|
|
Freshman Eddie Vachon (Newton, Mass.) has 596 all-purpose yards this season. |
Who's Up
The Skyhawks return to action looking for their first win
since early October when they visit Norteast-10 foe Merrimack for a
Friday night matchup.
Right From The Start
The Warriors' Andrew Jackson returned the opening kickoff
95 yards for a touchdown in the Merrimack win a season ago.
Opposite Directions
The two teams enter Friday's matchup headed in opposite directions.
Stonehill, facing the top three teams in the Northeast-10 in terms
of standings, have lost three straight games. The Warriors,
meanwhile, have won three straight games to even their record at
4-4.
Week After Week
For the fourth straight week, the Skyhawks will play a
team whom they sit tied with in the Northeast-10 standings. At 4-3
in conference play, both teams are tied for fourth.
Four In A Row
It just so happens that all four of those teams also are the top
four scoring teams in the Northeast-10.
Points On The Board
Merrimack enters the game having scored 30 or more points in all
four of their wins. During their three game winning streak, they
are averaging 37 points per game.
Series Info
The Warriors hold a 7-4 advantage in the all-time series.
They took last year's matchup 16-3 in North Easton. In fact, the
Warriors have taken four of the last five meetings with Stonehill's
48-28 shootout win being the lone exception.
Double Trouble
The Warriors feature two of the most dangerous kick
returners in the contry. Andrew Jackson leads the Northeast-10 in
return average at 33.1. However, it's his teammate Chris
Laham who has the conference's longest return this season, a
97-yarder for a score in the season-opening loss to Central
Connecticut.
Standing Tall
Even after facing the high-powered offenses they have seen
in the last three weeks, Stonehill still ranks second in the
Northeast-10 in scoring defense at 19.6.
Passing Fancy
Stonehill's pass defense ranks fourth in the conference,
yielding just 179 yards per game. The Warriors' Colin Temple is the
second-rated passer in the Northeast-10 with a 150.5 passer
efficiency rating.
Finding The Holes
The Stonehill tandem of Jeffery Payne
(West Haven, Conn.) and Eddie Vachon (Newton,
Mass.) have combined to rack up 911 yards and eight touchdowns on
the ground. Payne is tied for eighth with 468 yards, while Vachon
has 443 yards on his 93 carries. The Warriors leading rusher is
sophomore Mike Young who has tallied 488 yards on the ground.
Making The Most Of It
J.J. Niamkey (Quincy, Mass.) has a touchdown reception in
three straight contests. So far this season, Niamkey has six
scoring grabs but doesn't rank in the top ten in receptions per
game or receiving yards per game.
Corner Coverage
The matchup will feature two of the best defensive backs
the Northeast-10 has to offer. Stonehill's Jared
Zanello (Walpole, Mass.) and Merrimack's Andrew Jackson
are tied for the league lead in passes defensed. Both have seven
pass breakups and three interceptions.
No. 8
Making his first start of the season, Jon
Kaloyanides (Cranston, R.I.) threw his eighth career
touchdown pass, a 24-yard strike to J.J. Niamkey,
in the 41-6 loss at Southern Connecticut.
Twice As Much
With two games remaining on the schedule, the twenty
touchdowns Stonehill has scored is exactly double their total from
a season ago.
Nine Times
On a rainy turf last week, Southern Connecticut had nine fumbles.
They recovered four of them but Clark Leger
(Waltham, Mass.), Jared Zanello, Michael
Greene (Plainview, N.Y.) and Jon Kilborn
(North Dartmouth, Mass.) (2) all made recoveries for Stonehill.
140 or More
Merrimack's defense has given up 140 yards or more in six
of their eight contests, including a season-high 303 yards to
Bryant.
On The Positive Side
Stonehill continues to lead the Northeast-10 in turnover margin at
+12. That total ranks the Skyhawks sixth in the country.
Seeing Red
The Skyhawks redzone defense ranks first in the
Northeast-10, allowing scores only 57.6 percent of the time. Twice
they have forced fumbles, three times they recorded interceptions,
and five other times they held their opponent on downs.
Welcome Home
Bob Holland (North Andover, Mass.) makes a return to his
hometown when the Skyhawks face Merrimack. A three-sport star at
North Andover High, Holland, has 11 recpections for 108 yards this
season.
Just In Case
Almost half of the Stonehill receptions are by running backs. Bob
Holland's total combined with Jeffery Payne
(17-169) and Eddie Vachon (12-153) give the
backs 40 of the 85 completions.
Air Attack?
Of the 20 touchdowns scored agaisnt the Skyhawks this season, only
seven have come through the air.
Exact Opposite
Stonehill's quarterbacks have combined for 11 touchdowns and seven
interceptions, while their counterparts have seven scores through
the air and 11 interceptions.
The Two That Got Away
There have only been two games where Stonehill didn't record an
interception. C.W. Post's Nick Georgetti and Southern Connecticut's
Steve Armstrong didn't have a miscue agaisnt the Skyhawks.
Law Firm Of Zanello & Burris
Eight different players have recorded the 11 Stonehill
interceptions. Jared Zanello's three leads the
team, while Dana Burris' (Boston, Mass.) two is
second.
Getting Defensive
Merrimack ranks last in the Northeast-10 in pass defense, allowing
275 yards per game. The Warriors are also ninth in the conference
in total defense, giving up 424 yards of offense per game and 5.9
yards per play.
Almost Identical
David Pringle (West Haven, Conn.) and J.J.
Niamkey have 10 touchdowns between them. Pringle averages
19.6 per catch, while Niamkey gets 19.7 every grab.
Junior Achievement
Junior Greg Sanzari (Centerport, N.Y.)
was named to the Northeast-10 weekly honor roll after making a
career-high 14 tackles in the 41-6 loss at Southern Connecticut.