Sept. 28, 2002

Final Stats

LORETTO, PA - Saturday's football game between Sacred Heart University and St. Francis College wasn't a thing of beauty. The two teams combined for just 277 yards of offense. But while the offenses were not clicking, SHU head coach Bill Lacey had to smile at the play of his defense that helped his team escape its visit to the Pine Bowl in Loretto, PA with a 28-0 Northeast Conference victory.

Senior linebacker Kayode Mayowa got Sacred Heart the only points it would ultimately need in the contest in the first quarter. St. Francis QB Kevin McCray was sacked by Odain Mitchell (Bridgeport, CT) at his own 17-yard line, and coughed up the football in the process. Mayowa scooped up the loose ball and ran into the endzone for a TD just five minutes into the game.

The Sacred Heart offense managed just seven first downs all game, and sputtered on its first five possessions of the game, managing a net of minus one yard in total offense. On the first play of the sixth possession, junior QB Joe Kroells (Burbank, CA) connected with Marlon Ward on a 53-yard scoring strike to give the Pioneers a 14-0 lead.

On the other side, the Red Flash offense was unable to sustain anything again the Sacred Heart defense. The deepest penetration for St. Francis in the first half was to the SHU 38 yard line just before the half.

It looked like the Pioneers had a golden chance to increase the lead early in the third, despite being forced to put on their first possession. A Mike Kraft punt was fumbled by the Red Flash and recovered by Dan Atcherson (Pennsauken, NJ) at the St. Francis 37-yard line. However, Kroells was hit and fumbled on the first play and lost 11 yards back to the 48. After running two more plays, Kraft was forced to punt again and pinned the Red Flash at their own two.

The two teams traded punts in the next two drives, the Pioneers making out on the exchange thanks to the earlier Kraft boot to the two. A poor 28-yard kick by Red Flash punter Carl Parrish and a 13-yard return from Pete Athans (Ocean, NJ) gave the Pioneers the ball on the St. Francis 25. Two plays later freshman Ed Pricolo (Johnston, RI) ran 22 yards for a touchdown to give Sacred Heart a 21-0 lead.

After the ensuing kickoff, Sacred Heart forced the Red Flash to punt after just three plays. Parrish's punt sailed to the SHU 31 where Athans caught it and returned it 69 yards for the final Pioneer score of the day.

The Red Flash had its best chance to score in the fourth quarter. After Kroells was picked off by Red Flash DB Marcus Haines, St. Francis started a drive on its own 19. McCray connected on a 23-yard pass to Damon Hill and then a 25-yarder to Matt Rychlicki that put them on the SHU 35. A couple of runs by Munyaradzi Maraire gave the Red Flash a first and goal at the Pioneer five.

Maraire was dropped for a loss of four by Mayowa on first down and then a McCray pass intended for Cedric Hudson was batted away by Athans. McCray's pass attempt on third down was overthrown, and he was sacked by Mitchell on an attempted fourth down play.

It was the third straight shutout for the Pioneers (2-2, 2-1) over St. Francis (0-3, 0-1). The loss was also the 26th straight for the Red Flash. The win keeps the Pioneers in the hunt to defend their Northeast Conference title.