Borsari Throws For 146 Yards And Pair Of Touchdowns As Football Holds Off Late Charge To Post 17-13 Northeast-10 Victory Over Pace Before Sellout Crowd At W.B. Mason Stadium Dedication

September 10, 2005

STONEHILL FOOTBALL

Saturday, September 10, 2005

W.B. Mason Stadium, Easton, Mass.

FINAL: STONEHILL 17, PACE 13

1 2 3 4 Total

Pace (0-2, 0-2 Northeast-10) 0 7 0 6 - 13

Stonehill (2-0, 2-0 Northeast-10) 7 3 7 0 - 17

SCORING SUMMARY

STO: Wes Dauer 13 yd pass from Greg Borsari (Sean Donahue kick) 1:01 1st

STO: Sean Donahue 30 yd FG 12:29 2nd

PAC: Mike Timmerman 5 yd run (Luigi Casale kick) 4:58 2nd

STO: Mike Plichta 55 yd pass from Borsari (Donahue kick) 14:04 3rd

PAC: Timmerman 5 yd run (kick failed) 14:34 4th

Attendance: 2,400 (sellout)

EASTON, Mass.-- Sophomore quarterback Greg Borsari (Kingston, Mass.) threw for 146 yards and a pair of touchdowns as Stonehill held off a pair of scoring chances in the final minute of play to post a 17-13 Northeast-10 Conference football victory over Pace Saturday afternoon before a sellout crowd of 2,400 at the opening gridiron contest played at W.B. Mason Stadium.

The host Skyhawks (2-0, 2-0 Northeast-10) jumped out to a 10-0 first half lead when Borsari hooked up with freshman Wes Dauer (Plymouth, N.H.) on a 13-yard scoring pass with just over a minute to play in the opening stanza, and Stonehill extended its advantage to 10-0 2:31 into the second quarter on a 30-yard field goal by sophomore Sean Donahue (Plymouth, N.H.). The visiting Setters (0-2, 0-2 Northeast-10) closed to within three at the break at 10-7 when senior quarterback Mike Timmerman (Saddle Brook, N.J.) scored from five yards out with 4:58 remaining in the half, but the Skyhawks regained a 10-point cushion on the second play of the third quarter when Borsari found senior Mike Plichta (Milford, Mass.) for a 55-yard touchdown pass and a 17-7 Stonehill lead after three.

Timmerman’s second five-yard scoring scamper of the day just 26 seconds into the final quarter enabled Pace to close to within four, but the Setters hit the upright on the extra point attempt, a miss which would prove critical later in the contest. Donahue’s 23-yard field goal attempt on the ensuing Stonehill possession also hit the upright, and the two teams traded possessions until the Skyhawks held Pace on downs at their own 23-yard line with just over two minutes remaining. Borsari was intercepted at his own 24 on a 3rd-and-9 attempt by Setter senior Bobby Guy (Fair Lawn, N.J.), giving the visitors 1st-and-goal at the Stonehill 8-yard line, but the Skyhawks again held on downs following a pass break-up by sophomore Dana Burris (Boston, Mass.) in the end zone on third down and a stop Timmerman’s last second rushing attempt as time expired.

Borsari completed 11-of-25 passes on the afternoon and added 14 rushing yards to amass 160 of Stonehill’s 230 yards of total offense on the day, as senior Ryan Griffith (Hanson, Mass.) rushed for 49 yards on 16 carries as part of his 127 all-purpose yards on the afternoon that included a 66-yard kickoff return. Plichta hauled in four receptions for 96 yards for the Skyhawks, while freshman Jeff Cuqua (Walpole, Mass.) led the defensive charge for the hosts with 11 total tackles, including six solo stops, as Stonehill is off to a 2-0 start for the second straight season.

Timmerman completed 26-of-35 passes for 196 yards to go with 52 rushing yards as part of his 248 yards of total offense in the setback for Pace, while senior Mitchell Backus (North Babylon, N.Y.) added 64 rushing yards as part of the Setters’ 332 yards of total offense for the contest. Sophomore Joe Toronto (Fair Lawn, N.J.) and senior Dan Khahaifa (Newburgh, N.Y.) combined for 13 receptions for 133 yards for the visitors, who were led defensively by senior Dan Sullivan’s (Levittown, N.Y.) eight total tackles.

Stonehill travels to Brookville, N.Y. next Saturday afternoon to take on LIU-C.W. Post in a Northeast-10 outing that kicks off at Noon, while Pace hosts Saint Anselm in a Northeast-10 match-up next Saturday afternoon in Pleasantville, N.Y. at 1:00 p.m.

SKYHAWK TALK: The win was Stonehill’s second straight in the nine-game series with Pace…For the fifth time in six years, the outcome was decided on the game’s final play…The total margin of victory for both teams combined in the last six meetings is 20 points…Stonehill last posted back-to-back 2-0 starts during the 1996 and 1997 campaigns…Junior Vincent Delaney (Baltimore, Md.) made a career-high eight solo tackles in the win for the Skyhawks…The game was preceded by dedication ceremonies for the newly constructed W.B. Mason Stadium. The stadium’s playing field was also dedicated in the memory of Tim Coughlin, a member of Stonehill’s Class of 1980 who passed away on September 11, 2001. The playing field itself will be named Timothy J. Coughlin Memorial Field.