WEST HAVEN, Conn. – The University of New Haven football team, nationally ranked No. 23 in last week’s poll, was stunned by Saint Anselm College on Saturday afternoon at Ralph F. DellaCamera Stadium, dropping its final regular season game by the final score of 35-26. Needing a win to clinch the Northeast-10 Conference title outright, the Chargers still hold at least a share of the 2010 conference crown.
New Haven concluded the regular season with an 8-2 mark and 6-2 in the league. The Hawks improved to 2-7 and 2-5 in NE-10 competition.
With a win today, New Haven would have concluded the regular season with an overall record of 9-1 and 7-1 in NE-10 competition. The last time the Chargers finished a campaign with one loss was in 1997, a season that ended with a loss in the NCAA National Championship game.
With offense being the strong suit of both squads, fans were expecting a high octane affair. In the first quarter each team had the ball three times, all resulting in a punt or turnover on downs. The first chance of the game came with just over eight minutes on the clock, when the Chargers lined up for a field goal. UNH attempted to fake the field goal, but was stopped for a short loss, handing the ball back over to Saint Anselm.
The ball changed possession three more times before the game’s first score. On their third possession, the Hawks started in great field position and cashed in for a touchdown two minutes into the second quarter. Freshman Tyrae Woodson-Samuels found Eric Feehan in the end zone, granting Saint Anselm a 7-0 lead after the extra point.
On the Chargers ensuing series, Ryan Oscieki and Ronnie Nelson conducted a six play, 72 yard drive, resulting in their first touchdown. Nelson completed 37 yard pass to Demetrius Washington-Ellison on the third play, setting up a rushing touchdown from Osiecki. With 8:47 left in the first half, the score was knotted up at 7-7.
The Hawks received the kickoff and began their next drive 25 yards out from their goal line. On the third play of the drive, Charlie Hatchett picked off a Woodson-Samuel pass and returned it to the Saint Anselm 45 yard line. Osiecki and the offense moved the chains three times and set up a 20 yard field goal attempt for Chris Scifo. Scifo calmly split the uprights and put the Chargers in front, 10-7, a score that would hold up as the halftime whistle sounded.
After the break in action, Saint Anselm opened the third quarter with a 60 yard drive. Woodson-Samuels concluded the series with a 16 yard touchdown pass to Keith Charles, putting the Hawks back in front, 14-10, with 12:18 left in the quarter.
On the ensuing kickoff, Saint Anselm forced and recovered a fumble, bringing its offense back onto the field. Woodson-Samuel and the unit finished off a seven play drive with an eight yard completion to Marcel Bouie, putting the Hawks ahead by 11 points.
The Chargers received the kickoff and immediately got back in stride offensively. Osiecki connected with Washington-Ellison and tight end Kameel Lashley for plays of 14 and 36 yards, eventually leading to another Osiecki touchdown on the ground. Scifo tacked on the extra point, cutting the Chargers deficit to 21-17.
The Chargers defense stepped up in the next sequence of events, forcing a three and out from the Hawks offense. The New Haven offense put together a 72 yard drive on 12 plays, providing another chance for Scifo. He completed the drive with a 30 yard field goal, leaving the home team trailing by one point as the fourth quarter started.
The Hawks moved the chains on the next drive, behind the arm of sophomore quarterback Michael Pierce. Woodson-Samuels was injured on the previous series, leaving Pierce to run the offense. Pierce conducted an eight play, 62 yard drive and a field goal opportunity for the Hawks. However the 30 yard attempt was hooked to the left, giving the ball back to New Haven with 13:46 remaining in the game.
Osiecki and the Chargers offense next drive was short-lived however, as Mark Colantonio intercepted Osiecki’s first offering, returning it for Saint Anselm’s fourth touchdown of the afternoon. After the extra point, the Hawks carried a 28-20 advantage.
The Chargers couldn’t muster much of an attack on their next possession, but the defense would pick them up quickly. J.D. Chalifoux picked off Pierce’s pass attempt at the Saint Anselm 34 yard line, granting UNH great field position. Osiecki found Sharieff Hall for 15 yards, followed by a 19 yard pass to Washington-Ellison for New Haven’s third touchdown. The Chargers were forced to go for two points, but couldn’t get into the end zone, leaving a mere 28-26 lead for the visitors.
The Chargers forced a punt from the Hawks special teams unit, but then in return failed to move the line of scrimmage. Scifo launched a 53 yard punt to the Saint Anselm 36 yard line. On their first offensive play, Pierce flipped a short pass to Marcel Bouie, which turned into a 64 yard run after the catch and the fifth Saint Anselm touchdown. With just 4:36 remaining on the clock, the Hawks led the Chargers by nine points, 35-26.
The next Chargers possession resulted in an interception by Jason Nguyen in the end zone. The Hawks were forced to punt, but the Chargers offense gave the ball back after four unsuccessful pass attempts, leaving Saint Anselm with the ball and no timeouts left for New Haven. The Hawks kneeled down three times, finalizing a 35-26 win.
Osiecki finished with 252 yards passing and one touchdown for the Chargers. Washington-Ellison caught seven passes for 113 yards, while Josh Smart accumulated 45 yards on the ground and 69 in the air. Lashley had three receptions for 60 yards and Hall added three catches for 41 total yards.
Defensively, Bernard Risco and Charlie Hatchett led the team in tackles with 10 apiece. The four offensive touchdowns by Saint Anselm marked only the second time a team had accomplished that feat against the Chargers defense.
New Haven will likely drop out of east region’s top six teams, missing out on an NCAA Tournament bid. UNH has a bye next week and would play on Saturday, November 20 if admitted to the big dance. The time, opponent and place would be determined after next week’s games. The NCAA announces the complete NCAA Division II football bracket on Sunday, November 14.
