Comella posted a team-high 133 all-purpose yards this afternoon (PHOTO BY Steven Goldburg) |
Loughridge and Montes post two touchdowns each to lead Rams to victory
BRONX, N.Y. (September 23, 2023) – Fordham University, ranked No. 22 in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) NCAA FCS poll, used four scores in the third quarter to pull away for a 44-0 victory over Stonehill College in a non-conference football matchup at Moglia Stadium at Jack Coffey Field this afternoon.
Sophomore quarterback CJ Montes completed 14-of-21 passes for 220 yards and two touchdowns, while junior running back Julius Loughridge carried the ball 14 times for 108 yards and a pair of scores to pace a Fordham offense that finished with 497 total yards. Postgrad wide receiver Garrett Cody contributed six catches for 119 yards for the Rams, also blocking and returning a punt for a touchdown on special teams.
Junior linebacker James Conway paced a Fordham defense that held Stonehill to 257 yards with a game-high ten tackles (three solo)., including 1.0 for a loss of four yards, a pass breakup and blocked kick.
Senior defensive back Micah Brown totaled a team-high eight tackles (five solo) for Stonehill, while classmate Sam Murphy added five stops (all solo), including a sack for a loss of five.
Brown totaled a team-high eight tackles (PHOTO BY Steven Goldburg) |
Senior running back Tom Comella finished with 133 all-purpose yards for Stonehill, rushing the ball nine times for 51 yards, to go with three catches for 15 yards and 67 yards on five total returns. Classmate Jermaine Corbett added 95 all-purpose yards with 69 yards on 14 carries to go with a 12-yard reception and two punt returns for another 14.
FIRST QUARTER
- The defenses stood tall in a scoreless opening frame that concluded with Stonehill marching into Fordham territory. The Skyhawks bid to open the scoring was halted with a 40-yard field goal attempt that caromed off the right upright.
SECOND QUARTER
- Fordham turned the miss into three points the other way as the Rams capped a seven-play, 70-yard drive with a 25-yard field goal from senior Brandon Peskin 4:19 into the second quarter.
- The Rams extended their lead on their next possession with Loughridge closing out an eight-play, 76-yard drive with a one yard run up the middle on a second effort after the Stonehill defense stopped the initial push.
- Stonehill missed a second field goal attempt to get on the scoreboard when a 31-yard attempt was hampered by a bad snap.
THIRD QUARTER
- Fordham broke the game open with four touchdowns in the third quarter and wouldn't look back,
- Fordham extended its lead to three scores with a 28-yard Montes touchdown pass to postgrad MJ Wright on the opening drive of the second half to cap a 75-yard drive completed in six plays, including a 37-yard run by Loughridge on the first play of the half.
- Loughridge added his second touchdown of the afternoon with 6:35 remaining in the third quarter with a 12-yard run at the end of an 80-yard drive accomplished in three plays. Montes connected on a pair of 30-plus yard passes to Cody that set up the score.
- Montes added his second touchdown pass of the game with a 17-yard catch and run by senior Mekai Felton with 1:40 remaining in the quarter and then Cody blocked a Stonehill punt at the Skyhawks 31 and returned it to the end zone for the Rams fourth score of the frame.
Murphy recorded five solo tackles, including a sack (PHOTO BY Steven Goldburg) |
FOURTH QUARTER
- Stonehill earned great field position at the Fordham 31-yard line when senior David Fuller-Williams pounced on a Rams fumble. However, the Skyhawks were unable to take advantage, turning the ball over on downs.
- Sophomore running back Jack Kaiser closed out the scoring on the afternoon with a two-yard touchdown rush five minutes into the quarter at the end of a six-play, 72-yard drive.
Noteworthy
- This afternoon marked Stonehill's first meeting all-time against Fordham and its second-straight Patriot League opponent after posting a 23-20 win at Georgetown University last Saturday.
- Fordham marks Stonehill's second nationally ranked opponent of the season, after opening the season by hosting current No. 12 University of New Hampshire, and is the second of three Skyhawk opponents to qualify for the 2022 NCAA I FCS Playoffs, including New Hampshire and Saint Francis (Pa.) University next Saturday at home.
- Stonehill posted its third-straight turnover-free game, and the Skyhawks offensive line didn't yield a sack.
- Corbett moved into eighth place on Stonehill's career rushing list, finishing the game with 1,616 yards in 19 career games, passing both Rob Olivar, '04 (1,569) and Jermetrius Troy, '13 (1,611) with his yards today.
- Stonehill was handed its first shutout defeat since October 2017 at Assumption University.
- Stonehill broke up four passes on the afternoon with sophomore Moses Seide leading the way with two.
Up Next:
Stonehill (2-2, 1-0 NEC) returns to W.B. Mason Stadium next Saturday to host reigning Northeast Conference Champions and NCAA FCS playoff participant Saint Francis (Pa.) University as part of Family Weekend and the kickoff to the College's 75th Anniversary celebration at 1 p.m. Fordham (3-1, 0-0 Patriot) visits Georgetown University next Saturday at 2 p.m.
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