Football Celebrates Seniors in 35-7 Win over SCSU
Links: Box Score
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – All even at 7-7 in the early goings of the second quarter, the Merrimack College football team tallied the final 28 points of the game en route to a 35-7 blowout victory against Southern Connecticut State on Senior Day at Martone-Mejail Field.
The Basics
Score: Merrimack 35, SCSU 7
Records: Merrimack (4-6, 4-5 NE-10) | SCSU (2-8, 2-7 NE-10)
Location: Martone-Mejail Field | North Andover, Mass.
How It Happened
On a day in which it celebrated its 23-man Class of 2015 on Senior Day, the Warriors rushed out of the gate on their second drive of the game, as first-year sophomore Nick Laspada (Billerica, Mass.) found classmate Justin Mount (Westford, Mass.) for a 76-yard pass-and-catch to put the hosts on top by seven early in the first quarter.
Merrimack would quickly get the ball back on the ensuing kickoff after SCSU fumbled, and the Warriors promptly drove all the way down to the SCSU 13-yard line before just missing on a 30-yard field goal attempt.
After a late interception gave the ball to the Owls towards the end of the first quarter, SCSU used a three-play, 39-yard drive to draw even after Shaquan Hall burst through the line of scrimmage and took it 29 yards out to make it 7-7.
But after that, it was all Merrimack, as the Warriors quickly countered on their ensuing drive; starting at its own 33, Merrimack drove the ball 67 yard in only five plays, as junior Armond McRae (Nashua, N.H.) punched it in from five yards out to put the hosts on top for good, 14-7.
The Navy and Gold defense stuffed SCSU on five plays on the next series to get the ball back, and the offense capitalized, going 65 yards over 10 plays before Laspada found Mount again in the left corner of the end zone from 12 yards out to make it 21-7 heading into the locker room.
After winning the coin toss and deferring possession to the second half, that choice paid dividends for the home side, as the Warriors opened the third quarter with an eight-play, 67-yard drive culminated with rookie running back Derrick Villard (Cromwell, Conn.) scoring his first touchdown in a Merrimack uniform with 11:39 to go in the frame.
With Southern unable to get anything going on back-to-back drives, the Owls took over at their own 13 following a Merrimack punt. But on the very first play of that sequence, first-year sophomore Devonte Jones (Baltimore, Md.) snatched SCSU quarterback Michael Eckrote's attempt out of midair and took it to the house for a pick-six, making it 35-7 with 3:29 left in the quarter.
That would be the last time either side would find the end zone, as Merrimack's defense forced SCSU to punt four more times the rest of the way.
Afterward, the Athletic Department paid special tribute to the 23 graduating seniors of the Class of 2015 for their hard work and dedication to the program over the last four years. This year's senior class helped accumulate 23 wins over their tenure and were a part of last year's seven-win campaign that featured a marquee victory against Division I Wagner College.
Inside The Numbers
- Merrimack finished with a 487-180 edge in total offense, while the defense limited the Owls to a meager 73 yards passing on the day
- Laspada finished 20-of-37 with three touchdowns and three interceptions in the pocket and rushed for a team-leading 81 yards
- Villard, meanwhile, enjoyed a breakout performance with a career-high 61 yards rushing and 48 yards receiving and a touchdown, while Mount led all players with 98 receiving yards on three catches and two TDs
- Both Jones and senior James Flores (Brockton, Mass.) hauled in interceptions on the day, while sophomore Brian Carroll (Sudbury, Mass.) forced two fumbles and added two sacks alongside classmate Josh Hill (Glastonbury, Conn.)
- The Warrior defense limited the Owls to only one third down conversion in 13 tries, while the offense held on to the ball for 33:19
Up Next
Merrimack will welcome Bentley to town to conclude the 2014 season next Saturday (Nov. 15) as part of NE-10 Championship Weekend. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m.
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