Football Opens NEC Play At Wagner On ESPN3 Saturday Night
9/28/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
Game Notes | ESPN3 | Live Stats
FAIRFIELD, Conn. – After its third win over a ranked opponent last week, the Sacred Heart football team opens Northeast Conference play at Wagner Saturday night at 6 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app.
The Pioneers moved to 4-0 for the first time since 2013 last Saturday, winning 38-10 at then-#20 Stony Brook. Sacred Heart scored 31 unanswered points to overcome a 10-7 deficit with 28 of those points coming in the second half. SHU held Stony Brook to 241 yards of total offense and 47 yards in the second half. The Seawolves are the highest-ranked opponent the Pioneers have defeated.
Sacred Heart nearly swept the NEC weekly awards on Monday. Quarterback RJ Noel was named Offensive Player of the Week after racking up 260 yards of total offense and three touchdowns against the Seawolves. Noel had one incompletion in the second half while going 20-for-28 through the air for 205 yards while rushing for 55 yards and two touchdowns.
Linebacker Kevin Barry earned his second Defensive Player of the Week after recording nine tackles, two tackles for loss, and 0.5 sacks. He also had a 44-yard interception return for a touchdown. On Wednesday, Barry was honored with the New England Football Writers' Association Gold Helmet. Alec Finney earned the Special Teams Player of the Week award after averaging 42.3 yards per punt with two inside the 20 yardline. He also kicked a 33-yard field goal to tie the game Saturday 10-10 at halftime.
The Pioneers and Seahawks meet for the 19th time Saturday night. Sacred Heart has won the last two games in the series to tie it 9-9. Last season, the Pioneers won 45-17 at Campus Field in the season finale. Noel threw for 162 yards and two touchdowns. Nate Chavious rushed for a career-high 130 yards and two scores. The SHU defense shut out Wagner in the second half, a trend that has continued through the first four games of this season.
Picked seventh in the NEC Preseason Coaches Poll, Wagner enters the conference opener at 2-1 after a 42-10 loss at Boston College last week. The Seahawks are second in the NEC in scoring defense behind SHU at 19.3 points per game. Wagner is also second in rushing at 160.7 yards per game. Running Back Denzel Knight is third in the NEC in rushing offense, averaging 88 yards per game.
