Box Score FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Behind 491 yards of total offense, the Sacred Heart football team moved to 2-0 on the season with a 42-14 win over the Valparaiso Crusaders in the Pioneers' home opener at Campus Field.
SHU had 279 yards rushing for its fourth consecutive game of over 200 yards rushing dating back to last season. Sophomore Jordan Meachum led all players with a career-high 99 yards on 19 carries and his first career touchdown. Ose Imeokparia, Jay Croom, and RJ Noel also had rushing scores. Noel added 210 passing yards and two touchdowns. Moses Webb had a career-high eight receptions for 75 yards.
Defensively, CJ Parvelus had over 10 tackles for the second game in a row. The junior linebacker had 13 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and a sack. Kevin Barry added eight tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. As a team, the Pioneers had 15 tackles for loss and five sacks.
After the two teams played to a 7-7 tie in the first quarter, SHU came alive with 28 unanswered points in the second quarter. Meachum broke the tie with a one-yard touchdown run with 13:56 to play to make the score 14-7. Imeokparia followed with a 25-yard rushing score 2:38 later to put the Pioneers ahead 21-7. Noel then threw two straight touchdown passes – one to Byron Barney and one to Jaylin Deveau – to make the score 35-7 with 5:17 remaining in the half. Valparaiso (0-2) got within 21 with 2:07 remaining in the second on a five-yard touchdown pass from Jimmy Seewald to Griffin Norberg.
The Pioneers host Marist next week for Homecoming. Kickoff is at 5 p.m.
How They Scored…
First Quarter
10:06 to play-SHU 7, Valpo 0: Noel pounds in the first score of the game for the Pioneers on a 16-yard run to cap a seven-play, 59-yard drive.
7:56 to play- SHU 7, Valpo 7: The Crusaders answer back with Jimmy Seewald connecting with Jean Rene on a 36-yard touchdown pass.
Second Quarter
13:56 to play-SHU 14, Valpo 7: Meachum caps a six-play, 70-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run for his first career score.
11:18 to play- SHU 21, Valpo 7: Imeokparia finds the end zone on a 25-yard run to put the Pioneers up by 14.
7:47 to play- SHU 28, Valpo 7: Noel hits Deveau for a 19-yard pass for the junior tight end's first career touchdown.
5:53 to play- Khaamal Whitaker intercepts Seewald to give SHU the ball at the Valpo 37.
5:17 to play- SHU 35, Valpo 7: Noel hits Barney for a 32-yard pitch and catch for the Pioneers' quickest drive of the afternoon, needing just 36 seconds to score. It's the second straight game Barney has found the end zone.
2:07 to play- SHU 35, Valpo 14: Seewald finds Griffen Norberg in the flat for a 5-yard touchdown pass.
Third Quarter
12:01 to play SHU 42, Valpo 14- Croom notches the final score on a six-yard run. The Pioneers ran the ball on all eight plays of the drive for 51 yards.
NOTES
- SHU rushed for 279 yards, its highest total since Oct. 11, 2014 when the Pioneers had 286 in a win over Robert Morris.
- Noel had a touchdown pass and a touchdown run for the 14th time in his career Saturday. SHU has won all 14 of those games.
- SHU was 7-for-14 on third down and held Valpo to 3-for-15.
- Thirteen different Pioneers on defense had at least 0.5 tackles for loss Saturday. Eight were in on sacks.
