Stonehill Tailgating Information
Southern Connecticut State Game Notes
Tickets (Available game day at ticket booth):
$7.00 Adults
$4.00 (students & senior citizens)
12 and under are free
Stonehill students are admitted free.
Owen O'Leary's is running a student SPECIAL between games on Saturday! Wear your Skyhawk Nation t-shirt, or show your HillCard and enjoy a pizza, salad and soup buffet for only $4.99! That's ALL YOU CAN EAT! The head over to Merkert Gym to cheer on the NE-10 and NCAA East Region Champion men's basketball team against Chestnut Hill College at 6 p.m.
| Coach's Corner with Robert Talley |
The Game: Fourth-seeded Stonehill College hosts seventh-seeded Southern Connecticut State University on the inaugural Northeast-10 Conference Championship Weekend at Timothy J. Coughlin (COG-lin) Memorial Field at W.B. Mason Stadium this afternoon. The Skyhawks look to close out the season with back to back wins after cruising to a 43-7 victory at Pace University last Saturday, while the Owls look to end its first sub-.500 season since 1993 on a winning note after falling to Bentley University, 24-14 last Saturday.
Media Info: Live video of today's game is available on a pay-per-view basis ($6.99) via www.stonehillskyhawks.tv. Charlie Bergeron, the voice of the Skyhawks, is in his 15th season of broadcasting the action powered by Pack Network. WSHL 91.3 FM will also be broadcasting the game with Craig Riotto and Tim Culverhouse calling the action for the radio broadcast.
Logan Meyer |
Records Fall as Stonehill Tops Pace, 43-7: Stonehill enjoyed a record-breaking afternoon as it closed out the regular season with a commanding 43-7 triumph at Pace last Saturday. Junior quarterback Logan Meyer (Ventura, Calif.) set one school single game record and matched another, while also setting a new single-season passing mark, in engineering a Stonehill offense which did not punt all day and posted a season-high 551 yards of total offense for the afternoon. Meyer broke his own record with a career-best 385 yards as he completed 24-of-35 passes with a school record matching six touchdowns. He also established a new single-season yardage standard with 1,913 passing yards so far this season. Senior John Gomes (Hyannis, Mass.) caught nine passes for a career-best 197 yards and a touchdown. His yardage total is the second-highest in program history behind Brian Adamson's, '98, record 212 yards against Merrimack College in 1996. Gomes, who already holds the school record with 160 career receptions, surpassed Dan Cahill's, '96, career record of 2,245 yards as he finished the game with a record 2,336 yards with one game to play. Four different receivers caught touchdown passes from Meyer, with freshman Gordon McLeod (Weymouth, Mass.) posting 77 yards on six receptions and two touchdowns, while sophomore Zaire Reiph (Norwalk, Conn.) also added two scores on three receptions for 47 yards. Freshman Colin Markus (Monroe, Conn.) chipped in with another touchdown catch. Junior Justin Willis (East Haven, Conn.) led the Stonehill ground attack with 13 carries for 83 yards. Senior Ryan Hunt (Yonkers, N.Y.) led the Skyhawks defense for the second-straight game with eight tackles (four solo). Classmate Ray Bass (Canton, Mass.) added five stops (four solo), including 1.0 sacks for a loss of eight yards, and an interception. Sophomore Sterry Codrington (Freehold, N.J.) contributed five tackles (two solo) and a breakup, while classmate Eric Schneider (Camarillo, Calif.) chipped in with 2.0 sacks for a loss of ten yards, a forced fumble and quarterback hurry.
Scouting the Owls: Southern Connecticut State enters today's game looking to end a four game slide after falling to Bentley in its home finale, 24-14, last weekend. Junior Vaughn Magee (Mastic Beach, N.Y.) leads the Owls offense, averaging 132.8 yards per game on the ground with eight touchdowns. Classmate Jacob Jablonski (Gales Ferry, Conn.) has seen the most snaps under center and is averaging 184.5 passing yards, completing 58-percent of his passes with ten touchdowns and eight interceptions. Senior Willie Epps (Norwalk, Conn.) is his top receiver with 35 catches for 604 yards (60.4/gm) and four scores. Senior linebacker Jack Cooper (Kensington, Conn.) leads the defense with 66 tackles (42 solo), including 3.5 for a loss of six yards, an interception, three QB hurries, three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles. Sophomore Mike Dunkley (Yonkers, N.Y.) has posted 51 tackles (36 solo), including 1.0 for a loss of a yard, three interceptions, three pass breakups, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.
Championship Weekend: The Northeast-10 Conference is hosting its inaugural Championship Weekend around the league today with eight of its nine programs competing. Top-seeded and No. 3-ranked University of New Haven is hosting second-seeded American International College for the NE-10 Championship in West Haven, Conn., at noon. There are also three consolation round games starting at 1 p.m., with third-seeded Bentley University hosting sixth-seeded Assumption College, fourth-seeded Stonehill hosting seventh-seeded Southern Connecticut State and fifth-seeded Merrimack College hosting eighth-seeded Saint Anselm College.
November Reign: Since head coach Robert Talley took over the program in 2007, Stonehill is 8-2 in the month of November after last weekend's 43-7 victory at Pace. The lone losses are to American International in the final game of 2007 and at Bentley to close out the 2010 season.
Against the Owls: This afternoon marks the 17th meeting all-time between these two programs. Southern Connecticut State holds a 15-1 advantage in the all-time series, but that one came with a 13-0 Stonehill victory here at W.B. Mason Stadium in week two this season. The Owls are 8-1 all-time here in Easton, including a 3-1 clip here at W.B. Mason Stadium since opening in 2005. Head Coach Robert Talley is 1-5 in his career against the Owls.
James Lanier |
Academic All-District: Junior defensive back James Lanier (Westampton, N.J.) has earned Capital One Academic All-District I first team honors as selected by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) in Division II Super Region 1. Lanier is now eligible for Academic All-America honors to be announced on Wednesday, December 5. Lanier, who has earned a 3.40 cumulative grade point average as a criminology major, is Stonehill's first Academic All-District football selection since former defensive lineman Kevin Bonnett, '09, received first team honors in 2008. Lanier is the first Stonehill defensive back to receive Academic All-District accolades since Sean Donahue, '08, in 2007.
Beyond Honored: Junior quarterback Logan Meyer (Ventura, Calif.) has been named to the Beyond Sports Network Division II Team of the Week as well as the Noontime Sports New England honor roll for his efforts in Saturday's 43-7 win at Pace. He set one school single game record and matched another, while also setting a new single-season passing mark, in engineering a Stonehill offense which did not punt all day and posted a season-high 551 yards of total offense for the afternoon. Meyer broke his own record with a career-best 385 yards as he completed 24-of-35 passes with a school record matching six touchdowns. He was also named to the NE-10's weekly honor roll and Stonehill's Male Student-Athlete of the Week for his efforts.
They're Honored: Junior quarterback Logan Meyer (Ventura, Calif.) is joined on the Northeast-10 Conference's weekly honor roll by senior wide receiver John Gomes (Hyannis, Mass.) and linebacker Ray Bass (Canton, Mass.) for their efforts in Saturday's 43-7 win at Pace. Meyer broke his own record with a career-best 385 yards as he completed 24-of-35 passes with a school record matching six touchdowns. Gomes caught nine passes for a career-best 197 yards and a touchdown to help lead the Skyhawks to a 43-7 win at Pace. Bass registered five tackles (four solo), including 1.0 sacks for a loss of eight yards and an interception on the goal line against Pace.
Raise Talley's Tally: Fans can now vote for head coach Robert Talley for the NCAA Division II Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year program at coachoftheyear.com. The Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award recognizes college football coaches who demonstrate Sportsmanship, Integrity, Responsibility and Excellence both on and off the field. Endorsed by the College Football Hall of Fame, the program awards one winning coach from each NCAA division (I-FBS, I-FCS, II, and III) with $50,000 to donate to a charity of their choice, a $20,000 grant to each school's alumni association, and the Coach of the Year trophy. Remember to #votetalley every day!
A Winning Mark: Stonehill looks to clinch its first winning season since going 8-2 under Connie Driscoll in 1996 with a victory over Southern Connecticut State today. The Skyhawks finished the NE-10 regular season over .500 for the first time since head coach Robert Talley's first season in 2007 (5-4) with last weekend's win over Pace.
John Gomes |
Record Reception: Senior wide receiver John Gomes (Hyannis, Mass.) has become the program's all-time leader in receiving yardage with his career-best 197 yard effort at Pace last weekend. His 2.336 career receiving yards surpassed the previous record of 2,245 yards by Dan Cahill from 1992-95. Gomes also moved into second place on Stonehill's career all-purpose yardage list with 3,223 yards on Saturday and he already set the career receptions record this season with 160 to date.
Passing Fancy: Junior quarterback Logan Meyer (Ventura, Calif.) broke two passing records and matched another in last week's win over Pace. Meyer surpassed his previous single-game record of 370 passing yards set week one against No. 21 Bloomsburg University. His six touchdown passes also matched the single-game record set by Stonehill Hall of Famer Tony Dello Iacono, '95, against MIT in 1994 and later matched by Cruz Parsons, '09, against Saint Anselm College in 2005. Meyer's 24 completions match his second-highest single game total over his career and fifth-best total in program history overall. He also established a new single-season yardage standard with 1,913 passing yards so far this season, passing the previous record of 1,854 yards set by John Darak, '00, in 1998.
We'll Pass: Stonehill enters today's game just 232 passing yards shy of breaking the single-season team record of 2,419 yards set just last season. The Skyhawks 21 touchdown passes this season are just one shy of the single-season record of 22 set in 1996. Stonehill's 243.0 passing yards per game are on pace to break the previous record of 230.4 set in 1994.
Movin' On Up: Several Stonehill players are climing the program's single-season and career leader charts heading into today's season finale:
• Junior Logan Meyer (Ventura, Calif.) is just eight completions shy of breaking the program's single-game record of 140 set by John Darak in 1998.
• Meyer is five touchdown passes shy of the single season mark of 24 by Dan Field in 1995.
• Meyer's 239.1 passing yards per game is on pace to establish a new single-season record, breaking his own previous record of 214.3 set in 2011. Meyer is also just ten total offense yards shy of the single season record of 1,892 set by Darak in 1998.
• Senior John Gomes (Hyannis, Mass.) enters his final collegiate game 82 yards shy of the program's single season record of 822 receiving yards set by Dan Cahill in 1994.
• Gomes' 17 touchdown receptions rank fourth all time and he is two behind Brian Adamson (1994-97) in third place with 19 touchdown catches. Gomes needs five touchdowns in his final collegiate game to match the program record of 22 set by Dan Cahill from 1992-95.
• Senior Jermetrius Troy (Mattapan, Mass.) is just 19 yards shy of moving into fifth place on Stonehill's career rushing list with his 1,550 career yards. Rob Olivar (2000-03) sits in fifth with 1,569 yards.
• Troy is one rushing touchdown shy of tying for fifth in program history with 15, and two behind Rob Olivar (16) for fourth place.
• Senior Jareed Gaines (Lumberton, N.J.) will set a new career record for fumble return yards with one yard on a fumble return today. He is currently tied with former teammate Stephan Neville with 121 fumble return yard
• Gaines' seven career forced fumbles are one shy of the program record of eight set by Matt Walsh from 1999-02.
• Gaines' ten career fumble recoveries are tied for the program record set by David Pacino from 1994-97.
• Gaines' 37.0 career tackles for loss are just 1.5 behind Tony Pires (2003-06) for fourth place all-time.
For Henry: The Stonehill football team keeps the memory of former teammate and friend,Henry Thevenin, '14, close to them once again this season after dedicating the 2011 season to him. Thevenin passed away on June 14, 2011, due to complications from a two-month battle with leukemia. The Skyhawks continue to maintain his locker in a place of prominence in the team lockerroom. In week one of last season against Curry, the team honored Thevenin by playing its first defensive play with ten players. Thevenin appeared in seven games for the football team, starting the last six, as a freshman in 2010. He totaled 18 tackles, eight solo, with a pass breakup for the Skyhawks. Thevenin was a 2009 graduate of nearby Brockton High School and prepped one year at Suffield Academy in Connecticut.
Aye, Aye, Captains: Head Coach Robert Talley named seniors Chris Bolte (OL) and Jareed Gaines (DB) as team captains for the 2012 season after a vote of the returning players last spring.
Back-to-Back-to-Back: Stonehill captured its third-straight Northeast-10 Presidents' Cup for the 2011-12 academic year, marking the eighth-straight year the Skyhawks have finished in the top three for the final standings. Stonehill captured its fourth Presidents' Cup overall by accumulating a program-best 189.5 points during the academic year to edge second place Southern Connecticut State University (177.0) by over 12 points.
Academic Success: Stonehill College has been recognized for its academic performance with regard to graduation rate by earning a 97-percent Academic Success Rating (ASR) asreleased by the NCAA last week. The ASR considers the academic success rate of the institution based on the graduation rate of student-athletes while also giving credit for any student-athletes that transferred from the institution while in good academic standing. In addition to Stonehill's overall ASR of 97%, nine of Stonehill's 16 athletic programs (cross country and indoor and outdoor track & field are combined by the NCAA) received perfect scores of 100%. Stonehill's 97% ASR ranks second among NE-10 institutions behind just Saint Michael's College (98%) and ranks fifth overall in NCAA Division II. The football team maintained an ASR of 95% - signifigantly higher than the federal rate of 80%.
Getting Social: Fans and media members of Stonehill athletics now have two social media outlets to get updates on all 20 varsity programs. The department's Facebook page is www.facebook.com/stonehillskyhawks, and you can also follow @SkyhawkTalk on Twitter!
On Deck: Stonehill will hold spring practices, which are open to the public, from late March through the end of April. Check www.stonehillskyhawks.com for the schedule in March. The Skyhawks will open the 2012 season at Bloomsburg University, date and time TBA.