Football Opens Season On The Road At Defending Conference Champions, New Haven
Merrimack Football
Game #1 at New Haven, Saturday, September 1, 2012, 1
p.m., DellaCamera Stadium
Watch / Follow / Listen / Game
Notes (pdf)
MERRIMACK Opens Up 2012 On The Road At #13 New Haven On
Saturday
Game 1 - Merrimack College (0-0, 0-0 NE-10) vs. #13 New
Haven (0-0, 0-0 NE-10)
UPDATE
Merrimack kicks off the 2012 campaign with a road contest against
the defending conference champions #13 New Haven. The Warriors open
up the season tabbed fourth in the Northeast-10 preseason
polls.
SERIES
Merrimack is 1-2 all-time against the New Haven Chargers with New
Haven winning last year on the road at Merrimack, 44-35. Merrimack
has outscored New Haven 108-91 in their three meetings despite
being beat on two occassions.
A GROUP
OF FOUR SENIOR CAPTAINS READY TO LEAD 2012
SQUAD
Merrimack football head coach John Perry has announced the
captains for the 2012 campaign. Senior quarterback Joe Clancy and
senior wide receiver Isaiah
Voegeli will be the captains of the offense while Artis Holt and
Ryan
McCarthy will captain the defense. Clancy is entering his first
full season as starting quarterback for the Warriors and Voegeli is
coming off an All-Region selection last season. Defensively Holt
was named first team All-Conference following his junior season and
McCarthy will start for the second straight year.
FIVE WARRIORS NAMED PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS
Entering the 2012 campaign Merrimack received five preseason
All-American accolades. Offensively the Warriors had three players
represented as Isaiah Voegeli, Jimon Hill and
Zach
Gilbert were all recognized for their play as juniors. On the
defensive side of the ball the Warriors had two players including
Michael
Wiggins and Artis Holt. Voegeli led the Northeast-10 in
receiving yards and touchdowns last season while Hill broke 1,000
total yards. Wiggins led the Warriors defense with 7.5 sacks to go
along with 13.5 tackles for a loss, both team highs. Holt was
dynamic as a return man along with defensively as he recorded one
kickoff return for a touchdown with an average return of 29.6 yards
and totaled 33 tackles and two interceptions.
FAST START IS KEY
In order for the Warriors to make a run at the Northeast-10
Conference Championship they must start off the season fast as they
will open the season against the defending conference champions.
The Warriors next two conference matchups will be against the teams
ranked two and three in the preseason conference polls, with both
of those contests coming at Martone-Mejail Field. A quick start in
September will prove to be pivital for the Warriors postseason
hopes.
PERRY'S HIGH-SCORING OFFENSE RETURNS
John Perry's high scoring offense was back at it in 2011 as they
led the Northeast-10 Conference in total offense averaging 474.5
total yards per contest. The Warriors also ranked second in points
per game with 39.7, passing yards per game with 283.6, rushing
yards per game with 190.9 and 3rd down percentage with 45%.
Merrimack was the only team in the conference to rank in the top
two in all major offensive categories in 2011. Perry's offense
returns its top two offensive weapons from last season as wide
receiver Isaiah Voegeli and running back Jimon Hill both return for
their senior campaigns.
CLANCY
TAKES OVER UNDER CENTER
Senior Joe Clancy will finally get his chance to run the Warriors
prolific offense in 2012. Clancy sat behind starting quarterback
James Suozzo for three seasons, watching Suozzo become one of the
greatest quarterbacks in Merrimack history along the way. Clancy
saw action in all 10 games last season throwing for 781 yards and
seven touchdowns while completing 63.7 percent of his passes. He
also ran for 56 yards and two scores on the ground. Clancy's had a
career performance in the Warriors victory against Pace last season
in which he went 18-28 for 268 yards and two touchdowns.
VOEGELI
RETURNS AFTER HUGE JUNIOR YEAR
Isaiah Voegeli emerged as the Warriors big play receiver and go to
guy during his junior season. Voegeli finished his impressive
campaign with 59 receptions, 1,251 yards and 14 touchdowns. Voegeli
led the Northeast-10 Conference in yards and touchdowns and ranked
in the top five in the nation in receiving yards, yards per game
and touchdowns.
HILL PRODUCES ON THE
GROUND AND AIR
Running back Jimon Hill played a crucial role in the Warriors
offense during the 2011 season as he compiled 859 rushing yards,
148 receiving yards and nine total touchdowns.Hill broke the 100
yard plateau on four occassions including a career-high 156 yards
and three touchdown against Saint Anselm. Hill scored at least one
touchdown in six of 10 games for the Warriors as a junior.
60
OR MORE POINTS ON TWO OCCASIONS
Merrimack scored 60 or more points in two games during the 2011
season. The Warriors dropped, a then school record, 60 points in
their 60-3 victory over WPI in the season opener before scoring 63
points in the 63-7 victory at home to Pace. The two 60 point plus
outings marked the first time in school history the Warriors have
scored 60 points in two games in the same season. For the season
the Warriors racked up 397 points and ranked second in the
conference with 39.7 points per contest.
SPECIAL TEAMS IMPACT
The special team units of the Warriors paid huge dividens in the
2011 season. Merrimack received great punt returning play from
junior wide receiver Isaiah Voegeli who finished the season
averaging 17.3 per return including a 68 yard touchdown. On
kickoffs, Artis Holt was just as effective as he finished the
season averaging 29.7 per return including a 81 yard touchdown
return against New Haven.
MAJOR HONORS IN 2011
The Warriors received two major conference awards following the
2011 season as senior Shawn Loiseau was named the NE-10 Conference
Defensive Player of the Year for the second time. Loiseau broke the
100 tackle plateau for the third straight season and led the
conference in tackles. Defensive end Tony Johnson was also named
Defensive Lineman of the Year for the second time for his efforts.
In all the Warriors received seven All-Conference team members. The
All-Conference members were Loiseau, Johnson, Isaiah Voegeli, Jimon
Hill, Zach Gilbert, Artis Holt and Michael Wiggins. Voegeli,
Johnson and Loiseau were all also represented on the All-Regional
team last season.
OTHER PROJECTED IMPACT PLAYERS
Shane
Ferguson (WR): Recorded 22 catches for 299 yards and three
touchdowns as a junior.
Steve
Serwon (TE): Recorded 18 catches for 198 yards and two
touchdowns in 2011.
Jimmy
Holland (LB): Recorded 52 tackles and two interceptions playing
mainly as a backup linebacker.
Ervin
Johnson (S): Transfer from division I Old Dominion.
FOR OPENERS
Merrimack is 10-6 all-time in season openers including 2-2 under
current head coach John Perry. They are 7-3 all-time in NE-10
openers and 3-0 under Perry. The Warriors defeated WPI last season
in their season opener by the score of 60-3 in front of the home
crowd.
WARRIORS SCORING STREAK REACHES 114
GAMESMerrimack has scored points in 114 consecutive games heading
into the 2012 season which ranks them in the top 20 for current
point streaks. Valdosta State leads the nation by scoring in 230
consecutive games while conference foes Bentley and Southern
Connecticut State rank inside the top 20 as well with 124 and 116
games respectively.
2012 NE-10 PRESEASON POLL
1. New Haven (7) – 63
2. So. Connecticut (1) – 53
3. American Int'l (1) – 50
T4. Merrimack - 41
T4. Bentley – 41
6. Assumption – 29
7. Stonehill– 24
8. Saint Anselm – 15
9. Pace – 8
( ) – Denotes first-place votes
LAST MEETING
October 29, 2011, Merrimack 35, New Haven 44
In a showdown for first place, the Merrimack football team led
for three quarters, but #13 New Haven rallied with two
fourth-quarter touchdowns to defeat the Warriors 44-35 Saturday at
a rainy and cold Martone-Mejail Field. After New Haven took the
opening kickoff 61 yards in 10 plays to take the early 7-0 lead,
James Suozzo (Everett, MA) picked up a pair of rushing touchdowns
from three and 14 yards out to give the hosts the 14-7 lead after
one. After Ryan Osiecki connected with DeCaro for a 22-yard
touchdown pass, Suozzo found Isaiah Voegeli (Hyannis, MA) on a
3rd-and-17 for a 40-yard touchdown pass with 4:23 left in the
second, bumping Merrimack's lead to 28-17. The Warriors looked
poised to increase their lead following a roughing the punter call,
but Merrimack's 43-yard field goal was blocked with 19 seconds
left, and Desmond Anderson returned it all the way to the
seven-yard line, where Osiecki hit Jason Thompson with eight
seconds left, giving Merrimack the 28-24 lead at halftime.DeCaro
picked up his first of three second half rushing scores with 2:21
to go in the third, scampering into the end zone on a four-yard
rush. The sophomore then gave the Chargers their first lead since
the 4:17 mark of the first, rushing into the end zone from nine
yards out with 12:33 to play in regulation. Merrimack proceeded to
go three and out when they took over the ball with 6:50 to play,
looking to regain the lead, and the Chargers went right back down
the field, as DeCaro capped a seven-play, 64-yard drive with his
fifth score of the game.
LAST GAME RECAP
November 12, 2011, Merrimack 28, Southern Connecticut State
27
After back-to-back weeks of losing second half leads, the
Merrimack football team put together a great second half, coming
back from 13 down to win 28-27 at Southern Connecticut State on
Saturday. Merrimack scored a touchdown in the third and fourth
quarters to finish off the comeback. Senior quarterback James
Suozzo (Everett, Mass.), in his final collegiate game, led all
players with 319 total yards and three total touchdowns.The fourth
quarter started off with a turnover on downs by the Owls as Michael
Wiggins (Dolton, Ill.) sacked Kevin Lynch for a two yard loss,
handing the ball over to Suozzo and the Warriors offense. Suozzo
did not waste much time as he connected with Shane Ferguson (Point
Pleasant Beach, NJ) on a 23 yard strike to enter Owls territory.
Suozzo then connected with Voegeli down to the Southern Connecticut
33 yard line. Hill would take the ball down to the three yard line
before Suozzo connected on a three yard touchdown with Serwon for
his second receiving touchdown of the day. The Serwon touchdown
came on a fourth down and goal and it proved to be the game winning
score. The Merrimack defense held strong and forced Southern
Connecticut to give the ball back to the offense with 6:48
remaining in the game. The Merrimack offense wore the clock down to
nine seconds before giving it back to the Owls on downs. The Owls
final chance at a winning score was cut short as senior T.J.
Peloquin (Southington, CT), playing in his final game, sacked Lynch
for a five yard loss, sealing the victory for the Warriors. Hill
finished the game over the 100 yard plateau for the second
consecutive week, gaining 127 yards and scoring once. Isaiah
Voegeli finished off his outstanding season with eight receptions
for 109 yards in the victory. Serwon finished with his best
performance of the season with four catches for 56 yards and two
scores. Defensively All American Shawn Loiseau (Shrewsbury, Mass.)
finished off his career with six tackles in the victory. Loiseau
finished the season with 114 tackles, marking the third consecutive
season with 100 plus tackles and finished his career with 375
tackles, ranking him third all-time in NE-10 conference
history.
WARRIORS ON THE AIR
Merrimack has teamed up with America One Networks to deliver live
broadband broadcasts for the third straight season. Warrior games
that will be streamed online include all home football, basketball
and hockey broadcasts.
