Red Flash Downed by Pioneers 41-24 After Late Scoring Rally
LORETTO, Pa. (Oct. 11, 2008) – Though the stats were close, the Sacred Heart Pioneers scored 21 points in the fourth quarter to down Saint Francis Red Flash by a score of 41-24 on Saturday afternoon at DeGol Field in Loretto.
The Red Flash, who play host to Wagner on Oct. 18 at 1 pm in Loretto, fall to 0-6 on the season and 0-3 in the Northeast Conference. The Pioneers remain undefeated, going 6-0 overall and 2-0 in the NEC.
Sacred Heart didn’t start scoring until midway through the first quarter, but didn’t let up after that. Kicker Joe Schroeder started things off to with a 45 yard field goal to make the score 3-0 after both teams were shut down on their opening possessions. The drive went 10 plays for a total of 50 yards and ate up 5:18 of clock time.
The Pioneers continued to dominate the first quarter with a 17-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Dale Fink, who is ranked 14th in the nation, to running back Garry Coles to put the Pioneers ahead 9-0. Schroeder’s extra point would make it 10-0.
It was the Red Flash, however, who started the scoring in the second quarter. A 9-yard rush by wide receiver Omar Winston (Cleveland, Ohio/South) and a 15-yard completion from quarterback George Little (Duquesne, Pa./Duquesne) to Ryan Zarnich (Rochester, Pa./Rochester Area) set up a 29-yard field goal attempt by kicker Zak Campbell (Munhall, Pa./Steel Valley) that went through the uprights to put the Flash on the board 10-3.
Sacred Heart battled back with rushing yards from running back Evin Jones led to a 1-yard rushing touchdown by Jones to bring the score to 16-3. Schroeder’s kick was good for another points, making the score 17-3.
A penalty brought the Red Flash’s kick return back to their own 15 yard line, where Little started the drive off with a 22-yard completion to Zarnich. A few short runs and a big conversion on 4th and 1 brought the Flash up to the 26-yard line, where Calvin Williams (Cleveland, Ohio/South) rushed for 5 yards on each of two consecutive plays before Winston chipped in with a 9-yard gain to bring the Flash to the Sacred Heart 2-yard line, where Little rushed for yard and then another into the end zone for SFU’s first touchdown of the day. Campbell’s extra point brought the score to 17-10 with 1:27 remaining in the first half. Fink took the Pioneers all the way to the Red Flash 39-yard line before being intercepted by defensive back Richard Rivera-Ortiz (Philadelphia, Pa./ Abraham Lincoln) at the 9-yard line. The pick was the first of Rivera-Ortiz’s career. The Flash could only get one play off, with Little being sacked by Pioneer linebacker Chansler Davis for a loss of 6-yards, before the half ended.
Campbell’s kickoff was returned for 10 yards to the Pioneer 44 to open the second half. Short rushing attempts by Jones and Coles quickly brought the ball to the Saint Francis 20, where a personal foul called on a Red Flash defender brought the ball up to the SFU 10-yard line. Another took the ball up to the 4, before a penalty on the Pioneers took the ball back to the 9. The Pioneers persevered with a 4-yard touchdown pass from Fink to Steve Tedesco, giving the Pioneers a 24-10 lead after Schroeder’s kick.
The Red Flash returned the favor on the next series. Little had a 15-yard pass to Winston, and then rushed 11 yards to the SHU 47. Winston then caught Little’s longest toss of the day, a 34-yard completion at the Pioneer 13-yard line. Williams picked up another yard before Little threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Zarnich for another 6 points. Campbell’s kick made the score 24-17 with 6:57 left to go in the 3rd quarter.
The Pioneers would come up empty on the next drive, with the Red Flash taking over at their own 25-yard line after SHU failed to convert on 4th and 5. Little rushed for 4 yards and picked up another 15 on an SHU personal foul to bring the line of scrimmage to the SFU 42-yard line. Colton Sipe (Hummelstown, Pa./Lower Dauphin) replaced Little at quarterback for 2 plays, completing a 6-yard pass to Winston before Little returned and was intercepted by Brian Flumere at the SHU 46-yard line. The Pioneers turned the pick into a 42-yard field goal by Schroeder to make the score 27-17.
Neither team converted on their next drive. The Red Flash got the back with 8:52 left to play in the game, and turned the ball over on a pick by Tyler McKeon. Both Fink and Jones had rushes on the ensuing drive and would finish it off with a 9-yard pass to Tom Stripe into the end zone for 7 points after Schroeder’s kick.
With the Pioneers up 34-17, Little threw completions to Winston to move the ball down the field. However, Williams fumbled a catch and the ball was recovered by defensive back Rashod Underwood at the Saint Francis 31-yard line. A short four plays later, Tedesco would catch a 25-yard toss from Fink for his second score of the game. The kick by Schroeder brought the score to 41-7.
Sipe led a Red Flash rally with a 35-yard toss to Anthony Howze (Upper Marlboro, Md./Riverdale Baptist), and 7-yard rush of his own that set up a 2-yard rushing touchdown by Williams, to add six more for the Flash. Campbell’s kick brought the score up to 41-24.
Bobby Fuller (Mount Savage, Md./Beall) attempted an onside kick that the Flash recovered at their own 34-yard line. However, Sipe would only have time for a 16-yard completion to Williams before time ran out.
Linebacker Matthew Parker (Darlington, Pa./Blackhawk) led the way for the Red Flash defense with 14 tackles, including 2 tackles for loss, and a pass break up. Fellow linebacker Scott Lewis (South Fork, Pa./Bishop McCort) had 12 tackles, with 2 tackles for loss, and defensive back Cory Brown (Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg) was right behind with 11 total tackles and 3 TFLs.
Little was 18-of-28 on the day for 204 yards with a touchdown and a pair of picks, while Sipe finished 3-of-7 for 65 yards. SFU had a total of 63 plays for 375 yards to the Pioneers’ 68 plays for 363 yards.
Winston led the receivers with 6 catches for 73 yards, with Zarnich right behind him at 4 catches for 73 yards. Williams led the rushing attempts with 40 yards on 13 carries. Williams also led on special teams with 4 kick returns for 69 yard.
Fuller, who is already ranked 24th in the nation in punting, will no doubt rise in the rankings after averaging 45.3 yards per punt, with his longest of the 3 being 52 yards. Campbell was 1-of-1 on field goals and averaged 49.2 yards on his 4 kickoffs.
Both the Flash and the Pioneers were 4-for-4 on red zone scoring chances. The Flash were also 2-of-3 on fourth-down conversions. They had 6 first downs to the Pioneers’ 7, and finished the day with 269 passing yards.