Offense Shines As Football Soars Past Stonehill For Homecoming Victory

NORTH ANDOVER, MASS – The Merrimack College Football team captured a 45-34 homecoming victory in a sold out Duane Stadium over Stonehill. Tyvon Edmonds Jr. and Donovan Wadley showed up in an offensive showdown in North Andover. 

The Basics
Score: Stonehill 34, Merrimack 45
Records: Stonehill (2-4, 1-2), Merrimack (3-3, 2-1)

Rapid Recap
Homecoming festivities started the morning on the campus of Merrimack College and the Football team kept the party going. The game started off with a big time kickoff return from Donovan Wadley. A couple plays later and Malakai Anthony trucked over a defender to punch in the first score of the game to go up 7-0. The first quarter finished 10-0 after a Lliam Davis kick. Stonehill cut the lead to four with a 6 yard touchdown pass but failed to convert the extra point. 

The Warriors were able to put together a great drive headlined by a 42 yard bomb from Malakai Anthony to LJ Robinson. That throw and catch set up a Donovan Wadley wildcat rush to increase the lead to 11 at 17-6. That would lead into halftime with a game that was relatively low scoring. However, the second half was an offensive outburst by both teams.

It took more than halfway through the third quarter to get points on the board but Merrimack was able to get good field position and it took just three plays before Donovan Wadley caught a bomb for 34 yards from the arm of Malakai Anthony to put Merrimack ahead 24-6. After a bad snap mistake from the Skyhawks it took just moments after until Tyvon Edmonds Jr. rushed in for a 4 yard score increasing the lead to 31-6.

Stonehill was able to muster up a drive and tack on a touchdown before failing to convert the two point attempt and still trailed 31-12 with 12:24 left in the game. Merrimack would respond with a five play drive capped off with a Donovan Wadley rush for 44 yards that found the painted area, making it a hat trick with three scores on the day. The Warriors had a commanding lead, 38-12 but Stonehill made it interesting. The Skyhawks scored on back to back possessions including a two point conversion that tightened it up at 38-27 with 3:20 on the clock. 

Tyvon Edmond Jr. put a stop to the run and momentum for Stonehill as he burst through a gap and took it all the way to the endzone for a 49 yard touchdown and left no doubt in this one as the Warriors went up 45-27. Stonehill would have one more drive that led to a score but it was out of reach and far too late as Merrimack pulled out a homecoming victory, 45-34. 

Notes and Figures

• Donovan Wadley put up 171 all purpose yards and 3 TDs
• Tyvon Edmonds ran for 169 yards and 2 TDs
• Malakai Anthony added two TD's; One rushing one passing
• Tre Jordan and Dj Frazier had 8 tackles each; Frazier added a sack as well
• Deon Houston had 3 tackles and a punt block

Up Next
The team will travel to Long Island next Saturday to take on fellow NEC foe LIU.