Sacred Heart University Department of Athletics
St. Peter's
Football Runs Past St. Peter's, 48-14
10/23/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 23, 2004
FAIRFIELD, CT - Junior tailback Ed Pricolo (Johnston, RI) ran for 153 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns and Sacred Heart University scored 21 points in the first 3:23 of the game enroute to a 48-14 victory over St. Peter's College in a non-conference football game Saturday afternoon.
Sacred Heart, now 4-3 and winners of three straight, scored first on a one-yard plunge by Pricolo just 1:30 into the game. The score was set up when Pioneer freshman Derek DePascale blocked a Wayne Guarino punt and recovered the ball at the Peacock one-yard line.
On the ensuing kickoff, Jahmar Reynolds fumbled the ball when he was hit by DePascale and freshman Joe Mish (Monroe, CT) fell on it for the Pioneers at the St. Peter's 17-yard line. Sophomore QB Dan Ammel hit Pricolo with a screen pass to the Peacock eight, and Pricolo ran the ball twice more to get it to the four. Ammel then connected with senior tight end Mike Peshler with a four-yard scoring strike to make it 14-0.
On the first play after the second SHU score, St. Peter's Sean Mayers fumbled the ball at his own 15. The ball was batted around before sophomore Jon Corto fell on it for the Pioneers in the endzone for a touchdown and a 21-0 Sacred Heart lead.
The Peacocks, 1-6, finally got on the board with 5:17 to go in the first quarter on a one-yard pass from QB Scott Bonnono to sophomore tight end Troy Lindsley. That pass capped a 14-play, 68-yard drive that was highlighted by a trick 30-yard pass from receiver Brandon Edmonds to fellow receiver Treatt Givens. The Peacocks went for two but failed in the attempt to leave it at 21-6.
Freshman George Wegricht returned the squib kick after the St. Peter's score 48 yard to the St. Peter's 27. On the first play after the kickoff, Ammel connected with sophomore receiver Joey Henley for a 27-yard score and a 28-6 lead. The Pioneers would score one more time in the first quarter when Ammel and Henley hooked up again, this time for a three-yard TD with :18 left. The extra point was blocked, but the Pioneers held a 34-6 lead at the end of one quarter.
The second quarter started just as badly for the Peacocks. Backup QB Josh Jones was intercepted by Zak Kepner for the Pioneers on the second play. On the first play after that Pricolo ripped off an 80-yard run for the Pioneers for a touchdown and a 41-6 lead with 13:50 to go in the half.
Sacred Heart made it 48-6 with 9:40 to go in the half when Ammel threw his fourth touchdown pass of the game, this time a 15-yarder to sophomore receiver Alvin Franklin (New Haven, CT).
The Pioneers put the brakes on the offense in the second half, using a mixture of backup players and conservative play calls to keep the clock moving. St. Peter's would get on the board once more with 8:35 left in the game on a 9-yard pass from Jose to Carl Cowart. A two-point conversion closed the scoring. The score was set up by a fumble at the SHU 20 by senior receiver Nick Savino that gave the Peacocks the short field.
St. Peter's tried to go in for one more score in the final minute, but Jones was picked off at the SHU five by freshman linebacker Mike Anagnostou.
The effort by Pricolo gave him a new single-season rushing record for the Pioneers, with 1089 yards in the first seven games. He also extended his own school record with his seventh consecutive 100-yard rushing game.
