Felder breaks four single-season program records, scores four TDs and posts back-to-back 300-yard games for first time in NE10 history

Felder is the first in NE10 history to rush for over 300 yards in consecutive weeks, scoring four touchdowns on the afternoon (PHOTO BY Mike Tureski/SportsPix)

EASTON, Mass. (November 9, 2019) – Sophomore running back Justin Felder scored four touchdowns and rushed for over 300-yards for the second-straight week to lead Stonehill College to a 34-22 triumph over Pace University in Northeast-10 Conference football action on Senior Day at Timothy J. Coughlin, '80 Memorial Field at W.B. Mason Stadium this afternoon.

Felder nearly broke is his own single-game program record a week after posting the first 300-yard game in program history as he carried the ball a career-high 40 times for 311-yards and scored a career-best four touchdowns, with three rushing and another on a reception to lead Stonehill to its sixth win of the year. Felder is the first in NE10 history to rush for 300-plus yards in consecutive games, matching the Conference's record for 300-yard games in a season set by 1999 Harlon Hill Trophy runner up Kavin Galliard of American International College in 1999. Felder came within three yards of matching his own single-game school mark of 314 yards set last week against Southern Connecticut State University, when he shattered the previous program mark of 250 yards by Stonehill Hall of Famer Michael McLucas, '95 in 1994. His 40 carries today are the third-highest single-game total in program history and the most by a Skyhawk at W.B. Mason Stadium – just one shy of the facility record.

Felder also broke a trio of Stonehill single-season records with his efforts today. His yardage total gives him an NE10 leading 1,349 yards this fall, breaking the previous record of 1,267 by Tyrone Jefferson '01 in 2000, while his 14 rushing and 16 total touchdowns break the previous records of 13 and 14 by Eddie Vachon, '11 in 2010. Felder's four touchdowns today gives him 96 points for the year, breaking Vachon's single-season scoring record of 84 in 2010, while he adds on to his single-season all-purpose yardage record with 1,964. Felder also moves into seventh on the program's career rushing yardage list with 1,778, while his 16 career rushing touchdowns are tied for fourth.

Stonehill's (6-3, 5-2 NE10) win moves the Skyhawks into a four-way tie for first place in the NE10 standings with a game to play, along with Assumption College, Bentley University and the University of New Haven. Stonehill closes out the season at New Haven next Saturday at 1 p.m., with the winner clinching at least a share of the NE10 regular season championship. It would be the Skyhawks second in the NE10 and first since 2013. The Chargers knocked off Assumption today, 34-33, to set up the final weekend. Pace (5-4, 4-3 NE10) visits Southern Connecticut State University next Saturday at noon.

Strickland paced the defense with nine tackles on the afternoon

Senior placekicker Matt Haite was also in the record-breaking mix for Stonehill today, with his second extra point of the afternoon snapping Steve Grzywacz's '16 career record of 113 PATs as Haite finished the afternoon with 116, having already broken the program records for scoring (239 points) and field goals (41).

Junior Anton Stoneking passed for two touchdowns for Stonehill as he completed 10-of-23 passes for 112 yards. Senior Andrew Jamiel finished with 80 all-purpose yards, catching five passes for 67 yards and a score, while adding a 13-yard rush.

Senior Miles Strickland led another solid defensive effort for Stonehill with nine tackles (four solo), including 0.5 tackles for a loss and a hurry. Classmate Michael Lewis added seven stops (five solo), including a half sack and forced fumble, while junior Nate Bresson registered five tackles (two solo), including 1.0 sacks for a loss of four, a fumble recovery, pass breakup and hurry. Sophomore Dominick Spano chipped in with seven stops (three solo), including 0.5 for a loss of a yard and a hurry.

Postgrad Jhalen Bien-Aime and junior Carlton Aiken both rushed for over 100 yards on the afternoon to lead Pace, combining for 338 of the Setters 349 total yards on the day. Aiken finished with 209 total yards as he rushed the ball 19 times for 121 yards and a touchdown, while completing 11-of-20 passes for another 88 yards and a score. Bien-Aime registered 129 yards on 19 carries with a touchdown. Senior Darius Jones caught six passes for 55 yards and a touchdown for the Setters.

Junior Harrison Moran-Fernandez and sophomore Dustin Huseinovic both posted ten tackles for the Pace defense. Huseinovic finished with five solo stops and added a pass breakup, while Moran-Fernandez registered six solo tackles. Junior Jalen Martinez contributed with nine tackles (five solo), including 2.0 tackles for a loss of 11 yards, and a half sack.

Lewis added seven stops and a half sack today (PHOTO BY Mike Tureski/SportsPix)

Pace jumped out to a 9-0 lead after its first two possessions of the game as Stonehill was held scoreless in the opening quarter for just the second time all year. Senior Pat Davis capped an opening drive for the Setters that went 15 plays for 73 yards and consumed 9:02 with a 28-yard field goal. Pace extended their lead when Aiken scored from three yards out with 1:51 left in the opening quarter, taking advantage of good field position by starting at its own 45.

Stonehill responded with a pair of second quarter touchdowns to take the lead into halftime. Felder opened his four-touchdown day with a 15-yard toss from Stoneking with 8:10 remaining in the half and then Stoneking found Jamiel for a five-yard touchdown toss with 13-seconds remaining at the end of a 90-yard scoring drive that went ten plays over 1:36. Felder got the Skyhawks drive going with a 46-yard run on third and seven and then took advantage of a defensive holding call later in the drive on another third down.

Stonehill doubled up with the first possession of the second half as Felder raced in from 36 yards out on third and one 2:22 into the third quarter as the Skyhawks went 65 yards in just six plays. Pace responded quickly to close back within five (21-16) as Bien-Aime recorded a 36-yard touchdown run of his own just two and a half minute later.

Stonehill sealed its second-straight win with two more Felder scores in the fourth. He finished off an 11 play, 60-yard drive with a one-yard plunge a minute into the final frame. His final score of the game was set up by a 60-yard dash to the one on the first play of the drive that put him over Jefferson's single-season rushing mark. Felder added a second one-yard score two plays later and the Skyhawks had a 34-16 lead it would not relinquish despite a late Pace touchdown.

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