For the final game of the season, the New Haven Chargers faced off against the Merrimack College Warriors and won 41-31.
The Chargers entered the matchup with a 4-5 record and were looking to snap a tough two-game skid after back-to-back losses to Long Island University and Sacred Heart University.
New Haven immediately set the tone of the game as they marched 75-yards on the opening drive with a balanced attack. Quarterback AJ Duffy capped off the possession with a one-yard keeper to give the Chargers an early 7-0 lead. Merrimack responded with a long drive of their own behind quarterback Ayden Pereira and a strong run game, which punched in a rushing touchdown to tie the score at 7-7 late in the first quarter.
After trading possessions, Merrimack capitalized on a blocked punt early in the second quarter. The Warriors started deep in New Haven territory and quickly converted the short field into another rushing touchdown to take a 14-7 lead. The Chargers answered right back, as Duffy continued to make plays, as he set up a 20-yard touchdown strike to Evan Chieca to pull the game even again at 14-14.
However, penalties on New Haven’s defense helped fuel Merrimack’s next scoring drive. Pereira connected on a deep 50-yard touchdown pass to regain the lead with just over a minute remaining in the half. The Warriors then added a late field goal as time expired and extended their advantage. Despite a strong offensive start, missed opportunities and costly flags put the Chargers in a 24-14 deficit at halftime.
New Haven opened the second half with a spark as Brodie Williams jumped a route for an interception on Merrimack’s first drive. Although the offense stalled inside the 10-yard line, Liam Quigley knocked through a short field goal to trim the deficit to 24-17. Merrimack looked ready to respond with strong runs that pushed into Charger territory, but their field-goal attempt sailed wide, and kept the momentum with New Haven. On the next possession, Duffy delivered a shot down the sideline to Jonathan Lawson for a 70-yard touchdown to tie the game 24-24 with just over seven minutes left in the third quarter.
The Warriors missed another field goal on their following drive and the Chargers capitalized. A mix of power runs and short passes drove New Haven deep again, but another stop by Merrimack forced a field goal that gave the Chargers their first lead since the opening quarter.
New Haven’s offense continued to pressure as Duffy found Isaac Glaudin for a 37-yard strike to the end zone, and extended the lead to 34-24 early in the fourth. The Chargers’ momentum continued when Duffy launched another 60-yard touchdown to Kevonne Wilder, and advanced their lead to 41-24 with five minutes remaining.
Merrimack had one final push as they moved quickly down the field behind Aveon Smith and scored from 10-yards out with seven seconds remaining, but it was far too late to change the outcome. After a kneel-down, New Haven closed out the afternoon with a dominant second-half performance.
With the win, New Haven secured a .500 finish at a 5-5 overall record and gave their seniors a memorable send-off in front of the home crowd. The Chargers showcased resilience and explosive playmaking when it mattered most, turning a halftime deficit into one of their strongest performances of the season. For more information, visit NewHavenChargers.com.
