Junior running back Eddie Vachon racked up 191 all-purpose yards with two touchdown, including the winning score with less than a minute to play today against Saint Anselm.

Stonehill Scores Late Win Over Saint Anselm, 31-28

Vachon's second touchdown of the day lifts Skyhawks to victory
with 36-seconds left in battle for the Ol' Bronze Hawk

Boxscore 

EASTON, Mass. (October 24, 2009) - Junior running back Eddie Vachon (Newton, Mass./Blair Academy) caught a screen pass on the left flank and scampered in from four-yards out for his second touchdown of the day to lift Stonehill College to a 31-28 victory over Saint Anselm College in Northeast-10 Conference football action at Timothy J. Coughlin Field at W.B. Mason Stadium on Alumni Weekend this afternoon.

Vachon finished with 191 all-purpose yards on the afternoon, recording his second 100-yard rushing day of the year with 113 yards on 23 carries and one touchdown to go with four receptions for 33 yards and the winning score while adding 45 combined yards on five total kick and punt returns.

Stonehill also got 188 total return yards from sophomore cornerback/returner Stephan Neville (Foxborough, Mass./Foxborough), while adding six tackles (all solo) on defense with three pass breakups. Neville took a handoff from Vachon on the opening kickoff and raced 85 yards down the left sideline for his second touchdown return of the season (third career). He also set up the winning score when he took another handoff from Vachon after Saint Anselm had scored a go-ahead touchdown and broke several tackles up the left flank for a 63-yard return.

Sophomore cornerback/returner Stephan Neville had neared 200 yards on kick returns along, taking the opening kickoff 85-yards for a touchdown and setting up the winning score with a 63-yard return. He also posted six tackles and three pass breakups on defense.

Senior linebacker Greg Sanzari (Centerport, N.Y./Saint Anthony's) led the Stonehill defense with ten tackles (six solo) and two quarterback hurries. Junior safety Steven Good (Green Harbor, Mass./Marshfield) added seven stops (six solo), two pass breakups and a QB hurry. Senior defensive end Clark Leger (Waltham, Mass./Trinity Catholic) chipped in with four tackles (three solo), a sack for a loss of four yards, a forced fumble and recovery and three QB hurries.

Sophomore receiver Marc Wilson (Farmington, Conn.) and freshman quarterback Michael Pierce (Andover, Mass.) both piled up the offensive numbers to lead Saint Anselm. Pierce finished with 496 yards of total offense, completing 36-of-74 passes for 390 yards and three touchdowns to go with 15 carries for 106 yards on the ground. Wilson racked up 299 all-purpose yards, catching 16 passes for 163 yards and a touchdown, while adding 94 yards on six kickoff returns, 12 yards on two punt returns and two rushes for 30 yards and a score.

Junior wide receiver Marcel Bouie (Stone Mountain, Ga.) caught ten passes for 125 yards and a touchdown, while freshman Joseph Robichaud (Madison, Conn.) added three receptions for 61 yards.

Senior linebacker Dan Bohenek (Bridgewater, Mass.) led the Saint Anselm defense with 15 tackles (12 solo), including two for a loss of seven yards and a pass breakup. Freshman Ethan Sylvain (East Montpelier, Vt.) added 11 stops (six solo) and two breakups.

Saint Anselm rallied from a 24-14 deficit with 14-straight fourth quarter points to briefly take the lead. Freshman wideout Craig Dennis (Atlantic City, N.J.) caught a seven-yard pass from Pierce on third and goal 16-seconds into the final quarter to cap an eight-play, 60-yard drive to draw the Hawks within 24-21. Saint Anselm took its first lead of the afternoon with 3:47 left as Wilson carried the ball in from 14-yards out to cap a 12-play, 53-yard drive. The Hawks converted on fourth and short on two occasions during the drive. 

Senior tri-captain Greg Sanzari finished with ten tackles and two quarterback hurries.

Neville's second long return of the day on the ensuing kickoff gave Stonehill possession at the Saint Anselm 20. Vachon accounted for 17 yards on the winning drive, rushing three times for 13 yards before catching the screen pass from sophomore Tim Morrison (Billerica, Mass./Billerica Memorial) for the winning score with 36-seconds left. The Skyhawks converted on a key fourth and two as sophomore Jordan Smith (Northfield, N.H./Bishop Brady) rushed the ball three yards to keep the winning drive alive.

Saint Anselm drove to the Stonehill 28 after a 42-yard completion from Pierce to Robichaud, but the Hawks quarterback came up empty on two passes in the final seconds, the latter broken up in the end zone by Stonehill freshman James Hodges (Wethersfield, Conn./Cushing Academy) on a pass intended for freshman Chris Chapman (Bronx, N.Y.).

Saint Anselm answered Neville's game-opening 85-yard touchdown return on its first offensive drive. Pierce connected with Bouie from 16-yards out to knot the score with 11:15 remaining in the opening quarter. Pierce completed 8-of-9 passes for 72 yards on that nine-play, 62-yard drive alone.

Stonehill regained the lead on its first drive of the second quarter as Vachon capped a four play, 50-yard drive with a ten-yard scoring run. Freshman wide receiver John Gomes (Hyannis, Mass./Barnstable) had a 34-yard reception to the Saint Anselm 16 and added a 12-yard rush to set up the score. The Skyhawks extended their lead to 14-points with 6:14 left in the half as freshman Edward Gaffney (Stonington, Conn./Stonington) blocked a Saint Anselm punt and classmate Bernard Mathis (Baldwin, N.Y./Long Island Lutheran) carried the ball in from 12-yards out three plays later for his first collegiate score.

Saint Anselm got one of those scores back with 5:10 left in the half when Pierce hit Wilson for a 47-yard catch and run down the middle. Pierce was 4-for-4 for 70 yards on that drive. The Skyhawks carried a ten-point (24-14) lead into halftime when senior Brendan Gorey (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip) kicked a season-long 39-yard field goal with 13-seconds left.

Neither team scored in the third quarter, leading up to the dramatic fourth quarter finish. Saint Anselm finished with 536 yards of total offense on the afternoon, with 390 coming through the air and 146 on the ground. Stonehill posted 256 yards of total offense, 159 rushing and 100 passing.

The win allows Stonehill to retain the Ol' Bronze Hawk trophy for the fourth-straight year. The Ol' Bronze Hawk is given annually to the winner of the Saint Anselm/Stonehill football game.

Stonehill (3-5, 2-4 NE-10) has a short week before returning to action on Friday when it visits Assumption College at 7 p.m. The Skyhawks close out the season the following Saturday, November 7, as they host NE-10 leaders Bentley University on Family Weekend and Senior Day at noon. Saint Anselm (2-6, 1-5 NE-10) hosts the University of New Haven next Saturday at noon.