Football Looks for 2-0 Start, Travels to AIC for Friday Night Showdown
COMING OFF MONUMENTAL WIN AT WAGNER, WARRIORS AIM 2-0 START AT AIC FRIDAY
Links: Live Stats | Video | Follow @MC_Athletics | Game Notes (.pdf)
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – On the heels of arguably the biggest win in school history and one of the biggest upsets in all of collegiate football this season after defeating reigning Northeast Conference (Division I) champion Wagner, on the road, last Friday, the Merrimack College football team continues the 2013 season with an even more meaningful game on Friday night, as the Warriors travel to Ronald J. Abdow Field to battle preseason Northeast-10 Conference favorite American International under the lights in Springfield, Mass.
The Basics
Date/Time: Friday, Sept. 13, 2013 | 7 p.m.
Records: Merrimack (1-0) | American Int'l (0-1)
Location: Ronald J. Abdow Field | Springfield, Mass.
Last Time Out
Trailing by six, 41-35, with just over five minutes to play, the Merrimack College football team, led by senior quarterback Joe Clancy, orchestrated a drive for the ages that stretched 14 plays for 96 yards before finding classmate Shane Ferguson for a three-yard, game-deciding strike, and that was enough to propel the Warriors past reigning Northeast Conference (Div. I) champion Wagner, 42-41, in an unforgettable showdown last Friday night at Hameline Field in Staten Island, N.Y.
After the Warriors built a 28-13 lead at the intermission, Wagner stormed out of the gate in the second stanza and roared ahead, 34-28, on three straight touchdowns entering the fourth quarter. Both sides would trade scores in the final 10 minutes to set up the final drive of the game with the Warriors trailing by six. Clancy and the Merrimack offense took over from their own five and calmly marched down the field, slicing and dicing through the Seahawks' defense before, with just over 30 seconds left, Clancy found classmate Shane Ferguson on an out route to the right side, and the slot receiver sliced around the defense and crossed the plane to cap off Merrimack's biggest win in program history.
Last Season vs. American Int'l
Despite an epic 536-yard, three-touchdown performance from quarterback Joe Clancy, AIC spoiled those heroics and used a 28-15 advantage in the second half to put the game out of reach, as the Yellow Jackets downed Merrimack, 49-34, on Sept. 15, 2012, at Martone-Mejail Field.
Trailing by 14 (33-19) late in the third quarter, the Warriors made it a one-possession game on a Clancy two-yard keeper to slice the deficit to 33-26, but visiting AIC responded right away to start the fourth quarter to regain its two-possession lead. Merrimack fought to bring it to 41-34 on another Clancy connection to Steve Serwon, but he Yellow Jackets responded with another score two minutes later to account for the final deficit.
The Warriors:
- Enter the contest 1-0 after a monumental, upset win at Division I Wagner last week
- Lead the nation with 26 first downs
- Totaled 309 yards in the air, 124 on the ground and 433 yards of total offense last week against the Seahawks
- Boasted one 100-yard receiver in Jere Brown last Friday, while senior Quinn McDonough added 50 yards on the ground and a game-high 212 all-purpose yards thanks to a 98-yard kickoff return to start the game
- Surrendered 418 yards to Wagner despite holding a 28-13 lead at halftime
The Yellow Jackets:
- Surrendered the final 14 points on the road in a 21-14, season-opening setback at East Stroudsburg last week
- Passed for 193 yards but ran for 209 more to account for 402 yards of total offense against the ESU Warriors
- Converted just 29 percent of third downs last week but went 1-for-4 on fourth down
- Are led on the ground by dynamic tailback Terrell Williams, who averaged 6.3 yards per touch last week
- Kevin Arduino finished 15-for-37 (40.5 percent) with one thowing touchdown and two interceptions
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