Box Score FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart football team wrapped up the 2016 season Saturday with a 42-34 loss to the Bryant Bulldogs at Campus Field Saturday on Senior Day.
Prior to kickoff, Sacred Heart honored the 26 seniors on this season's team. One of those seniors, linebacker James Rentz, set a new SHU career record Saturday. With two sacks, Rentz passed Odain Mitchell as the Pioneers' all-time leader in sacks with 28. Quarterback RJ Noel had 104 yards of total offense and a rushing touchdown in the first half before leaving the game with an injury. Kevin Duke came in and was 19-of-29 for 227 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. In his final game as a Pioneer, Moses Webb had seven receptions for 103 yards.
Sacred Heart (6-5, 1-5 NEC) got off to a fast start Saturday. Tim Johnson intercepted Bryant's Dalton Easton on the Bulldogs' first play from scrimmage, giving SHU the ball at the Bryant 18. Three plays later, Noel ran in a touchdown from six yards out to make the score 7-0 with 12:09 to play in the first. On the ensuing kickoff, Mustapha Noibi forced a Matt Sewall fumble which Nate Chavious returned for a touchdown to give the Pioneers' a 14-0 lead.
Bryant (5-6, 4-2 NEC) got on the board with 8:20 left in the first quarter on a 21-yard touchdown pass from Easton to Tyler Barthelette. The Bulldogs then turned a SHU fumble into a one-yard Hunter Taute touchdown run to tie the game 14-14 at the 2:55 mark of the first. SHU took back the lead at the 9:10 mark of the second on a 32-yard Alec Finney field goal. The Bulldogs took their first lead with 3:26 to play in the first half as Easton connected with Sewall on a 22-yard touchdown pass. The two hooked up again with 1:21 remaining to give Bryant a 28-17 halftime lead.
The Bulldogs opened up a 35-20 lead with less than six minutes to play in the third quarter. On the ensuing drive, Duke led the Pioneers on a 12-play, 68-yard drive that culminated on a 13-yard touchdown pass to Byron Barney on 4th-and-goal. That score got SHU within eight, 35-27, with 3:08 remaining in the third. Bryant answered with a 67-yard touchdown pass from Easton to Aaron Aryee to go back ahead by 15, 42-27. The Pioneers tacked on a touchdown late in the fourth quarter on a five-yard shovel pass from Duke to Chavious with 1:26 to play to make the score 42-34.
SHU outgained Bryant on the day 477-416 and held the Bulldogs to just 25 yards rushing. The Pioneers also had the ball for 33:18. Easton threw for 391 yards and four touchdowns, with Sewall catching eight passes for 136 yards and two scores.
Sacred Heart posted a winning season for the fourth consecutive year in 2016, going 6-5 for the second straight year.
First Quarter
- Tim Johnson intercepted Bryant's Dalton Easton on the Bulldogs' first play from scrimmage.
- Noel scored his 23rd career rushing touchdown three plays later to cap an 18-yard drive.
- Mustapha Noibi forced a Matt Sewell fumble on the ensuing kickoff, which Nate Chavious returned 20 yards for a touchdown to give SHU a 14-0 lead at the 11:53 mark.
- Bryant tied the game 14-14 at the 2:55 mark on a one-yard touchdown run by Hunter Taute. The Bulldogs forced and recovered a Marquis Harper fumble to set up that tying drive.
Second Quarter
- The Pioneers took back the lead with 9:10 to play in the first half on a 32-yard field goal by Alec Finney. It was his seventh straight made field goal of the season.
- Bryant took its first lead of the game on a 22-yard touchdown pass from Easton to Matt Sewall with 3:26 to play in the quarter, making the score 21-17 Bulldogs. The score capped a six-play, 80-yard drive.
- SHU's offense accounted for three first downs and two three-and-outs in the second quarter.
Third Quarter
- Rentz passed Odain Mitchell for the SHU career sacks record on Bryant's opening drive of the quarter, giving him 28 for his career.
- SHU closed within eight with a 13-play, 62-yard drive that took 4:07. However, the Pioneers had to settle for a 25-yard Finney field goal to make the score 28-20.
- Duke's touchdown pass to Barney at the 3:08 mark was the first of his career.
Fourth Quarter
- SHU had a chance to cut the deficit to eight early in the quarter, but Chavious was stopped on a 4th-and-goal from the Bryant 2 with 10:57 to play.
- Chavious' receiving touchdown late in the fourth was his first career touchdown reception. It also gave him his fourth multi-touchdown game of the season.
