Red Flash Offense Surges, as does Albany’s in a 58-21 Conference
Loretto, Pa. (10/20/2007) – Saint Francis University put forth their largest offensive output of the season by scoring 21 points and chalking up 318 total yards on 60 plays in a 58-21 loss to NEC foe University of Albany at DeGol Field on Saturday, broadening the Red Flash’s winless streak to six and dropping them to 0-3 in Northeast Conference play.
For the second week in a row, the nation’s leading tackler Scott Lewis (South Fork, Pa./Bishop McCort) plummeted 18 Great Danes, 2.5 for a loss, to keep his defensive proficiency best in all the land. Lewis' defensive efforts have already eclipsed last year's tackle leader in just six games. The freshman linebacker now has 83 total tackles in just 6 episodes, well on pace to break the all-time school record of 138 tackles set by Gerry Zahorchak in 1978. George Little (Duquesne, Pa. Duquesne) had a career day, throwing for 283 yards, with two touchdowns (most in his career) and two interceptions, sticking with his favorite receiver, Antoine Rivera (Willingboro, N.J./Willingboro). Rivera also had an extraordinary day, hauling in 5 balls for 126 yards, second most in his career. Rivera made a career long catch, as well; a 60-yard missile from Little early in the third quarter.
Saint Francis won the toss and elected to receive, but that decision was annulled on the second play of the game after Little miscued on his first attempt to Albany’s senior linebacker Trevor DuPont. The Great Dane defender took it the other way, unscathed, for the first score of the game at 14:13 of the first quarter. Kicker Jason Fralicker knocked through the extra try to jump out to the 7-0 lead.
The Red Flash were unphased by the early mistake on their ensuing offensive charge. After Little completed a 10-yard lob to senior running back Anthony Richards (Parlin N.J./Cardinal McCarrick), the sophomore signal-called arced a beautiful ball to a streaking Joe DeLeo (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) for 21 yards to the Albany 44-yard line. Three plays later, Little exuded great pocket presence as he escaped two ensuing Danes defenders, rolled out to his left setting his feet, and bombed a 43-yard touchdown strike to sophomore wideout Troy Eison (Shelton, Conn./Shelton) at 10:58, his second career touchdown. New SFU record-holder for most field goals all-time, senior kicker Adam Sciulli (Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic), evened out the game at 7-7.
Albany regained possession on their 30-yard marker at 10:45 of the first stanza. The Great Danes did not let the Flash get too settled after knotting the score on their next offensive possession. The Danes chipped away on five successful running plays and one passing play before calling a timeout at 7:05. The timeout must have stirred the offensive coordinator’s mind, because Albany’s sophomore quarterback Vinny Esposito found a flanking Tim Bush, who rumbled down the field for a 31-yard touchdown with 6:48 remaining in the first to double up the Flash, 14-7.
Even though Little connected a fine pass to junior receiver Rivera for 15 yards on their next possession, junior punter Bobby Fuller (Mount Savage, Md./Beall) assumed his special teams duties, booting the ball 33 yards to the Albany 23-yard line, but a 53 yard return by junior Daniel Bocanegra primed the Great Danes for a score, assuming possession on SFU’s 24 hash-mark. Two rushing plays by sophomore tailback David McCarty led to an Albany touchdown at 3:45 of the first quarter; the scoring play coming off a 13-yard shuffle into the endzone. Fralicker’s tack made it a 21-7 contest.
In the waning minutes of the initial period, the Red Flash tried keep the game within reach as Little found Rivera and Eison on 18 and 9 yard completions, respectively, but a seven-yard sack by linebacker Mark Peretore and an incomplete pass on 3rd and 18 brought the first quarter to a close in favor of Albany, 21-7.
Both teams held each other to negative three yards on their following drives, but once the Great Danes resumed ownership of the ball at 11:48 of the second quarter, it only took them seven plays to bang it in again for the score. The drive was capped off by McCarty’s second touchdown of the game on a 10-yard run at 8:47 of the second, extending the lead to 28-7.
Ryan Zarnich (Rochester, Pa./Rochester Area) and Rivera both caught balls for 22 and 17 yards, in that order, on their next charge, but the Red Flash could not convert on a 4th and 4 situation and turned the ball over with 4:36 remaining in the first half of play. Albany charged all the way down to the SFU seven-yard marker, but couldn’t find the promised land and settled for a 24-yard field goal from Fralicker, closing out the 10-play, 57 yard drive, earning the Danes a 31-7 advantage.
With only 00:34 remaining in the first half, the Danes squibbed a kick to freshman James Betz (Pittsburgh, Pa./ Seton LaSalle) who made an aggressive 15-yard return to SFU’s 44-yard line. Little moved the chains on a 16-yard dart to Rivera and a 11-yard connection to Richards after a Saint Francis timeout with eleven ticks to go. Sciulli came on for a 46-yard try, but missed wide left for what would have been a Red Flash record by one yard. The errant kick solidified a 31-7 lead heading into the second half of battle.
As a side note, Little threw for a career half, hitting eight different red jerseys for a combined total of 188 yards on 20 attempts
The Red Flash kicked off to Albany to commence the later half of play. The Great Danes started on their own 31-yard line, but soon found themselves on SFU’s six-yard line after the sophomore tailback, McCarty, broke the longest play from scrimmage of the game for 63 yards. On 3rd and goal, Esposito threw for his second touchdown of the game, completing the 8-yard rope to senior split end Irani DeAraujo, making it a 38-7 ballgame after Fralicker’s extra attempt was good.
Saint Francis gave their fans something to cheer about on 2nd and 10 on the subsequent drive as Little hurled a 60-yard rainbow to an outstretched Rivera, the longest passing play for the Red Flash on the season. The play brought the offense down to the five-yard line. The Red Flash found an interesting way into the endzone after Calvin Williams (Cleveland, Ohio/South) lost the ball in touchdown territory. Luckily for Saint Francis, Rivera found the ball in proximity and scooped up for the score, making it a 38-14 match after Sciulli belted the extra point.
As a means of staying alive, the Red Flash’s special teams unit capitalized on an onside kick; the second successful onside kick attempted in the Northeast Conference of the 2007 campaign. Albany was the other team to benefit from an onside kick so far this year.
The noble attempt benefited the Red Flash. Saint Francis took over on their opponents’ 43-yard line. Five plays later, Little united with Zarnich who was streaking across the endzone in double coverage. Zarnich’s second career touchdown, teamed up with a Sciulli extra point, pushed the score to 38-21. The score marked Saint Francis’ highest point total of the season thus far.
After the third quarter tally, senior Dieuseul Joseph returned the kickoff 42 yards to the Albany 46. The nice field position led to the seventh score for the Great Danes. The 8-play, 54 yard drive ended on a quarterback keeper from Esposito, extending their vast lead, 44-21. Fralicker missed the extra try.
The Red Flash turned the ball after a failed fake punt took place on the Saint Francis 27-yard line. The Danes stalled, and Fralicker’s 33-yard field goal attempt was sprayed right, closing out the third frame of play.
Three plays down the road, Richards coughed up the ball on his own 22-yard line and sophomore Justin Brancaccio scooped up the loose ball, leading to four rushing plays for Albany’s offense. On the fourth run, senior tailback Omar Johnson scampered six yards for the score, lengthening the Danes’ lead to 51-21 with 13:21 remaining.
Little threw his second interception in the match a couple plays later, this time to junior free safety Dave West. Albany started their eighth and final scoring drive on the SFU 41-yard line. The 7-play charge was terminated after freshman fullback Chris Bright bullied his way in from two yards out, capping off the scoring for Saturday’s contest by a final of 58-21.
“It’s difficult to win ball games when the other team is more physical than you,” quoted 6th year head coach Dave Opfar. “We have some upcoming games we can definitely win. Once we get healthy and keep improving our offense like we have been, we will pose as a highly regarded opponent.”
The 58-21 decision ends the three-game home stand for the Red Flash (0-6, 0-3), having only one more home game on their docket, which is the Homecoming game on November 3rd against Monmouth. Saint Francis’ fourth conference match will take place on October 27th when the Red Flash travel to Fairfield, Conn. to take on the Sacred Heart Pioneers for a 1pm tilt.