Click here for live stats

SkyhawksVision on NEC Front Row Digital Broadcast

Ticket Information (Day of Game)
$15.00 Adults
$10.00 (students & senior citizens)

The Game
Stonehill College closes out its inaugural NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) season by hosting Central Connecticut State University for a Northeast Conference (NEC) matchup on Senior Day on Timothy J. Coughlin (COG-lin), '80 Memorial Field at W.B. Mason Stadium this afternoon. The Skyhawks are looking to cap the season on a winning note for the second-straight year and bounce back from a third one-possession loss, while the Blue Devils aim to finish on a high note after back-to-back defeats.

Media Info
This afternoon's game is being presented live by SkyhawksVision on NEC Front Row with Charlie Bergeron ,in his 24th season as the Voice of the Skyhawks, calling the action directed by Matt Nelson. The broadcast can be accessed via stonehillskyhawks.com through its NEC Front Row portal (necfrontrow.com/schools/SC) or through Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV and Roku via the NEC On the Run App. The game is also being broadcast live on WSHL-FM 91.3 in the Easton area, with Chris Cassidy and Anthony Bellomo calling the action.

Saluting Our Seniors
Stonehill will take some time during pregame to honors its 21 seniors and families for their hard work and dedictation to the program over the last four, five and six years. This year's honorees have been part of a program that has won 20 games over the course of their career, including 8-2 in 2021, managing a pandemic cancelled season and transition to NCAA Division I over that time. Being honored pregame today are: Fifth-years Joe Bastante (Bloomingdale, N.J.), Landen Bates (Westwego, La.), DeAaron Lawrence (Middletown, Conn.), Masyn Lorick (Tewksbury, Conn.) and Kevin Porch (Neptune, N.J.), along with seniors Cam Boes (Methuen, Mass.), Evan Clark (Waltham, Mass.), Steve Cmielewski (Farmingdale, N.J.), Stephen Cobbs (Severna Park, Md.), Mike Connors (Hanson, Mass.), Chase Conrad (Walpole, Mass.), Jeremy DaCruz (Fairhaven, Mass.), PJ DeVirgilio (Dedham, Mass.), Pat Duffy (Boston, Mass.), Spencer Duthrie (Niantic, Conn.), Anthony Francis (Boston, Mass.), Kyle Gilman (Needham, Mass.), Brandon Hogan (Middleboro, Mass.), Darryn Hylton (Bowie, Md.), Andrew Rooney (Quincy, Mass.) and Toby Turnbull (Greenwich, Conn.).

Last Time Out
LIU built a 27-7 halftime lead and then withstood a big Stonehill comeback in the final 18 minutes of the contest to claim a 34-28 triumph in NEC action at Bethpage Federal Credit Union Stadium. Freshman Luca Stanzani passed for 333 yards and three touchdowns to lead LIU to a third-straight win. The Sharks finished with 454 yards of offense for the afternoon, with junior Owen Glascoe scoring three touchdowns with a pair on the ground on just two touches, to go with one on two receptions for 39 yards. Stonehill trailed by 20-points (34-14) with under three minutes remaining in the third quarter, but rallied with a chance to escape Long Island with a win. Down by six with a second possession inside the three minute mark of the fourth, freshman Ayinde Johnson collected an interception at the Sharks 24-yard line to seal the win with 41-seconds to play. Junior Tom Comella (Johnston, R.I.) led the Skyhawks with 134 all-purpose yards, with eight carries for 62 yards and two touchdowns, to go with 72 return yards. Sophomore Ashur Carraha (Cambridge, Mass.) completed 17-of-42 passes for 180 yards and a touchdown, while sophomore Noah Canty (Dover, Mass.) caught four of those passes for 51 yards and a touchdown.
• LIU opened with two first quarter touchdowns on its way to a 27-7 halftime lead.
• Stanzani connected with postgrad wide receiver Tosin Oyekanmi for a 21-yard touchdown pass one play after Stonehill forced a fumble, but gave the ball back with a fumble of its own on the return after the Sharks had marched its opening drive 74 yards on eight plays.
• Stanzani hit Glascoe with a 34-yard touchdown pass with 4:10 left in the first quarter for a second score for LIU.
• Stonehill cut its deficit in half 35-seconds into the second quarter on a 21-yard touchdown run by junior running back Jermaine Corbett (Long Branch, N.J.) to cap an 11-play, 85-yard drive.
• The Sharks responded with two more scores before halftime, starting with a four-yard Glascoe rush with 10:02 left in the half.
• Stanzani's third touchdown pass of the first half was a 43-yard connection to Wells with 3:57 to play that stretched the Sharks lead to 20 points at the break.
• Stonehill made a late push, starting with a 17-yard touchdown catch by Canty from Carraha with 2:48 to play in the third.
• LIU responded to that score with an eight play, 89-yard scoring drive, capped by a two-yard touchdown run for Glascoe 42-seconds into the fourth.
• Stonehill made another charge, with Comella's first touchdown of the day a three-yard run to cap a 12-play, 72-yard scoring drive.
• The Skyhawks pulled within six on a second Comella touchdown, this on a five-yard carry, with five minutes still to play, but was unable to reach the end zone again, despite two more possessions over the final three minutes.

Against the Blue Devils
This afternoon marks the first meeting all-time between Stonehill and Central Connecticut State.

A Purple Blue Devil
Central Connecticut State Director of Athletics Tom Pincince is a 1997 Stonehill graduate and former quarterback on the football program. He still ranks eighth on Stonehill's career passing list with 2,411 yards, while ranking ninth with 191 completions and eighth with 24 touchdowns passes. He set a program record with a 138.2 career pass efficiency rating, which stood until Anton Stoneking '21 broke it at 139.0. Pincince was named Director of Athletics in January after serving as interim AD for over two years. He has been a member of the athletic department at CCSU for 20 years, serving as Director of Athletic Communications for 17 years prior to his elevation as AD.

Another Familiar Face
Central Connecticut State wide receivers coach Jermetrius Troy is a 2013 Stonehill graduate. The former Skyhawks running back still ranks eighth on the program's career rushing list with 1,611 yards and tied for ninth with 14 career rushing touchdowns.

Polling Information
Stonehill held at No. 8 in this week's New England Football Journal's Division I Top 16 for the fifth-straight week, the website announced. Holy Cross (10-0) remains atop the NEFBJ Top 16, with Merrimack the top NEC program at No. 2. Sacred Heart (No. 9) and Central Connecticut State (No. 16) also represent the NEC in the rankings.

The Month to Shine
Stonehill has posted a 10-3 record in the month of November under head coach Eli Gardner. The Skyhawks won both November games in 2021 and 12 of their last 15 despite last week's loss at LIU.

Preseason Prognostications
Stonehill has been picked to finish eighth in the Northeast Conference preseason poll by the league's head coaches. Reigning NEC Champions Sacred Heart were picked to repeat this fall, earning five first place votes, followed by Duquesne in second with the remaining three first place votes. Following the Dukes are Saint Francis (Pa.) in third, Central Connecticut State in fourth, Merrimack fifth,  and then LIU and Wagner tied for sixth.

Aye, Aye, Captains
Stonehill head coach Eli Gardner and his coaching staff have named five captains for its inaugural Division I FCS season. Offensive linemen Joe Bastante and Thomas Walsh, along with tight end Cam Boes and defensive backs Masyn Lorick and Kevin Porch were voted to lead the Skyhawks for the 2022 season.

Getting Social
Fans and media members of Stonehill athletics now have three social media outlets to get updates on all 20 varsity programs. The department's Facebook page is www.facebook.com/stonehillskyhawks, and you can also follow @GoStonehill on Twitter and "StonehillSkyhawks" on Instagram. Stonehill football also has its own Facebook and Twitter accounts: @StonehillFB.

On Deck
Stonehill will return to action for its second NCAA Division I FCS schedule next fall!