MANCHESTER, N.H. - The Saint Anselm College football team posted a 42-21 victory over Post University on Saturday afternoon. The Hawks are now 2-2 on the season with the win over the Eagles at Grappone Stadium.
UP NEXT:
- The Hawks are back in action next Saturday, Sept. 30th, traveling to Southern Connecticut State University for a Northeast-10 Conference tilt. The game is slated for a 12:00 p.m. kick-off.
Score: Saint Anselm 42, Post 21
Records: Saint Anselm (2-2); Post (1-3)
Location: Manchester, N.H. (Grappone Stadium)
Date: Saturday, September 23, 2023
Attendance: 759
HOW IT HAPPENED
- After both teams exchanged punts on their opening drives of the game, the Eagles went for it on 4th-and-one at their own 43-yard line. Fifth-year Justin Villanueva (Lowell, Mass.) recovered the ball after Post quarterback Simon Burkett fumbled, giving the Hawks offense great field position.
- On the ensuing drive, freshman quarterback Drew Forkner (Plano, Texas) made a seven-yard completion to senior Blaine Burkhalter (Burnet, Texas) for a first down. Following an eight-yard rush by junior Rio Ferguson (Northborough, Mass.) to put the Hawks at the Post 13-yard line, Forkner found senior Carter Uhlman (Southington, Conn.) wide open in the end zone to give Saint Anselm the early 6-0 advantage.
- Post answered on their next drive thanks to a 37-yard touchdown completion to Joshua Tracey with under five minutes left in the quarter. The Eagles would take a 7-6 lead with the extra point by Aden Caine.
- At the start of the second quarter, Forkner completed three out of four passes, including a 37-yard toss to Burkhalter, to put the Hawks at Post's 27-yard line. Later that drive, sophomore Jaidin Haynes (Sayreville, N.J.) broke through the Eagle's defense and carried the ball for an 18-yard touchdown. Saint Anselm could not convert the two-point attempt, but would take back a 12-7 lead.
- The Eagles had third down and nine from their own 37-yard line on their next offensive drive, but fifth year Ryan Raybuck (Flower Mound, Texas) intercepted Burkett's pass and took it to Post's 21-yard line. Forkner connected with Uhlman once again for a 14-yard touchdown completion and a made extra point by junior Patrick Carroll (Stafford, Va.) extended Saint Anselm's advantage to 19-7.
- Post quickly responded thanks to a 90-yard kick return touchdown by Josh Tracey, who managed to evade several Hawks tacklers on the play, making it a 19-14 game.
- On the next drive, Saint Anselm would go for it on fourth down and two at the Post 27-yard line. Ferguson's effort on a six-yard rush earned the Hawks the first down. After a pass interference call on Post helped put Saint Anselm in scoring position, Ferguson would produce another six-yard rush, this time for a touchdown to give the Hawks a 26-14 lead at the 3:52 mark in the second quarter.
- Saint Anselm continued to display their defensive strength when senior Terrance Cherry, Jr. (Roxbury, Mass.) hurried Burkett, who then threw an errant pass that junior Najei Snyder (Deltona, Fla.) leaped and picked off for the interception. Forkner would complete four of five passes in nine plays on the following drive for Saint Anselm, including a six-yard touchdown pass to junior Colin Kniffen (South Windsor, Conn.) to give the Hawks a comfortable 33-14 advantage heading into halftime.
- On the second drive by the Eagles in the third quarter, Burkett would throw his third interception of the game with sophomore Aidan Noke (Burlington, Mass.) snagging the ball and making a 47-yard return for the Hawks. At the Post eight-yard line, Forkner dished the ball to junior Carson Goda (Bradenton, Fla.) in the back corner of the Eagle's end zone, putting Saint Anselm ahead 39-14.
- The Hawks added three points early in the fourth quarter on a made field goal attempt by Carroll to further their lead to 42-14.
- Post's first drive of the quarter consisted of 10 plays, highlighted by a 27-yard reception by Anthony Gambino. The Eagles found themselves at Saint Anselm's two-yard line and converted a two-yard rush for a touchdown, the final score of the game, to make it 42-21.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Saint Anselm held a 338-194 advantage in total yards of offense.
- The Hawks also had an edge in rushing with 119 yards on 39 attempts in comparison to the Eagles rushing 87 yards on 32 attempts.
- Saint Anselm won the passing battle, totaling 219 passing yards compared to 107 passing yards for Post.
- Ferguson led the way for Saint Anselm with 11 carries for a gain of 38 yards to go along with a rushing touchdown.
- Burkhalter made five receptions for a total of 73 yards, while Uhlman posted two catches for two touchdowns, his first two of the season, for the Hawks.
- Forkner threw the first four touchdown passes of his career in his second consecutive start for Saint Anselm, while Haynes rushed for his first career score and Kniffen caught his first career touchdown.
- Saint Anselm also led the game with three interceptions and three quarterback hurries.
- On the defensive side, graduate student Devin Williams (Cliffwood, N.J.) picked up a total of five tackles and led the team with two tackles for a collecitve loss of 17 yards. Freshman Aris Xerras (Danvers, Mass.) earned his first collegiate sack for the Hawks for a loss of 20 yards.
- Noke and Snyder hauled in the first interceptions of their careers for Saint Anselm as well.
- This marked the second-ever meeting between these programs on the gridiron, with Saint Anselm remaining undefeated in the series.
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