FOOTBALL DEFEATS SAINT FRANCIS 48-10 SATURDAY; BULLDOGS HOST FIRST-PLACE ROBERT MORRIS NEXT WEEK

November 6, 2010

BRYANT FOOTBALL EARNS FIRST ROAD WIN OF THE YEAR, 48-10 OVER SAINT FRANCIS, PA
Bulldogs Host First-Place Robert Morris Next Saturday

Boxscore

Newport's Joshua Janes had six tackles and interception in Bryant's 48-10 win over Saint Francis (PA) Saturday. www.dspics.com

LORETTO, PA. – Sophomore running back Jordan Brown (Glastonbury, Conn.) rushed 129 yards and two touchdowns to help lead the Bryant University football team to a 48-10 win over Saint Francis (PA) Saturday afternoon in Northeast Conference action.  Five different players each scored a touchdown to help lead the Bulldogs to their first road win of the season and help set up a showdown with first-place Robert Morris next weekend.

Bryant (6-3, 3-3 NEC) raced out to a 20-0 first quarter lead and never looked back to improve to 3-0 all-time against the Red Flash. Brown got things going when he capped off a 10-play, 64-yard opening drive with his 12th rushing touchdown of the season, a one-yard run to make it 7-0.   Brown finished with 130 yards on 24 carries, his eighth 100-yard rushing game of the season. 

On Saint Francis' next possession, the Bryant defense came up big as junior defensive lineman Joshua Janes (Newport, R.I.) intercepted Kelly on the Red Flash 13 yard line.  Two plays later, senior running back Mike Canfora (Verona, N.J.) got the call on an off-tackle run from a yard out for his eighth touchdown of the season.

More Saint Francis miscues would lead to another Bryant score.  With Bryant's defense again forcing another stop, Red Flash punter Andy Penska would fumble the snap in his own end zone where Bryant's Matthew Hunt (Greenbrook, N.J.) would recover for his first touchdown of the season, giving Bryant a 20-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Saint Francis (1-8, 1-5 NEC) would connect on a 24-yard field goal midway through the second sending the teams into the locker room with Bryant leading 27-3 at the break.

Another Red Flash fumble on the opening kickoff of the second half was recovered by the Bulldogs and this time quarterback Mike Croce (Waterbury, Conn.) hit tight end Doug Emerzian (Rowley, Mass.) for a 6-yard touchdown pass and the Bulldogs cruised from there.   

Bryant would surpass its season-high for points in a game when freshman running back Michael Perry (Dunmore, Pa.) recorded his first career touchdown on a nice 22-yard scamper with five minutes remaining.

Bryant's defense forced Saint Francis into five turnovers in the game including two fumbles and three interceptions and limited the Red Flash to only 114 yards of total offense on the day including 35 yards passing and 79 yards on the ground.

Janes had a big game with a team-best six tackles along with junior defensive back Samad Wagstaff (New Rochelle, N.Y) who also added six tackles.  Senior Jason Riffe (Newton, Mass.) had five stops in the game and recorded his first interception of the season Croce finished the day 10-for-15 passing with 110 yards and one touchdown. Bryant had 392 yards of total offense including 282 yards on the ground.

Khalel Pritchard (Boston, Mass.) led the unit in receptions with three catches for 45 yards, and Jordan Harris (Lincoln University, Pa.) added two receptions for 27 yards.

The Bulldogs return home next weekend to play host to first-place Robert Morris.  The Colonials knocked off Central Connecticut 42-24 Saturday a battle of conference unbeatens.  RMU is currently 8-1 overall and undefeated in league play at 7-0.  Kickoff at Bulldog Stadium, where Bryant is 5-0 this year, is at noon.  The game will be carried live on WOON 1240 AM and online at www.bryantbulldogs.tv.