Junior running back Jermetrius Troy logged career highs of 102 rushing and 143 all-purpose yards tonight against rival Bentley. (PHOTO BY Richard Orr)

Tarr and Johnson lead the way for Falcons win

EASTON, Mass. (September 16, 2011) – Bentley University used three 90-plus yard scoring drives to key a 31-12 victory over Stonehill College the Northeast-10 Conference football opener for both at W.B. Mason Stadium tonight.

Senior running back Bobby Tarr (Byfield, Mass.) and post grad quarterback Bryant Johnson (Hopedale, Mass.) keyed a Bentley offense that racked up 456 yards of total offense, averaging 8.0 yards per play. Johnson completed 16-of-23 passes for 204 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing the ball five times for 44 yards and another score. Tarr finished with 212 all-purpose yards as he posted 170 rushing yards on 16 attempts (10.6/carry) and added two catches for 42 yards.

Junior Bill Kiley (Quincy, Mass.) caught five passes for 63 yards, while grad student Wade Critides (Wayland, Mass.) had three receptions for 52 yards and a touchdown. Junior placekicker Will Lockwood (Menlo Park, Calif.) chipped in with a 30-yard field goal and was perfect on his four extra point attempts for the night.

Sophomore linebacker Blaine Hopwood (New Bedford, Mass.) paced the Bentley defense with a game-high 13 tackles (give solo) and a quarterback hurry. Junior Paul Tizzano (Shrewsbury, Mass.) added ten stops (two solo), while senior Don Hopkins (Waltham, Mass.) posted nine tackles (five solo), a fumble recovery and two pass breakups. Sophomore Anthony Carter (Marlboro, Mass.) chipped in with a pair of sacks, a forced fumble and pass breakup.

Stonehill got a pair of career-bests from junior running back Jermetrius Troy (Mattapan, Mass./Tilton School) with 22 carries for a career-best 102 yards (4.6 per carry), while adding four receptions for 41 yards, to finish with a career-high 143 all-purpose yards. Sophomore quarterback Logan Meyer (Ventura, Calif./Saint Bonaventure) completed 16-of-34 passes for 173 yards and a touchdown with one interception.

Junior Kyle Norwood (Rehoboth, Del./Cape Henlopen) added two receptions for 47 yards for Stonehill. Sophomore Jamal Johnson (Brockton, Mass./Brockton) chipped in 88 all-purpose yards with 11 carries for 62 yards (5.6 per carry) and caught three passes for 26 yards.

Stonehill finished with 348 yards of offense, with 175 rushing and 173 through the air. Bentley held the ball for nearly four minutes more (31:48-28:12) than the hosts, including 9:52 in the third quarter alone after holding a 21-9 halftime lead.

Junior defensive back Jareed Gaines (Lumberton, N.J./Rancocas Valley) paced the Stonehill defense with nine tackles (three solo), while classmate Fabrice Dragon (Stoughton, Mass./Cardinal Spellman) finished with eight stops (six solo), including 1.0 for a loss of five yards. Freshman Michael Hogan (Westborough, Mass./St. John's of Shrewsbury) contributed six tackles, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup.

Stonehill scored on its first possession, despite the drive stalling on the Bentley 17 after Troy had 30 total yards on his own, as sophomore Michael Kielbasa (Ludlow, Mass./Loomis Chaffee School) drilled a 34-yard field goal. Stonehill forced Bentley into a three and out on its first offensive possession and while the Skyhawks next drive stalled at the Bentley 45, senior Chris Rooney (Quincy, Mass./Catholic Memorial) pinned his punt down at the Falcons one yard line.

Johnson connected with Kiley for a key ten yard pass on third and four at the seven, before Tarr broke free for a huge 78-yard run to reverse field position and give Bentley first and five from the Stonehill five yard line. Sophomore Lorenzo Warren (Boston, Mass.) scored on the next play with his five yard run up the middle to put the Falcons in front and cap the five play, 99-yard drive.

Bentley extended its lead to 14-7 with its second 90-plus yard drive, this time using 11 plays to traverse 91 yards over 6:19 as Johnson completed a 15 yard scoring pass to junior Sean Cross (Duxbury, Mass.). Stonehill had a key pass interference penalty that helped keep the drive alive and Tarr hauled in a 30 yard pass from Johnson to put the Falcons in scoring position at the Skyhawks 16 before scoring two plays later.

Stonehill answered right back with a scoring drive of its own, capped by a two yard pass by Meyer to junior tight end Daniel Oakes (North Haven, Conn./North Haven). Norwood hauled in a 43 yard pass by Meyer with a diving catch on a flea-flicker play at the Bentley seven to set up the score.

Bentley needed just four plays to complete a modest 68 yard dive on its next possession, capped by a 29 yard scoring jaunt from Johnson on a play action fake. Lockwood drilled a 30 yard field goal on the Falcons first drive of the second half to extend the lead to 24-9.

Kielbasa added a 21-yard field goal for Stonehill with 3:08 left in the third and Bentley iced the game when Johnson hit Critides with a 34-yard scoring pass to cap a seven play, 91 yard drive that consumed 4:02 with 8:00 remaining in regulation. Tarr had a key 38 yard run on second and six from the Falcons 13 to push the drive into Stonehill territory.

Stonehill drove to the Bentley nine on its next possession, but Carter sacked Meyer on fourth and five to force a turnover on downs.

Stonehill (1-2, 0-1 NE-10) is back in action next Saturday when it hosts American International College for an NE-10 clash as part of Alumni Weekend at the College at W.B. Mason Stadium at 1 p.m. Bentley (2-1, 1-0 NE-10) hosts Saint Anselm College next Friday night at 7 p.m.