EASTON, Mass. (September 21, 2024) – Stonehill College rode a pair of 100-yard rushers, in posting 354 yards on the ground, to its first win of the season with a 35-21 triumph over Sacred Heart University in a non-conference football matchup as the Skyhawks opened their home slate in style on Family Weekend at Timothy J. Coughlin, '80 Memorial Field at W.B. Mason Stadium this afternoon.
Senior
Jarel Washington surpassed the 100-yard mark for the first time in his career with a career-best 184 yards on 23 carries and a pair of touchdowns, while junior
Zavion Woodard added a career-high 110 yards on 19 carries and a score, reaching the century mark for the second time in his career. It marks the first time the Skyhawks have featured two 100-yard rushers in their NCAA I FCS era and the first time since Justin Felder (177) and Brian Kearns, Jr. (103) accomplished the feat in a 35-13 win over Bloomsburg (Pa.) University here at W.B. Mason Stadium on September 4, 2021.
Stonehill posted 354 of its 418 yards of total offense on the ground in the rainy conditions at W.B. Mason Stadium, averaging 6.9 yards per carry as a team, with Washington collecting 8.0 yards per touch, including scoring runs of 26 and 72 yards. Woodard added another long scoring jaunt with his 31-yard score in the final minute sealing the win to finish with a 5.8-yard per carry average.
Senior quarterback
Ashur Carraha finished with 114 total yards, tossing a pair of touchdown passes among his seven completions on ten pass attempts for 64 yards, while adding another 50 on the ground on eight carries. Junior tight end
Cody Ruff and classmate
Chase Miller each collected their first career touchdown receptions in the win for Stonehill.
Cody Ruff's first career touchdown late in the second quarter gave the Skyhawks a 28-7 halftime lead (PHOTO BY Andy Ferreira, '99)
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Sophomore linebacker
Charles Battaglia paced theStonehill defense with a career-high seven tackles (six solo), including 1.0 for a loss of yards, while junior
Guershan Suffrant added a career-best five stops (four solo). Junior
Zack Athy chipped in five tackles (four solo) and two quarterback hurries, while senior
Matthew DeVirgilio contributed five tackles (three solo) and a pass breakup.
Postgrad
Jalen Madison led the Sacred Heart offense with 110 yards on 20 carries with a touchdown, adding another 24 yards on four catches to finish with 134 all-purpose yards. Sophomore quarterback
John Michalski added 151 total yards, completing 16-of-28 passes for 143 yards and a touchdown through the air, while rushing for another score on five carries for eight yards on the ground.
Postgrad
Myles Talley led the Sacred Heart defense with a game-high nine tackles (six solo), while
Marques Mason added six stops (five solo).
Washington capped the opening drive of the game with a 26-yard score to the right side just 2:19 into the contest to cap a six play, 75-yard drive. He posted 42 yards on four carries during the possession, while Carraha added an 18-yard run on second and two at the Skyhawks 33.
Stonehill doubled its lead by covering 80 yards in 12 plays and consuming 6:18, capped by a seven-yard touchdown toss by Carraha to Miller with 4:17 remaining in the first quarter. Washington was again the spark in the drive, carrying the ball eight times for 40 yards during the possession.
Zavion Woodard surpassed 100 yards for the second time in his career with a career-best 110 yards, scoring a late 31-yard touchdown to sew up the Skyhawks win. (PHOTO BY Andy Ferreira, '99) |
Sacred Heart got on the scoreboard with a lengthy drive of its own after a missed field goal by Stonehill early in the second quarter. Madison capped the nine play, 76-yard drive with a 23-yard touchdown run to the right side with 8:57 to play in the half, but Washington had an immediate response, taking Stonehill's next play from scrimmage 72 yards down the right sideline for his second touchdown of the day just 18-seconds later.
Carraha connected with Ruff for a five-yard touchdown toss with 54-seconds remaining in the half to extend the Stonehill lead to 28-7 at the intermission. The play capped a ten play, 48-yard drive for the Skyhawks with Washington adding another 19 yards on six touches during the possession and finished the first half with 173 yards on 19 carries, while Carraha added a 15-yard run during the drive.
Sacred Heart scored the lone touchdown of the third quarter to pull within 14 (28-14) with a Michalski two-yard keeper with 2:54 to play in the frame. The Pioneers pulled back within a score (28-21) when Michalski connected with senior
Ethan Hilliman for a 17-yard touchdown pass with 1:44 to play at the end of a nine play, 73-yard drive.
Sacred Heart was unable to convert on the ensuing onside kick, with the ball going out of bounds before traveling ten yards, giving Stonehill great field position to sew up the game. Woodard delivered three plays later with a 31-yard touchdown run on third and three to seal the Skyhawks first win of the season.
Noteworthy
