Chargers Dominate Assumption at Home Game

In a game full of individual victories, the New Haven Chargers football team defeated the Assumption Greyhounds on Saturday, 27-21. The team is now 6-0 in the NE10, and 6-1 overall.

After a scoreless first quarter, New Haven began deconstructing the Greyhounds’ defense. Graduate transfer Ju’an Williams scored on a 9 yard pass from quarterback Ajee Patterson on a 10-play, 66-yard drive that ate up almost 5 minutes off the clock.  The extra point was no good.

On the next Charger drive, Patterson completed a 37-yard pass to sophomore receiver Chris Carlyle for another touchdown, leading to a 13-0 New Haven lead with 7:28 left in the first half.

On the ensuing drive, Assumption ran three plays and was forced to punt. Taking over on their own 47 yard-line, the Chargers moved the ball down the field with short gains, before Patterson found Williams for another touchdown pass-and-catch. After the touchdown, New Haven led 20-0. The lead would remain the same through the start of the third quarter.

After some back and forth, the blue and gold were able to complete another huge gain offensively, again from Patterson to Williams, placing the offense at the Greyhound 8-yard line. After a couple of unsuccessful rushes by junior running back Ryan McCarthy, Patterson tossed a touchdown to graduate receiver Joe Caico. Following the point after, the score was New Haven 27, Assumption 0.

Stymied at this point, the Greyhounds managed to put together a drive to find the endzone, cutting the Charger lead to 27-7.

In the final quarter of the game, Assumption mounted a comeback. After cutting the New Haven lead to 27-14, the Greyhounds scored again, putting the score at 27-21, but requiring much time to do so. With only 39 seconds left in the game, the Chargers were forced to punt. Needing a miracle, Assumption pushed the ball 11 yards over 5 plays before New Haven defender Shawn Tafe intercepted the ball, thus ending the game, 27-21.

On the day, Patterson went 15 for 21, for 241 yards, with 4 touchdowns. McCarthy led all rushers with 130 yards on 20 runs. Williams led all receivers with 94 yards on four catches, two of which were touchdowns. The Chargers hadn’t beaten Assumption since 2013. New Haven’s next game is Saturday Oct. 27 at Stonehill in North Easton, Mass. They will return to West Haven to face off with Saint Anselm. After the game with the Hawks, the Chargers travel to LIU Post for their final regular season game on Nov. 10.