Box Score FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart football team battled back from a 10-point deficit to tie the Saint Francis U Red Flash 171-7 in the third quarter Saturday at Campus Field, but the visiting Red Flash scored 21 unanswered points to come away with a 38-17 win.
The Pioneers were held to 278 yards of total offense Saturday. RJ Noel was 15-for-31 passing for 111 yards and two touchdowns. Ose Imeokparia led SHU with 62 rushing yards on 13 carries. Moses Webb had five receptions for 50 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, CJ Parvelus, Khaamal Whitaker, and Robert Steffe all set career-highs for tackles. Parvelus led all players with 15 as Whitaker tallied eight and Steffe seven.
Saint Francis U (6-3, 4-0 NEC) took the ball to start the game and drove 60 yards in under six minutes to take a 7-0 lead on a Jymere Jordan-Toney three-yard touchdown run. The Red Flash extended their lead to 10-0 early in the second quarter on a Lance Geesey 34-yard field goal. Sacred Heart responded with an 11-yard touchdown pass from Noel to Webb with 11:35 remaining in the half, making the score 10-7. Saint Francis came back with a 26-yard touchdown pass by Zack Drayer to Colin Hindle to take a 17-7 lead with 7:38 remaining in the first half. SHU cut the deficit to seven before halftime as an Alec Finney 25-yard field goal with 4:29 left made the score 17-10.
Sacred Heart (6-2, 1-2 NEC) tied the game 17-17 with 8:42 to play in the third quarter. After Tim Johnson intercepted Drayer, the Pioneers drove 36 yards in seven plays. Noel found Andrew O'Neill in the end zone for a four-yard touchdown pass to even the game. The Red Flash, however, drove right down the field on its next possession to take the lead. Drayer's second touchdown pass of the game at the 4:59 mark gave Saint Francis a 24-17 lead. The Red Flash quarterback added two more touchdown throws in the fourth quarter to give Saint Francis the 38-17 win.
Saint Francis U outgained Sacred Heart 517-278. Drayer threw for 316 yards and four touchdowns. Kamron Lewis had 10 receptions for 184 yards and three touchdowns that all came in the second half. Avery Miliner rushed for a game-high 96 yards.
The Pioneers travel to in-state rival Central Connecticut next Saturday for a 12 pm game.
First Quarter
- SHU drove to the Saint Francis 30 yardline on its opening possession, but was stopped on 4th & 1.
- Saint Francis U had the ball for 10:43 in the first quarter.
Second Quarter
- SHU took advantage of an out-of-bounds kickoff by the Red Flash for its first scoring drive. The Pioneers took the ball at the Saint Francis 39 and scored in seven plays.
- The Pioneers had a chance to get within three points in the quarter, but three straight incompletions at the Red Flash eight yardline forced Finney's 25-yard field goal.
Third Quarter
- Tim Johnson's interception of Zack Drayer with 10:41 to play set up SHU's tying score. Noel threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Andrew O'Neill to cap a seven-play, 36-yard drive.
- Kamron Lewis caught his first of three touchdown passes in the second half on a five-yard fade pass that gave Saint Francis a 24-17 lead.
Fourth Quarter
- Lewis had three receptions for 87 yards and two touchdowns in the quarter.
- SHU was held to 17 yards of total offense in the fourth quarter.
NOTES
- RJ Noel now has 77 career passing touchdowns, tying him with Morehead State's Austin Gahafer for the national lead among active FCS quarterbacks.
- Noel had two passing touchdowns for the fifth time this season.
- The Pioneers were held without a rushing touchdown for the second time this season. SHU also did not have a rushing score at Wagner on Oct. 1.
- Parvelus' 15 tackles were a career-high, passing the 13 he had against Valparaiso on Sept. 10. It was his third game this season with at least 10 tackles.
- Johnson had his third career interception Saturday. It was his second of the season.
