Saint Francis Utilizes Field Position and Ground Game for First Victory of the Year
Fairfield, Conn. – A rainy afternoon setting did not put the breaks on Saint Francis University’s defense and special teams as they rolled into Campus Field and pulled out their first victory of the season over the Sacred Heart Pioneers by a final score of 35-30. Many factors, including two interceptions by freshman linebacker Matthew Parker (Darlington, Pa./Blackhawk), one for a 61-yard pick-six, a blocked punt for a touchdown and a fake punt on 4th and 3 with 2:03 left in the game on the Pioneers’ 47-yard line all helped the Red Flash rally to their first victory of the 2007 season.
Two errant throws from red shirt freshman quarterback Dale Fink and two muffed punt returns from sophomore Steve Tedesco, both of which were scooped up by freshman Omar Winston (Cleveland, Ohio/South), also gave SFU very good field position throughout the ball game. A plus-four turnover ration in favor of the Flash is the best this season, as well.
Sophomore field general George Little (Duquesne, Pa./Duquesne) put forth only 113 yards through the air in the brutal conditions, his second lowest accumulation in the Red Flash’s seven games. And although sophomore running back Calvin Williams (Cleveland, Ohio/South) and senior running back Anthony Richards (Parlin, N.J./Cardinal McCarrick) combined for 135 yards net on the turf, the second highest rushing total of the season, the Red Flash were still dominated offensively. The Pioneers hung 460 total yards to SFU’s 248; a testament of how crucial turnovers and special teams played a part in Saturday’s conference match-up.
Williams ran for a career high 79 yards with 22 of those yards coming on a crucial touchdown gallop with 11:30 in the fourth quarter. Junior wide receiver Antoine Rivera (Willingboro, N.J./Willingboro) hauled in his second receiving touchdown of the season on a 29-yard play action strike from Little in the third. And, for the fourth time in a row, freshman sensation and the nation’s leading tackler headed into the ball game, Scott Lewis (South Fork, Pa./Bishop McCort) lead the team in tackles with 11, one coming for a loss of three.
The Pioneers received the deferred kick from Saint Francis University to start off the sodden first quarter. A face masking call gave Sacred Heart nice field position at their own 42-yard line on the initial kick, but the inclement conditions led to a first play fumble off the hands of red shirt freshman Dale Fink. It was quickly recovered by himself on the 39. After the recovery, the Pioneers couldn't mix up much else as punter Derek Marks assumed his duties and pinned the Flash down to their own four-yard line.
Three running plays by senior running back Richards were ran for some breathing room and a couple other play calls gave way to junior punter Bobby Fuller (Mount Savage, Md./Beall) coming onto lead the special teams unit. Fuller scalded it down 44 yards to sophomore Steve Tedesco who muffed the punt due to the slippery circumstances and the rock was picked up by Omar Winston. Unfortunately, the turnover in favor of SFU only amounted to a 3-play, 2:03 minute drive for a three-and-out charge.
On SHU’s ensuing charge, Matthew Parker spied on the Sacred Heart's young quarterback and ended up with his second interception on the season; pulling the ball down at the Pioneers' 27-yard line. With the fine field position, something that the Red Flash capitalized on all afternoon, a 10-yard Ryan Zarnich (Rochester, Pa./Rochester Area) touchdown reception capped off the scoring drive at 3:49 of the first period. The touchdown marked Zarnich's third endzone celebration for the young freshman wideout.
The first quarter came to a conclusion after Saint Francis stopped the ensuing Pioneers' advancement, leading to another Marks' punt.
The Red Flash went three-and-out for the second time in the initial half and Fuller ran back on the field to give possession to Sacred Heart at their 29-yard marker. SHU's longest play of the charge came off of a 19-yard Tedesco reception. The Flash ended up holding the Pioneers to a 4th and 4 situation, leading to a Joe Schroeder 29-yard field goal to conclude the 13 play, 6:04 drive. Saint Francis regained possession at their 19-yard line, leading by a tally of 7-3. Fuller booted a 37 yarder for the touchback after the Flash stalled at the Pioneer's 37 hash.
Saint Francis' defense stood tall in the opponents' territory and coerced a 4th and 10 situation later on. Sophmore special teams' component Chad Iachini (Calysburg, Pa./Claysburg-Kimmel) bulleted past the front line of Sacred Heart and got his hand in for the blocked punt; his first major contribution for Saint Francis this year. The special teams endeavor was the first block on the season for the Flash. Freshman Brent Sanders (Pasadena, Md./Severna Park) wrangled up the bouncing pigskin on the 13-yard line and scrambled in unscathed to broaden the lead to 14-3 after senior Adam Sciulli (Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic) stayed perfect on the season for PATs. The score marked Sanders' first score and his first real time of the season.
Although the Flash were riding sky high after a couple of team firsts, the Pioneers quelled that exhilaration of SFU by going over the top of Saint Francis' defensive backs to Steve Tedesco, the NEC's leader in touchdown receptions, for a 44-yard touchdown heave off the arm of three-time NEC Rookie of the Week honoree Fink. A squib kick ran out the first half of play and the Flash went into the locker room with a 14-10 lead; the second lead they've held going into the third quarter.
The later half of play commenced with the ball on SFU's 25-yard line. A roughing-the passer call on 3rd and 15 kept the Flash's scoring dreams alive, but the second chance led to another Fuller toe. Once again, the sopping ambiance got to return man Steve Tedesco once again on the punt. Tedesco let the ball seep out of his grasp once at his 27 yard mark. Déjà vu was in the air as Winston jumped on the ball again for his second fumble recovery on the special teams' efforts. This time, Saint Francis did exploit Winston's recovery. With the ball on the enemy's 29-yard line, Little deked the Pioneers on a perfectly executed play action pass to NEC leader in receiving yardage and receptions per game, Antoine Rivera. The 29-yard strike was Rivera's first touchdown reception of the season, and it denoted Little's second successful endzone toss. Sciulli's third perfect PAT gave the Red Flash a 21-10 advantage with 12:26 to go in the third stanza.
After Saint Francis' third score, each team gave way to two abortive drives, getting the punter some more face time after each drive petered out. During the last punt from Fuller, a personal foul on the Pioneers pushed them all the way back to their own six-yard line. SHU chipped away at Saint Francis' stingy defense by running 12 plays, but a dual sack by linemen sophomorea Antoine Jones (Thorndale, Pa./Coatesville) and Russel Fisher (Kailua, Hawaii./Mid Pac Institute) on 4th and goal got the ball back in Little's hands with 3:32 left in the third at the SFU 42.
The third quarter came to a finish without anymore scoring. The final, and certainly most dramatic quarter of the game began with a Marks' 25-yard punt that was downed at the SHU 47-yard line. The Pioneers, facing a 21-10 deficit, were given a healthy dose of sophomore running back Calvin Williams to stabilize the offensive efforts of SFU. Williams carried the ball for totals of four, five, 12, four and 14 yards, respectfully, before a failed pass to Zarnich. Williams, though, finished what he started and found paydirt on a 22-yard hard fought rushing score at 11:30 of the last quarter. Sciulli's tack pushed it to 28-10. Williams' scamper marked the highest offensive point total for Saint Francis so far this season.
SHU took over at their 38, but three plays later Parker earned his second interception of the game, third on the season, as he picked off Fink and scurried it back to the adversary's endzone for a 61-yard touchdown. The interception turned touchdown was the first pick-six for the Red Flash this year. The joy on the sidelines was quickly suppressed, though, after Ed Gurrieri ran back the resultant kick for 54 yards to SFU's 38. The score swiftly became 35-17 after Tedesco hauled in a 15-yard touchdown pass from Fink at 8:29 five plays later.
A Sciulli field-goal squarely smacked the right crossbar at 5:59 of the fourth, giving the Pioneers position at their 27. SHU's renowned running back, Jason Payne, made a 33-yard dash to set up an 11-yard touchdown bulls-eye to Tedesco, his third on the day and it also pushed his NEC leading touchdown reception total to nine. SHU's momentum cut the lead down even more after Schroeder's extra point made it a 35-24 ballgame with 5:02 left.
Sacred Heart's second onside-kick was recovered by Rivera, which then lead to a touchback off the toe of Fuller with 4:32 remaining. Payne, Sacred Heart's Student Athlete-of-the-Week, wasn't going to let Saint Francis off the hook much more easily after he bullied a 75-yard touchdown run to give the Pioneers a chance. Junior Rickey Williamson’s (Waldorf, Md./Crosslands) crafty pass break-up led to a failed two-point conversion.
The game remained at 35-30 with 4:00 minutes to go. The Flash faced a 4th and 3 situation at SHU's 47. Fuller lined up for the punt, but the special teams unit pulled out all the stops when the ball was snapped to freshman Tyler Gillmen (Tyrone, Pa./Tyrone) who moved as swiftly as possible for 29 yards. The trickery closed out the clock, and the game, and the Red Flash earned their first victory of the season by a final score of 35-30.
“It’s just so nice to see the ball bounce our way, for once this year,” head coach Dave Opfar smiled. “We’ve been in too many close games that we should have one, but from the looks in the boys’ eyes today, I had a pretty great feeling about this one. It was one of the most exciting games I’ve been a part of at Saint Francis, and this game gives us some much needed confidence for our last home game against Monmouth.”
The Red Flash (1-6, 1-3), who move out of last place in the Northeast Conference with Saturday’s victory, will return home for their final home stand of the year when they take on the Monmouth Hawks on November 3 at 1pm at DeGol Field. The second to last NEC showdown of the year is Saint Francis’ homecoming game.