at the 9:19 mark of the opening quarter.
  • On the first play of Saint Anselm's next offensive series, junior quarterback Anthony Santino (Woodbridge, N.J.) was strip sacked by Franklin Pierce's Geno Facchetti. Chris Yeboah recovered the fumble for the Ravens at the Hawks 26 yard line. However, the Saint Anselm defense stood tall with graduate student Devin Williams (Cliffwood, N.J.) sacking Franklin Pierce quarterback Adrian Parker on fourth down to get his team the ball back. Both teams would exchange punts as the first quarter ended scoreless.
  • Saint Anselm began the second quarter with the ball, but turned it right back over to Franklin Pierce after a Caden Hinton interception and return of 15 yards to set the Ravens up in the red zone. The Ravens could not find the end zone, however, and would settle for a 22-yard field goal by Nola Startzell to go ahead, 3-0.
  • The Hawks offense got going on their next possession with an 11 play, 73 yard drive that tied the game at 3-3. Saint Anselm got into Franklin Pierce territory on the second play of the drive when Santino linked up with junior Colin Kniffen (South Windsor, Conn.) for a 46-yard completion. The Hawks got all the way to the Ravens one yard line, but three consecutive defensive stands by Franklin Pierce resulted in Saint Anselm sending out junior kicker Patrick Carroll (Stafford, Va.) to tie the score with a 19-yard field goal.
  • Saint Anselm got the football back in good starting field position following a short Franklin Pierce punt of just 21 yards. After two completions by Santino to Goda for 18 yards and a roughing the passer penalty called on the Ravens, junior Bowen Lewis (Austin, Texas) rushed in from a yard out for the first touchdown of the game to put the Hawks in front, 10-3.
  • On third down with 1:23 remaining in the first half, fifth year Taylor Pawelkoski (Bradenton, Fla.) registered another sack for the Hawks defense, forcing a Ravens punt from  their own 22 yard line. Junior Cooper Estes (Hingham, Mass.) made a huge special teams play, blocking Max Paskowitz's punt and returning it nine yards for his first collegiate score.
  • The Ravens attempted to score in the final minute and change left in the half, but senior Devin Wood (Merrimack, N.H.) intercepted a Jordan McAfee pass for his first takeaway of the season as the Hawks headed into halftime with a 17-3 lead.
  • Saint Anselm struggled to move the ball offensively to start the second half after receiving the kickoff and punted twice to Franklin Pierce. With 6:29 to go in the third quarter, fifth year Max Tempchin (Silver Spring, Md.) forced a fumble on Benitez. Tempchin also recovered the ball for the Hawks, setting his team up inside the red zone.
  • Two plays later, Santino found Goda in the back corner of the endzone from eight yards out to increase Saint Anselm's lead to a three touchdown margin. The touchdown reception is Goda's team-leading fifth of the season.
  • Franklin Pierce wasted little time with their response, orchestrating a seven play, 76 yard drive in three minutes to cut the Saint Anselm lead to 24-10. Parker connected with Jozia Gonzalez from eight yards out for the Ravens' first touchdown of the game.
  • After exchanging punts to start the fourth quarter, the Hawks got the football back with 12:22 remaining. The Hawks would cross midfield following another pass from Santino to Goda, this time going for 31 yards and getting down inside the Ravens 20 yard line. Saint Anselm would settle for a 35 yard field goal, but Carroll's attempt missed wide left with 9:07 left in the contest.
  • Franklin Pierce used the Saint Anselm miscue as momentum and quickly increased the tempo offensively, with Parker leading a drive into Hawks territory. After the Ravens' gunslinger completed five passes on the drive and led his team all the way down to the Hawks one yard line, Andrew Meleski punched it into the endzone, capitalizing on an 18 play, 80 yard drive to make it 24-17 Saint Anselm with 3:09 remaining.
  • The Ravens attempted an onside kick on the ensuing kickoff, but it was safely recovered by junior Rio Ferguson (Northborough, Mass.) for the Hawks. Saint Anselm picked up two first downs and ran out the clock to ensure the seven-point victory.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

  • Franklin Pierce held a 270-235 advantage in total yards of offense.
  • Saint Anselm won the passing battle, totaling 237 yards compared to 177 for Franklin Pierce.
  • The Ravens led the way on the ground, totaling 93 rushing yards on 35 attempts.
  • Goda had another outstanding performance for Saint Anselm with eight catches for 109 yards and a touchdown, while Santino completed 22 of 32 pass attempts for 237 yards and a touchdown. Kniffen also caught two passes for 62 yards for the Hawks, while Lewis rushed for his first touchdown of the year.
  • Each team gained an interception and a fumble recovery during the game. Estes made the difference for Saint Anselm on special teams with his blocked punt that he returned for a score.
  • Pawelkoski led the Hawks on defense with 11 total tackles and two sacks. Williams also registered a sack for Saint Anselm.
  • This marked the fourth ever meeting between Saint Anselm and Franklin Pierce, with the Hawks remaining unbeaten against the Ravens.
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