League Notes
Defending NEC champion Albany knocked Sacred Heart from the ranks of the undefeated in Saturday’s first-place clash. The Great Danes erased a 14-10 half-time deficit with 16 unanswered points before Sacred Heart’s fourth-quarter comeback push cut the final margin to 26-21. The win puts Albany in a first-place tie with Monmouth as the league’s only 3-and-0 teams, while Sacred Heart falls a game back. ... Wagner ended its slide by mounting a successful fourth-quarter comeback on the road at Saint Francis (PA). The Red Flash had won two of the previous three, but squandered a six-point lead in the 17-13 defeat. ... Central Connecticut State continues to reside near the top of the NEC standings. The Blue Devils sent Duquesne to a 35-23 defeat, its third straight. ... Robert Morris fell to future NEC member Bryant (2012), 20-7. The host Bulldogs have now played four of their future league rivals, winning twice (Robert Morris and Wagner). ... Idle this week, Monmouth still managed to make a splash when the Hawks’ all-NEC tailback Dave Sinisi (Cedar Grove, NJ/Cedar Grove) became the second NEC player in three years to make the Walter Payton Award (top offensive player in DI FCS) Watch List. Following in the footsteps of 2006 Walter Payton Award Finalist Justise Hairston of Central Connecticut State, who finished sixth, Sinisi was one of three players added to the now-16-member list. The Sports Network will eventually narrow the list down and conduct a final vote on this year’s winner.
Running With the Best in FCS
A year after four Northeast Conference teams produced 1,200-yard rushers that each ranked amongst the nation's top 20, five NEC running backs currently stand amongst the top-eight rushers in Division I FCS this season. Monmouth junior Dave Sinisi (Cedar Grove, NJ/Cedar Grove), Robert Morris sophomore Myles Russ (Boca Raton, FL/West Boca) Central Connecticut State junior James Mallory (Buffalo, NY/Kenmore West), Albany junior David McCarty (Gansevoort, NY/LaSalle Institute), and Sacred Heart senior Evin Jones (Pennsauken, NJ/Roman Catholic [PA]) are all on pace for 1,000-yard seasons (Sinisi has already accomplished the feat) as their yards-per-game averages place them in elite company. Sinisi (157.29 ypg) ranks second in all of D-I FCS, but his 1,101 total rushing yards are tops in the nation. McCarty ranks fifth overall (145.43 ypg), Mallory (139.14 ypg) sixth, Russ seventh (129.57 ypg), and Jones (122.57 ypg) eighth.
McInerney Presides Over Rushing Power
Central Connecticut State has been one of the nation’s most effective rushing teams in recent years, especially in the 29 games it has played under third-year head coach Jeff McInerney. The Blue Devils rolled up 286 yards on the ground during Saturday’s 35-23 Homecoming victory over league foe Duquesne. The performance marked the 18th time in McInerney’s two-plus-year tenure that the Blue Devils single-game rushing total exceeded 250 yards. Currently the tenth-ranked rushing team (233.71 ypg) in all of Division I FCS, Central Connecticut State is poised to finish amongst the nation’s top-10 for the third consecutive season. The 2007 Blue Devils (257.64 ypg) finished 10th on the national leader board a year after ranking atop the entire country. In 2006, the Blue Devils (284.91 ypg) rushed for a higher average than any DI FCS team thanks to the efforts of NCAA Statistical Rushing Champion Justise Hairston (167.91 ypg).
6-and-1 Pioneers Still Flawless in Protecting Fink
Albany dealt Sacred Heart its first loss this season, but even the defending NEC champion Great Danes couldn’t become the first team to register a sack against Sacred Heart. For the seventh straight game, Sacred Heart’s offensive line has kept sophomore quarterback Dale Fink (Swansea, IL/Althoff Catholic) from falling to the turf. . The unit -- made up of senior left tackle Ryan Arroyo (Roebling, NJ/Florence Twp.), sophomore left guard Justin Smith (Binghamton, NY/Binghamton), freshman center Dylan Larson (Barnegat Light, NJ/Southern), sophomore right guard Dan Plunkett (Quincy, MA/Catholic Memorial), junior right tackle Abel Malae (Pacifica, CA/Terra Nova) -- has also paved the way for 157.4 yards rushing per game thus far this season.
David vs. David: McCarty Sneaking Up on Sinisi
Albany junior tailback David McCarty (Gansevoort, NY/LaSalle Institute) is slowly moving toward matching the consecutive games touchdown streak that Monmouth’s Dave Sinisi (Cedar Grove, NJ/Cedar Grove) carried last season. Sinisi scored touchdowns in 20 consecutive games dating back to the 2006 season before none other than the Great Danes became the first team in 21 games to keep Sinisi from reaching paydirt (Nov. 10, 2007). McCarty’s two-yard third-quarter TD plunge that put the Great Danes out in front of Sacred Heart, 17-14, during Saturday’s victory made it 15 straight contests during which the preseason all-NEC selection has reached the end zone. The streak began at home on October 6, 2007 when McCarty scored twice in a 24-23 victory over Stony Brook.
Hawks and Blue Devils Amongst Region’s FCS Best
Central Connecticut State and Monmouth have each won 34 times since 2004, a frequency that ranks the two teams amongst the top Division I FCS programs in the region. The 34 victories are the fourth-most victories among New England, New York, and New Jersey FCS schools. Only New Hampshire, UMass and Harvard have more than the two NEC programs. Both the Blue Devils and the Hawks each have two NEC crowns to their credit during that time span. The two teams split the 2004 NEC title before Central Connecticut State also earned a share of the 2005 crown with former conference member Stony Brook. Monmouth was the league's lone champion in 2006.
Dukes’ Double-Digit Totino Stands as FCS Best
Duquesne sophomore linebacker Nathan Totino (Pittsburgh, PA/Seton-LaSalle) made a game-high 16 tackles (nine solo) at Central Connecticut State (Oct. 18) to extend his streak of double-digit (10 or more) tackle performances to six. The sophomore has made a NEC-high 90 tackles (48 solo) over six games for the nation’s top tackles-per-game average (15.00). Totino sits tied atop the national rankings with Murray State’s Nathan Williams. Each of the two men have produced 23-tackle games this season, the top mark on the NCAA’s list of single-game season highs.
Duquesne’s Defensive Youth Movement
Duquesne head coach Jerry Schmitt must smile when he realizes that Nathan Totino (Pittsburgh, PA/Seton-LaSalle), the nation’s leading tackler, is only a sophomore. On Saturday, Schmitt introduced a number of other talented underclassmen to the starting lineup when four Dukes - including three freshmen - made their first career start on defense: sophomore DE Tyler Scruggs (South Park, PA/South Park), freshman DT Mike Passodelis (Allison Park, PA/North Allegheny), freshman DT Aldon Sutton (Brentwood, MD/Eleanor Roosevelt) and freshman LB Chris Oliver (Washington, D.C./Calvin Coolidge). Passodelis produced the best numbers of the bunch, making seven tackles (three solo) against the Blue Devils.
SHU Recipe: Score the Most, Give Up the Least
Now the 6-and-1 Pioneers, Sacred Heart has already won twice as many games as it did a year ago thanks to owning the league’s top-ranked scoring offense (32.6 ppg) and defense (21.3). Although the Pioneers’ averages slid slightly in the negative direction as a result of their first loss on Saturday to Albany, Sacred Heart still ranks atop the league in both categories (tied with idle Monmouth on the defensive end). The Pioneers have scored a league-high 31 touchdowns, 17 of which have come from the arm of quarterback Dale Fink (Swansea, IL/Althoff Catholic) who leads the NEC in that category. Conversely, the Pioneers have allowed a league-low 19 touchdowns against, highlighted by a pass defense that has allowed only six scores through the air to lead the conference.
Keeping Tabs on Bryant
Poised to begin Northeast Conference competition in 2012 when its completes the NCAA-mandated reclassification process, Bryant is currently in transition from Division II to core NEC membership. In becoming acclimated with its future league, Bryant is on the schedules of six of the eight current NEC football programs.
Bryant rebounded nicely from a tough 34-7 loss at Marist two weeks ago, with an impressive 20-7 win over Robert Morris before 5,630 at Bulldog Stadium last Saturday afternoon. The Bulldogs equaled a school record with eight sacks on the day and limited Robert Morris to minus 20 yards rushing, mostly in part due to the eight sacks. After earning its first victory over a Division I FCS program in six tries when it stunned Wagner, 24-14, in Staten Island, NY on Sept. 27, Bryant made it two in a row against NEC foes. At 4-3 overall, their only losses have come to DI FCS members (Monmouth, CCSU, Marist). After dropping a 42-35, season-opening decision at 2007 NEC runner-up Central Connecticut State, the Bulldogs rebounded with back-to-back victories over Merrimack and Southern Connecticut State. Next up, a road date with No. 17 Massachusetts (Oct. 25).
Week Eight (8) By The Numbers
23x2 Saint Francis (PA) sophomore Scott Lewis became the second NEC player this season to make 23 tackles in a single game. Lewis, the 2007 NEC Defensive Rookie of the Year, joined fellow Pennsylvania native Nathan Totino of Duquesne to accomplish the feat. The two NEC student-athletes along with Murray State’s Nathan Williams own the NCAA single-game high this season. Prior to their performances, Monmouth’s Aaron Edwards was the last NEC defender to as many tackles when he also made 23 against Albany in 2001.
60 yards on the ground for Wagner’s Shane Smith in his return to the Gridiron on Saturday at Saint Francis (PA). Smith’s presence was undoubtedly welcomed by head coach Walt Hameline who has seen his top three ball carriers succumb to injury. Smith (hamstring) had missed two games before returning. Meanwhile, Prince Young (left arm) and Rodney Davis (right knee) may both be lost for the season.
33 of Tyrone Collins’ career-high 112 receiving yards against Saint Francis (PA) came on game-winning hookup with Matt Abbey mid-way through the final quarter. Wagner’s junior receiver has 30 grabs for 331 yards.
220=50 Albany’s 26-21 victory at Sacred Heart doubled as head coach Bob Ford’s 220th win in his current post and the program’s 50th win as a Northeast Conference member. Ford, who has a career record of 229-166-1, has posted a 220-144 mark in 35-plus seasons in New York’s Capital. The Great Danes, who joined the NEC and DI FCS ranks in 1999, are 50-16 in league play.
1 punt by Albany in its victory over Sacred Heart makes it two consecutive weeks that a NEC team needed to punt only once in a game. Last week, Sacred Heart and Robert Morris both punted only once on their way to league victories. The Pioneers, who kicked the ball away three times against Albany, have punted on fewer occasions (24) than any other league member.
Monmouth’s Dave Sinisi Runs Onto Walter Payton Watch List
Monmouth junior tailback David Sinisi (Cedar Grove, NJ/Cedar Grove) has recently been added to the Walter Payton Award Watch List. Becoming the second NEC player in three years to attain that status, Sinisi joins former Central Connecticut State NEC all-star Justise Hairston (finished sixth in 2006 voting).
The winner of the 22nd Walter Payton Award, symbolic of the top player in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) will be announced at the annual Sports Network Awards banquet on Dec. 18 in Chattanooga, TN at the Marriott Hotel. The Eddie Robinson Award, which goes to the top coach in FCS, and the Buck Buchanan Award, which is given to the top FCS defensive player, will also be awarded the night before the NCAA Division I football championship game.
“Dave Sinisi is possibly the most complete football player that I have seen in my more than 30 years of college coaching,” said head coach Kevin Callahan. “Dave’s individual performances over the last three seasons have contributed to our team’s success more than any other factor.”
Sinisi leads the nation in rushing yards with 1,101 yards, while averaging 157.29 yards per game, which is second among all FCS backs. The Cedar Grove, NJ, native is second in FCS behind fellow Payton Award candidate Herb Donaldson (Western Illinois) in total touchdowns with 13. He has recorded at least 100 yards rushing in six of seven games this season, including his school record setting performance of 247 yards in a win over Saint Francis.
Last season he set the FCS record for consecutive games with a touchdown, scoring in his first 20 games for the Blue & White. Sinisi has started every game for the Hawks since his redshirt freshman year, scoring in 27 out of the 29 contests. In just two-plus years, he owns every career rushing record at Monmouth, including rushing touchdowns, rushing yards, 100-yard rushing performances, and surpassed current Dallas Cowboy Miles Austin for the top spot in scoring at Monmouth.
Off the field, the junior has spent numerous hours serving in leadership roles for other student-athletes and volunteering for various community service initiatives. He was one of the co-authors of Monmouth’s Student-Athlete Code of Conduct, and currently serving as the Vice President for MU’s Peer Leadership Program. Sinisi has represented Monmouth two times at the NCAA’s Apple Conference, presenting Monmouth’s Code of Conduct project to three hundred peers including NCAA President Miles Brand.
Sinisi, along with two other newcomers joins 13 other players, all holdovers from the original list announced in August, on the revised list. The Payton Award watch list will undergo one further revision in November,and the final ballot will be announced at the end of the regular season.
Team-by-Team Notes
Albany (4-3, 3-0 NEC)
Last Game: ALBANY 26, SACRED HEART 21 (Fairfield, CT- Campus Field)
Next Game: October 25 vs. SAINT FRANCIS (PA), 4:00 pm (Albany, NY - Alumni Field)
• Albany moved into a tie for first place in the conference standings by knocking Sacred Heart from the unbeaten ranks in a 26-21 decision on Oct. 18. … The Great Danes played an undefeated opponent in the second half of the season for the first time in five years to the day. … UAlbany reversed a 14-10 halftime deficit with 16 unanswered points, as the Great Danes won when trailing at the intermission in an NEC contest for the fifth time since joining the league in 1999. … The Great Danes have posted nine wins in a row in conference play and won 13 of their last 14. … UAlbany controlled the clock for nearly 20 minutes in the final half and ate up the final 4:40 of the game behind its big offensive line. … Head coach Bob Ford recorded his 220th career win at the school. … UAlbany also registered its 50th victory in conference play and is 50-16 all-time. … TB David McCarty (Gansevoort, NY/LaSalle Institute) rushed for 207 yards, his third time above the 200-mark, and put his team ahead, 17-14, with a two-yard blast in the third quarter. He extended his touchdown streak to 15 consecutive games. McCarty, who has run for 100-plus yards in 12 of his last 13 starts, has toppled the 1,000-yard plateau (1,018) for the second straight year. The junior became the fourth UAlbany player to surpass 3,000 career all-purpose yards (3,068). ... QB Vinny Esposito (Demarest, NJ/Northern Valley) passed for 184 yards and ran for a career-best 65 at Sacred Heart. Esposito, who scored on an 18-yard option run in the fourth quarter, moved to No. 4 in career passing yards (2,964) and No. 5 in total offense (3,217) on the school's all-time charts. … WR Tim Bush (Saratoga Springs, NY/Saratoga Springs) had five receptions for 47 yards, but possibly made the game's biggest play when he stripped ILB Rich Marrone on an interception return and caused a touchback as the ball rolled out of the end zone. … UAlbany's offense accounted for season-high in total yards (504) and rushing yards (320) and reached the 500-figure in total yards for eighth time as a Division I FCS program. … DT Tom Pandolf (Holbrook, NY/ Sachem) made a team-high eight tackles as the UA defense held Sacred Heart to season-lows by an opponent with 298 total yards and 51 net rushing yards. SHU featured the NEC's top offense coming into the contest at 34.5 points and 393.5 yards per game. … DE Eddie Delaney (Holtsville, NY/Sachem East) had a career game with five tackles and two PBUs in his second start as a collegian. … FS Dave Casale (Troy, NY/Troy) picked off his fifth career pass and made six tackles. … PK Herb Glass (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) booted a career-best two field goals (22, 34) last week. … UAlbany hosts Saint Francis (PA) on Homecoming & Family Weekend (Oct. 24-26). UAlbany will induct five former athletes into the Athletic Hall of Fame on Friday evening.
Central Connecticut State (5-2, 2-1 NEC)
Last Game: CENTRAL CONNECTICUT STATE 35, DUQUESNE 23 (New Britain, CT - Arute Field)
Next Game: Octobert 25 at MONMOUTH, 1:00 pm (West Long Branch, NJ - Kessler Field)
• Central Connecticut State ran for 286 yards against Duquesne. It was the 18th time in 29 games under head coach Jeff McInerney that a Blue Devil team has gone over 250 yards on the ground. … Junior James Mallory (Buffalo, NY/Kenmore West) led the Blue Devil rushing attack with 126 yards and personal-best three touchdowns on 37 career-high carries. Mallory has rushed for 100 yards on six occasions this season and is still the sixth-leading rusher in all of FCS. He is averaging 5.0 yards per carry with 974 yards in 196 attempts. The Buffalo, NY native has already become the 17th CCSU player to reach 1,000 career rushing yards. He is on pace to become just the seventh to reach 1,000 in a single season. … Quarterback Hunter Wanket (Rancho Santa Fe, CA/Palomar JC) added 76 rushing yards, 72 of which came on a fourth-quarter, career-long touchdown run. … Junior quarterback Aubrey Norris (Staten Island, NY/Hargrave Military) contributed 53 yards in the ground game to become the 18th Blue Devils with 1,000 career rushing yards. … Josh Vargas (Los Angeles, CA/Santa Monica) had just two carries for five yards, but the senior captain, who had two career touchdowns prior to the season's start, scored his fifth touchdown of the season on one of the carries. … Sophomore Joe Izzo (Southington, CT/Southington) made all five of his point after attempts. He is a perfect 28-of-28 on the season and 29-of-29 for his career. … The QB tandem of Wanket and Norris combined to go 11-of-16 passing for 106 yards. Neither has been intercepted since the season-opener when Wanket suffered a pick, while Norris has not thrown a pick in 10 games. … Wanket leads the NEC in yards per play, averaging 7.5 yards. … Norris leads the conference in pass efficiency (167.7) and yards per pass attempt (8.2). His pass efficiency is over 20 points better than the next best - Sacred Heart's Dale Fink is at 147.3. … CCSU has 55 tackles for loss on the season. The Blue Devils lead the NEC and are 12th in the nation in that category. Senior captain Mike Cooke (Brooklyn, NY/Lackawanna JC) leads the team with eight for 31 yards loss. … Central Connecticut has a NEC-best 18 sacks. The Blue Devils rank 24th in the nation with 2.57 sacks per game. … Sophomore Jeff Marino (New Britain, CT/New Britain) continues to lead the Blue Devils in tackles. He had five against Duquesne, putting him at 54 for the season. Marino has three games with 10 or more tackles this season. … The Blue Devils are averaging 30.4 points per game during the Jeff McInerney era. The Blue Devils have scored 20 or more 19 times and 30 or more 14 times. The Blue Devils are 26-2 since 2004 when scoring 25 or more points. … With the win over the Dukes, CCSU is now 21-3 at home since 2004. While at home, the Blue Devils are 13-0 when scoring first, 14-1 when leading after the first quarter, and 17-0 when leading both at the half and after the third quarter.
Duquesne (2-4, 1-3 NEC)
Last Game: Central CONNECTICUT STATE 35, DUQUESNE 23 (New Britatin, CT - Arute Field)
Next Game: October 25 vs. SACRED HEART, 1:00 pm (Pittsburgh, PA - Rooney Field)
• Duquesne fell, 35-23, in a road contest during which Central Connecticut State scored touchdowns on its first three possessions. The victorious Blue Devils did not punt until the 55-second mark of the second quarter, ... The DU defense rallied to force three punts and a turnover(fumble) in the second half. ... CCSU, which entered the game ranked 10th nationally in rushing yards per game (225.0), finished with 286 yards on the ground ... the Blue Devils' James Mallory, who finished the game with 126 yards on 37 carries, went over the 100-yard mark with seven minutes left in the third quarter. ... CCSU converted 3-of-3 fourth downs. ... Four Dukes - including three freshmen - made their first career start on defense: sophomore DE Tyler Scruggs (South Park, PA/South Park), freshman DT Mike Passodelis (Allison Park, PA/North Allegheny), freshman DT Aldon Sutton (Brentwood, MD/Eleanor Roosevelt) and freshman LB Chris Oliver (Washington, D.C./Calvin Coolidge). ... Starting QB Connor Dixon (South Park, PA/South Park) completed 19-of-31 passes for 198 yards and three touchdowns (5, 14 and 3 yards). The sophomore has thrown 16 touchdown passes in six games, including two or more scores in five of six games. ... Junior tailback Cleodis Williams (Carlisle, PA/Carlisle) rushed 20 times for a game-and-career-high 139 yards (6.9 ypc).
It was Williams' third 100-yard game of the season. His previous career high was 129 yards against Saint Francis on Sept. 20. ... Sophomore linebacker Nathan Totino (Pittsburgh, PA/Seton-La Salle), extended his double-digit tackles streak to six games with a game-high 16 stops (nine solo) and also forced a fumble at CCSU. Totino is averaging 15.0 tackles per game. ... freshman defensive lineman Mike Passodelis (Allison Park, PA/North Allegheny) had seven tackles (three solo) in his first career start.
Monmouth (4-3, 3-0 NEC)
Last Game: MONMOUTH 31, WAGNER 17 (Staten Island, NY - Wagner College Stadium)
Next Game: October 25 vs. CENTRAL CONNECTICUT STATE, 1:00 pm (West Long Branch, NJ - Kessler Field)
• Monmouth was idle this past week, but still managed to make some of the biggest news around the Northeast Conference. The Hawks received news that junior tailback Dave Sinisi (Cedar Grove, NJ/Cedar Grove) has been added to the Walter Payton Award (Top Offensive Player in DI FCS) Watch List. One of 16 vying for the most-coveted individual prize in Division I FCS, leads the nation in rushing yards with 1,101 yards, while averaging 157.29 yards per game, which is second among all FCS backs. The Cedar Grove, NJ, native is second in FCS behind fellow Payton Award candidate Herb Donaldson (Western Illinois) in total touchdowns with 13. He has recorded at least 100 yards rushing in six of seven games this season, including his school record setting performance of 247 yards in a win over Saint Francis. … Monmouth has won its first three league games to sit in a tie atop the NEC standings with defending champion Albany. The Hawks look to make it four in a row when they host rival Central Connecticut State (Oct. 25).
Robert Morris (2-5, 1-2 NEC)
Last Game: Bryant 20, ROBERT MORRIS 7 (Smithfield, RI - Bulldog Stadium)
Next Game: October 25 at WAGNER, 1:00 pm (Staten Island, NY - Wagner College Stadium)
• Robert Morris concluded its 2008 non-conference schedule with a 20-7 defeat at Bryant in the inaugural meeting between the two programs. ... The Colonials moved the chains just once in the first half and 11 times total in accumulating 141 yards of total offense, their lowest output of the season. ... Senior quarterback Erik Cwalinski (Jacobsburg, OH/Shadyside) was sacked eight times on the afternoon, which helped Bryant hold RMU to -20 yards of rushing in the game. Cwalinski finished 11-for-25 passing for 161 yards and an interception. ... Sophomore halfback Myles Russ (Boca Raton, FL/West Boca) had trouble all afternoon, carrying 16 times for just 37 yards and fumbling once. ... Senior tight end Regis Flowers (Irwin, PA/Norwin) led the receiving corps with four catches for 59 yards. ... Sophomore punter Nick Schirtzinger (Hurricane, WV/Hurricane) punted seven times for 252 yards, an average of 36 yards per punt. ... Robert Morris was led defensively by sophomore linebacker Alex DiMichele (Pittsburgh, PA/Sto-Rox), who recorded a game-high 13 tackles, including a pair for losses that totaled nine yards and a sack. Junior safety Michael Landers (Springdale, PA/Springdale) finished with eight tackles and recorded his league-leading fourth interception of the season. Junior linebacker Adam Lawrence (Big Run, PA/Dubois Area) also finished with eight stops, while sophomore cornerback James Snider (Newark, DE/Valley Forge Military Academy) posted seven tackles, all unassisted. A total of 48 of RMU's 68 takedowns against the Bulldogs were of the solo variety. ... Robert Morris posted a season-high seven quarterback hurries, including a pair each by junior defensive lineman Andy Walton (New Waterford, OH/Crestview) and sophomore safety Troy Cree (Waynesburg, PA/Waynesburg Central). ... The Colonials return to league play Saturday, Oct. 25, by closing out a two-game road swing against Wagner at Wagner College Stadium in Staten Island, NY.
Sacred Heart (6-1, 2-1 NEC)
Last Game: ALBANY 26, SACRED HEART 21 (Fairfield, CT - Campus Field)
Next Game: October 25 at DUQUESNE, 1:00 pm (Pittsburgh, PA - Rooney Field)
• The Pioneers saw their six-game winning streak snapped on Saturday falling to fellow NEC unbeaten UAlbany 26-21 at home. The loss was the Pioneers seventh-straight to the Great Danes dating back to 2002. Albany leads the series 9-2. … The Pioneers held a 14-10 lead late in the second quarter thanks to touchdowns by Evin Jones (Pennsauken, NJ/Roman Catholic [PA]), his ninth on the year, and freshman Jared Kemp (Miami, FL/Miami Killian), his first career score. … The Pioneers appeared to come up with the play of the day on the Albany's first play from scrimmage following Kemp's score. Vinny Esposito's pass over the middle slipped through the receiver's hands and into the arms of SHU linebacker Rich Marrone (Brooklyn, NY/Poly Prep) at the 25-yard line. Marrone headed for the left pylon and the score but just before he could dive for the end zone Great Dane wide receiver Tim Bush chopped the ball out of his hands from behind, forcing a fumble that went across the goal line and out of bounds resulting in a touchback to give UAlbany back the ball on their 20-yard line with no harm done. Neither team scored on their final drives of the half, which ended with ahead 14-10, but the Pioneers missed opportunity eventually came back to haunt them. … Second-year starting quarterback Dale Fink (Swansea, IL/Althoff Catholic) threw for 247 yards by completing 25 of 34 passes for two touchdowns and an interception in the loss. … Junior receiver Steve Tedesco (Mission Viejo, CA/Trabuco Hills) had his first 100-yard receiving day of the season, hauling in eight balls for 101 yards and a touchdown, his seventh of the season. … SHU will make its first trip to Duquesne to face the Dukes as members of the NEC this coming weekend. Duquesne has won the only two previous meetings between the two schools.
Saint Francis (PA) (0-6, 0-3 NEC)
Last Game: WAGNER 17, SAINT FRANCIS (PA) 13 (Loretto, PA - DeGol Field)
Next Game: October 25 at ALBANY, 1:00 pm (Albany, NY - Alumni Field)
• The Red Flash were unable to break into the win column against Wagner, suffering a heart-breaking 17-13 defeat. Saint Francis (PA) took a 13-7 lead into the fourth quarter, but Wagner capitalized off prime field position (Red Flash 33) to score the go-ahead touchdown mid-way through the final frame. The Flash had won two of the prior three meetings between the two. … Sophomore target Ryan Zarnich (Rochester, PA/Rochester Area) led the receiving corps with three catches for 49 yards. The sophomore's 19-yard touchdown catch put the Flash in front, 13-7, in the third quarter. … Sophomore receiver Omar Winston (Cleveland, OH/Cleveland South) had the Flash's first touchdown on his way to three catches for 30 yards. … The day was filled with missed opportunities for the offense, as a slew of good passes were dropped. … Junior running back Calvin Williams (Cleveland, OH/Cleveland South) led the rushing attack with 12 carries for 43 yards. … The defense fared better than the offense, sacking Seahawks' quarterback Matt Abbey three times. Sophomore linebacker Scott Lewis (South Fork, PA/ Bishop McCort) led the defense with 23 tackles, while Matthew Parker (Darlington, PA/Blackhawk) made 11 stops to go with a pass break-up, a sack, and two QB hurries. … The Red Flash take their swing at becoming the first NEC team to knock off defending champion Albany in 10 games when they visit New York's Capital Region this Saturday (Oct. 25).
Wagner (3-4, 1-2 NEC)
Last Game: WAGNER 17, SAINT FRANCIS (PA) 13 (Loretto, PA - DeGol Field)
Next Game: October 25 vs. ROBERT MORRIS, 1:00 pm (Staten Island, NY - Wagner College Stadium)
• Wagner staged a fourth-quarter comeback to defeat league rival Saint Francis (PA), 17-13, on the road. Following senior Eric Ortiz's (Oceanside, CA/Vista) 38-yard field goal, which cut the deficit to three, Wagner senior QB Matt Abbey (La Canada, CA/St. Francis) hooked up with junior Tyrone Collins (Geneva, NY/Geneva) for the game-winning 33-yard TD pass mid-way through the fourth quarter. … Abbey went 15-of-35 passing for 229 yards. In recording the sixth 200-yard plus passing game of his career, Abbey continues his march through the Wagner all-time career lists. He became just the third QB in Wagner history to surpass the 300-completion mark. With 311 career completions, he needs three to pass Terry O'Hare (313, 1991-92) for second place on the Seahawk all-time list. Abbey also stands sixth on the all-time career passing yardage list with 3821 yards. … Collins grabbed six passes for a career-high 112 yards in the win over Saint Francis (PA). … Junior WR Lon Woods (St. Petersburg, FL/J.P. Taravella) had six catches for 57 yards vs. Saint Francis (PA) and now has 85 career receptions, which leaves him 12 away from cracking the program's all-time top 10. … Senior WR Kyle Trueblood (Edison, NJ/J.P. Stevens) had a stellar game returning kickoffs and punts. He brought two kickoffs back for 89 yards (45.5 yard average), including a 52-yarder and another for 37 yards. He also retuned five punts for 44 yards (8.8 yard average), highlighted by a long of 17 yards. … Wagner welcomed RB Shane Smith (Susquehanna, PA/Milford Academy) back to the lineup after sitting out the last two games with a leg injury. The 6-2, 230-pound Smith was Wagner's workhorse, gaining 60 hard-fought yards on 25 carries as the Red Flash were stout against the run. … The Seahawk defense held Saint Francis (PA) to 149 total yards, 87 in the passing department and 62 rushing yards. … Sophomore DB Frantz Placide (Miami, FL/Archbishop Curley) and senior LB Jason Haskins (Cliffwood Beach, NJ/Matawan) paced Wagner defensively with seven tackles apiece. Sophomore DB Stefen Gage (Syracuse, NY/Henninger) registered six tackles, including three solo stops, forced a fumble and recorded his first career interception. Junior DE Patrick Abdul (Brooklyn, NY/ Bay Shore) added six stops. … In the fourth quarter, with Saint Francis (PA) clinging to a 13-10 lead and facing a third-and-15 from its own 27-yard line, freshman DE Julian Stanford (Bloomfield, CT/Bloomfield) turned in the defensive play of the game for Wagner by sacking QB George Little for a loss of 20 yards back to the Red Flash seven-yard line. Following the ensuing Red Flash punt, Wagner took the lead for good on the Abbey to Collins connection on the very next play from scrimmage. … Wagner was without senior LB and captain Jeremy Spinks (Tampa, FL/Chamberlain), who missed his second straight game with a leg injury. Freshman Justin McKillop (Saugus, CA/Saugus) gained the first start of his career in place of Spinks and recorded four tackles. … The Seahawks will look to climb back to the .500 mark on Saturday (Oct. 25) when they play host to NEC rival Robert Morris.