Jamiel moved into fourth place on the program's single-season receptions list with his 12 catches this afternoon. (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes) |
Skyhawks outgain Yellow Jackets, but can't find end zone
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (October 8, 2016) – Stonehill College churned out more yards of offense, but gave American International College a short field too often in dropping a 19-0 decision in Northeast-10 Conference football action at Ronald J. Abdow Field this afternoon.
Three of American International's four scores (13 points) came off a short field as Stonehill committed three turnovers and also turned the ball over on downs three times in the first quarter. The Yellow Jackets posted their second straight home shutout, holding the Skyhawks without a point for the first time since a 14-0 setback to Southern Connecticut State University on October 28, 2006. Stonehill finished with 274 yards of total offense, with 99 rushing and 175 passing, compared to 221 total yards for the Yellow Jackets, with 70 on the ground and 151 through the air. The Skyhawks were limited to 3-for-16 on third down and was 1-for-6 on fourth. AIC was only 2-for-14 on third down and 1-for-2 on fourth, finishing with just ten first downs for the afternoon, compared to 16 for Stonehill.
Senior Jerrod Shelby (Brockton, Massachusetts/Brockton) paced an AIC defense which posted four sacks, ten tackles for loss, four forced fumbles and an interception with a game-high 14 tackles (six solo), including 1.0 for a loss of five yards. Senior captain Danny Omoregie (Lynn, Massachusetts/Lynn Classical) added 13 stops (five solo), including 2.5 for a loss of 11 yards, with 1.5 sacks for a loss of nine, while freshman Cyriacus Ibezim (Union, New Jersey/Columbia) chipped in ten tackles (two solo), including 1.0 for a loss of five. Junior Devonte Dillon (Windsor, Connecticut/Windsor) had three solo tackles, a forced fumble, fumble recovery, an interception and three pass breakups for the Yellow Jackets.
Freshman quarterback Joseph Czelusniak (Staten Island, New York/St. Peter's Boys) completed 11-of-25 passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns for AIC. Both touchdown passes went to freshman wide receiver Ju'an Williams (Springfield, Massachusetts/Central) who finished with five receptions for 53 yards. He also added a 16 yard punt return for a team-high 69 all-purpose yards. Sophomore running back Willie Brown IV (Mount Dora, Florida/Mount Dora) chipped in with 22 carries for 57 yards on the ground.
Wingo paced the defense with seven tackles and an interception. (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes) |
Junior quarterback Matt Foltz (Mount Joy, Pennsylvania/The Hill School) completed 23-of-40 passes for 175 yards for Stonehill, adding another 18 yards on 11 carries on the ground for 193 yards of total offense. Sophomore Mike Cordova (Monroe, New Jersey/Red Bank Catholic) added 16 carries for 79 yards, while freshman Andrew Jamiel (West Yarmouth, Massachusetts/Dennis-Yarmouth) finished with a game-high 124 all-purpose yards, collecting 12 receptions for 65 yards to go with a 43 yard kickoff return and 16 yards on three punt returns. The 12 receptions give him 55 for the season to move into a tie for fourth on the program's all-time single season list with John Gomes '13 during the 2012 season.
Sophomore Billy Wingo (Gwynn Oak, Maryland/The Boys' Latin School of Maryland) led the Stonehill defense with seven tackles (three solo) and an interception. Senior Ryan Doherty (Methuen, Massachusetts/Central Catholic) added six tackles (four solo), while junior Nick Bona (Peabody, Massachusetts/Bishop Fenwick) registered five stops (three solo), including 1.0 for a loss of a yard, and a pass breakup.
Stonehill forced a three and out for American International with minus-two yards on the opening possession of the game, but Jamiel fumbled the punt return and Dillon recovered on the Skyhawks 29 to give the Yellow Jackets a quick flip of field position. The Stonehill defense held and AIC was forced to settle for a 38-yard field goal by senior Christopher Boteler (Manassas, Virginia/Osbourn) just under three minutes into the game.
Stonehill turned the ball over on downs when senior Justin Kaffenberger (Monroe, New York/Monroe-Woodbury) was stopped short on fourth and one on a fake punt attempt at the Skyhawks 35. The Skyhawks defense bent, but didn't break, as AIC drove to the seven, but forced a fumble which it recovered at the six.
Foltz completed 23-of-40 passes for 175 yards. (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes) |
Stonehill moved the ball out to the 25, but served up a short field for AIC once more when Cordova was stuffed for no gain on fourth and one. The Yellow Jackets took full advantage this time, opening a ten point lead with its first touchdowns of the day on a two yard toss from Czelusniak to Williams with 2:34 remaining in the opening quarter.
American International's only long scoring drive of the afternoon, with regards to yardage, extended its lead to 16 points five minutes into the second quarter. Czelusniak again found Williams in the end zone, this time for a 17 yard touchdown pass, to cap a 77-yard possession that was aided by a pass interference penalty and then a 56 yard Czelusniak completion to sophomore Lennox Green, Jr. (Soughton, Massachusetts/Stoughton).
American International rounded out its scoring with a 33-yard Boteler field goal on its first possession of the second half after the Yellow Jackets backed the Stonehill offense back to its own nine. Williams returned the 31-yard Kaffenberger punt 16 yards to the Skyhawks 24, and while the defense held, the Yellow Jackets were within field goal range.
Stonehill had a pair of scoring chances in the fourth quarter, but was unable to convert each time. Foltz was intercepted in the end zone a minute and a half into the final quarter at the end of an eight play, 56-yard drive. The Skyhawks then turned the ball over on downs at the AIC seven when a Foltz pass to sophomore Kaleb Lutton (Middletown, Connecticut/Xavier) was broken up by Dillon on fourth and goal from the seven with 1:05 remaining. That marked Stonehill's longest sustained drive of the day as it took over on its own two and nearly went the length of the field before stalling.
Stonehill (2-4, 2-3 NE-10) returns to W.B. Mason Stadium next Saturday night to host the University of New Haven for a matchup which will be broadcast by ESPN3 as part of the NCAA Division II Football Showcase at 6 p.m. Tickets for the October 15 game will be available Tuesday through Friday from 10 AM to 2 PM in the Athletic Department offices located on the second floor of the Sally Blair Ames Sports Complex. American International (3-3, 3-2 NE-10) hosts Bentley University next Saturday at noon.
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