Game #2: Pace (0-1) vs. Stonehill (1-0)
Friday, September 14, 2007
W.B. Mason Stadium, Easton, Massachusetts
7:00 PM EST
Twenty Times: The 2007 season marks the 20th varsity football season at Stonehill College.
Home Opener: The Skyhawks are 7-12 all-time in 19 home openers. Stonehill is 1-1 in home openers in its new home, W.B. Mason Stadium.
Back For The First Time: The Skyhawks and Setters have met three times to open the home portion of the Stonehill schedule. The two teams split the pair, with the Setters taking a 16-10 win in 2001 and the Skyhawks grabbed a 17-13 decision on the day W.B. Mason Stadium was dedicated and opened.
Ball-Hawks: Last year's Stonehill squad only had three interceptions in 10 games. The 2007 edition matched that number with a three-pick performance against Assumption. Jared Zanello (Walpole, Mass.) had two of them, the second and third of his career. Mike DeBye (Burlington, Mass.) had the other one in the win over the Greyhounds.
Red-Zone Rebuff: The Skyhawk defense turned away the Assumption offense three times inside the redzone. Zanello made a diving interception to turn them away once and DeBye keyed two, fourth down, fourth quarter stops inside the 20 to preserve the win.
Joe On The Spot: Assumption tried an onside kick to begin the second half. Quick-thinking freshman Joe Forte (Everett, Mass.) recovered the ball at the Assumption 44 to give the Skyhawks great field position to begin the half.
Taking Advantage of Pringle's Single: On the second play after the onside recovery, Cruz Parsons hit sophomore David Pringle (West Haven, Conn.) with a short pass that Pringle turned into a 44-yard touchdown catch, his first collegiate grab.
Eddie's Arrival: Freshman Eddie Vachon (Newton, Mass.) had an impressive debut. He scored the Skyhawks first touchdown on 11-yard burst and finished the game with 76 yards on 16 carries. He added 33 yards on two catches.
Welcome Back: After missing the final nine games of the 2006 season, Cruz Parsons (Signal Hill, Calif.) returned to the lineup and threw for 144 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He added 30 yards on the ground.
How The Other Half Lives: J.J. Niamkey (Quincy, Mass.) spent his first three years manning a spot in the defensive backfield. In his first game lining up as a wide receiver, he had a team-high four grabs for 34 yards.
Giving Them The Boot: Sean Donahue (Plymouth, N.H.) kicked two field goals in the season-opening win over Assumption. His 37-yarder split the uprights as time expired in the first half and then he drilled a 29-yarder with 52 seconds left in the third quarter.
Don't I Know You?: Head Coach Robert Talley and Offensive Coordinator Bill Polin were on the staff together at Dartmouth College.
Hometown Heroes: Jared Zanello, Jeff Cuqua and Kyle Griffin played together as prep stars at Walpole.
California Dreamin': Two players on this year's roster hail from the Golden State. Junior QB Cruz Parsons (Signal Hill) and classmate Chris Palmer (Santa Barbara) made the cross country trek.