Catapano logs 372 total yards with three touchdowns for Owls
Jamiel collected 12 receptions for 125 yards and a touchdown for the Skyhawks. (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes) |
EASTON, Mass. (September 9, 2017) – Southern Connecticut State University compiled 556 yards of total offense and recorded three scoring plays of 40-plus yards, with a fourth for 30 yards, to claim a 45-26 triumph over Stonehill College in Northeast-10 Conference football action on Timothy J. Coughlin, '80 Memorial Field at W.B. Mason Stadium tonight.
Senior quarterback Raymond Catapano (Franklin Square, New York) picked up 372 of those total yards as he rushed the ball 11 times for 145 yards and a touchdown and completed 18-of-32 passes for 227 yards and two more scores, without an interception. Junior Eli Parks (Bristol, Connecticut) added 13 carries for 157 yards and two touchdowns, while freshman Zhyaire Fernandes (Stratford, Connecticut) caught two passes for 104 yards and a score.
Junior Jhaaron Wallace (Hartford, Connecticut) paced the Southern defense with nine tackles, including five solo, with a half sack. Senior Vasilios Grigorakos (Port Washington, New York) added seven stops, three solo, including 2.0 tackles for a loss of seven yards, with 1.0 sacks for a loss of four. Junior Isaiah Roberts (Jersey City, New Jersey) and sophomore Kyle Armour (Newington, Connecticut) each chipped in with an interception.
Senior Kevin Dick (Tewksbury, Massachusetts/Tewksbury Memorial) and sophomore Andrew Jamiel (Yarmouth, Massachusetts/Dennis-Yarmouth) each went over 100 receiving yards to lead the Stonehill offense tonight. Jamiel, who recorded double-digit reception totals six times as a freshman and surpassed 1,000 receiving yards for his career tonight, posted his first such performance of the season with a season-best 14 catches for 125 yards and a touchdown, marking his sixth career 100-yard game, while Dick went over 100 yards for the first time in his career, finishing with 112 yards on four receptions with a score. Junior tight end Justin Lamb (Plymouth, Massachusetts/Plymouth South) chipped in with a career-best 82 yards on four receptions and a touchdown.
Haite drilled a career-best 49-yard field goal tonight. (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes) |
Senior Matt Foltz (Mount Joy, Pennsylvania/The Hill School) completed 27-of-44 passes for a season-high 335 yards and three touchdowns, but was sacked four times and intercepted twice. Sophomore Matthew Haite (Kington, Massachusetts/Silver Lake Regional) connected on two more field goals, improving to 5-for-5 for the season, including a career-long 49-yard attempt.
Junior Billy Wingo (Gwynn Oak, Maryland/The Boys' Latin School of Maryland) recorded a season-high ten tackles for Stonehill, including a half sack for a loss of five yards, while junior Sean Cassidy (Bohemia, New York/Connetquot) delivered a career-high nine stops, six solo. Sophomore Malik Wiggins (Long Branch, New Jersey/Monmouth Regional) contributed nine tackles, five solo, including 1.0 for a loss of a yard and a pass breakup.
Stonehill struck first with Foltz connecting with Jamiel for a nine yard touchdown toss with 5:14 remaining in the first quarter to cap a ten play, 59-yard possession. Jamiel had nine catches for 69 yards in the first quarter alone, on his way to 12 receptions for 97 yards by halftime. Southern answered with a 27-yard field goal from freshman Jose Conde (West Haven, Connecticut) on its next possession and then Catapano connected with Fernandes for an 83-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the second quarter to give the Owls their first lead of the game.
Kevin Dick hauled in a 73-yard touchdown pass and finished with a career-high 112 yards on four catches. (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes) |
Haite's first field goal of the game, from 37-yards out, pulled Stonehill even with 8:40 left in the first half, but Catapano steered Southern 72 yards in just seven plays, capped by a 30-yard touchdown run to push the Owls back in front with 5:58 remaining. Haite followed with his career-best 49-yard field goal with 3:13 to go before the break, but the Owls took a 24-13 lead into halftime after a two-yard touchdown run by junior Vochan Fowler (Bridgeport, Connecticut) with 23-seconds left after a fumbled punt return by Stonehill.
Stonehill pulled back within four (24-20) when Dick hauled in a Foltz pass on the left sideline and raced 73-yards for a touchdown 1:14 into the second half. However touchdown runs of 45 and 60 yards by Parks, the first following a Skyhawks turnover, broke the game open with a 38-20 lead 1:40 into the fourth quarter.
Stonehill threatened to get back in the game when Foltz and Lamb combined for a 67-yard touchdown on its first play of the ensuing drive after Parks' second score, with 13:18 still to play. However, Southern capped the scoring with a five-yard touchdown toss from Catapano to senior Ryne Griesenauer (Naugatuck, Connecticut) and then closed the game out with its second interception of the second half.
Stonehill (1-1, 0-1 NE10) returns to action next Saturday, when it visits LIU Post for an NE10 matchup at 1 p.m. The Skyhawks return to W.B. Mason Stadium on Saturday, September 23, when it hosts Saint Anselm College for its Alumni Game when the College will honor its 20th season of varsity football at 6 p.m. Southern Connecticut State (1-1, 1-0 NE10) hosts Assumption College on Friday night at 7 p.m.
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