Offensive Explosion Helps Football Eliminate Colgate

North Andover, Mass. – The Merrimack College football team beat Colgate University on Saturday afternoon 51-17. Quarterback Ayden Pereira threw for a career-high 292 yards and three touchdowns in the victory. The sophomore also ran the ball 13 times for 103 yards and a touchdown.

The Essentials
Score: Colgate 17, Merrimack 51
Records: Merrimack (4-4) | Colgate (2-6)

How It Happened

• On their first drive, the Warriors found the end zone. Brendon Wyatt ran the ball four yards for the score, putting the Warriors up early. The Raiders hit a field goal with under two minutes to play in the first quarter to cut the lead down to four. After a 17-play 73-yard drive, Lliam Davis his a 22-yard field goal to push the advantage back up to 7. After a blocked punt by Kendal Sims, the Warriors took over in great field position. It only took two plays for Pereira to find Jermaine Corbett out of the backfield for a 36-yard touchdown. Colgate would answer with a touchdown of their own to get the Warrior lead back down to seven. Merrimack would head into the locker rooms up by seven.
• The Raiders got the ball to start the second half and were forced to punt. Marc Christian-Georges broke through for a punt block, once again giving Merrimack great field position. On the first play of the drive Pereira kept it and ran 19-yards into the end zone. The Warriors found themselves up 14. After a defensive stop, Pereira found Jalen McDonald for a 46-yard pass and catch to put Merrimack up three scores. Colgate scored on their next turn on offense, cutting the lead to 14. The Warriors responded with another touchdown drive of their own. This time Pereira found Trevor Shorter for a 13-yard touchdown. The Warriors went up by 20 on the score. After a missed field goal from Merrimack, the Raiders took back over on offense. On the third play of the dive, Jay Thompson forced and recovered a fumble, giving the Warriors back the ball. After one stop from each team, Merrimack took back over on offense. Matthias Latham found the end zone after a four-yard run. The touchdown was the first of his Merrimack career. On the first play of the Raiders next offensive possession, Donte Williams forced a fumble, Favor Bate would scoop it up. With under a minute to play Wyatt scored his second touchdown of the game.

Notes & Numbers

• In addition to both forcing a fumble, both Williams and Thompson led the team in tackles with six each.
• Brandon Roberts and Garry Rosemond Jr. both had a tackle for loss in the victory.
• Williams and Wes Matthews both had interceptions.
• Seth Sweitzer led the team in receiving with four receptions for 73 yards.

Up next
The Warriors hit the road to take on Robert Morris University next Saturday. Game time is set for 7 p.m.