STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – The Sacred Heart football team dropped its Northeast Conference opener Saturday night, falling 45-20 to the Wagner Seahawks at Hameline Field.

It's the second time in three years the Pioneers have lost the first conference game of the season to the Seahawks. Quarterback RJ Noel threw a ball a career-high 52 times, completing 23 passes for 327 yards and two scores. He also had two interceptions. Byron Barney had a career-high five receptions for 103 yards. Moses Webb and Andrew O'Neill both had six receptions and a touchdown each. 

Wagner (3-1, 1-0 NEC) broke the game open in the second quarter. After taking a 12-6 lead after the first, the Seahawks scored 13 straight points to take a 25-6 lead with 3:20 to play in the second quarter. SHU (4-1, 0-1 NEC) responded with Nate Chavious' 99-yard kick return for a touchdown, making the score 25-13. The two teams traded touchdowns until halftime, as Alex Thomson's third touchdown pass of the half gave the Seahawks a 39-20 halftime lead. 

SHU allowed a season-high 540 yards of total offense while racking up 435. Wagner had 276 passing yards and 264 yards on the ground. Thomson was 15-for-28 for 276 yards and three touchdowns. Matthias McKinnon rushed for 157 yards and two touchdowns.

After an open week next week, the Pioneers travel to Cornell on Oct. 15 for a 1:30 p.m. game.

How They Scored…

11:10 1^st Q – Wagner 6, SHU 0; The Seahawks drove 75 yards on their opening drive, scoring on a 41-yard run by Matthias McKinnon.

8:22 1^st Q – Wagner 12, SHU 0; Alex Thomson throws a five-yard touchdown pass to Denzel Knight. SHU stopped Wagner on the two-point conversion.

4:09 1^st Q – Wagner 12, SHU 6; Moses Webb catches his third touchdown of the season on a seven-yard strike from RJ Noel. The PAT was missed.

14:55 2^nd Q – Wagner 15, SHU 6; James Cooper makes a 39-yard field goal to cap a 10-play, 47-yard drive.

10:06 2^nd Q – Wagner 18, SHU 6; Cooper knocks through a 52-yard field goal to extend the lead back to 12. The ball bounced off the crossbar and through the uprights.

3:20 2^nd Q – Wagner 25, SHU 6; McKinnon scores his second touchdown of the game to cap a 66-yard drive that took 5:54 off the clock.

3:06 2^nd Q – Wagner 25, SHU 13; Nate Chavious scores his first career kick return touchdown with a 99-yard return.

2:20 2^nd Q – Wagner 32, SHU 13; Thomson connects with John Williams for a 50-yard touchdown pass.

1:12 2^nd Q – Wagner 32, SHU 20; Noel throws a screen pass to Andrew O'Neill, who takes it 29 yards to the end zone.

0:39 2^nd Q – Wagner 39, SHU 20; Thomson's third touchdown pass of the half goes for 39 yards to Keith Foster.

7:17 4^th Q – Wagner 45, SHU 20; Denzel Knight scores on a 67-yard touchdown run.

Notes

- SHU allowed its first points in the second half this season on Knight's 67-yard touchdown run with 7:17 remaining in the fourth quarter.

- Chavious is the second player in SHU history to have a 99-yard kick return for a touchdown. Garry Coles had the first in 2009.

- Barney had his first career 100-yard receiving game.

- O'Neill had a career-high six receptions for 80 yards.

- Kevin Sears led SHU with a career-high nine tackles and his first career sack.